Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c11.s5.t2.22

v2.c11.s5.t2.22

In 1951, *Awara* was produced on the basis of a screenplay by Abbas. Due to its social progress and the outstanding performance of Raj Kapoor, this film had an unprecedented success in the Middle East and Soviet Union. In 1952, Abbas paid a visit to China. In 1955, Raj Kapoor led an Indian film delegation to visit China. After being translated into Chinese, *Awara* caused a great sensation, and became well-known in China. Its song Awara Hun instantly became popular, and is still a favourite among Chinese people. Afterwards, Panther Panchali (1955) by Satyajit Ray was introduced into China. This neo-realist film won enormous fame and box office success across the world. China paid Rupees 40,000 for it, only next to Rupees 2,51,230 by the United States. In the 1960s and 1970s, for well-known reasons, Indian film disappeared from Chinese market and became a remote memory.