Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen , Guangzhou and Dalian, SRK Wins Over The Hearts!

Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen , Guangzhou and Dalian, SRK Wins Over The Hearts!
- Planet Bollywood Special Correspondant Let us know what you think about this story

Much before Chinese premier Wen Jiabao flew into New Delhi to strengthen relations with India, an Indian superstar is making his way into Chinese hearts. Audiences in a dozen Chinese cities are crowding to cinema halls showing Shahrukh Khan-starrer 'My Name is Khan'.

The movie has been shown in movie halls of more than a dozen Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen , Guangzhou and Dalian since its launch on November 30. This is the first time in more than a decade that the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, the Chinese censors, has approved an Indian movie for showing in cinema houses.

Some observers have suggested that the movie's political content discussing the image of Muslims in the United States could be a reason why the censors allowed the film to be showed. An article on a site with close links with the official CCTV6 television channel said the film demonstrates the bias and unfair treatment of Muslims in the United States since the 9/11 incident.

"We are touched by the hero's simplicity and perseverance," a review in the official site said. This is among the dozens of Chinese newspapers and Internet sites focused on the movie industry have sung praises for the movie, which is being described as the "Indian Forrest Gump".

The film showing coincided with a four-day art and film festival organized by the Indian embassy and the Chinese government in Beijing , which ended Monday.

"Chinese audiences were very excited about the Indian movies that were shown during the festival. We have received requests for more showing of Indian films by a lot of people," Ma Zhen Xuan , chief executive officer of GDB Bridge Art Center , said.

Indian movies are mostly distributed in China though video sharing websites and DVDs, many of which are pirated ones. The censors, who allow only a handful of foreign movies for showing every year, hardly ever allow Asian films to be shown. This is why the decision on 'My Name is Khan' is expected to result in more Indian movies to be permitted in future.