'Dangal' earns more in China than India, leaps ahead of 'Baahubali'

'Dangal' is Aamir Khan's most recent film, which released on 23 December 2016 in India.  A huge hit, the film collected some Rs 385 crore in India, making it Aamir's biggest hit yet. But the real surprise is its China release, which happened two weeks ago and smashed records there.

Here's a thing that might bring a cheer to both nationalists and liberals alike - Aamir Khan has won China. The Bollywood star's 'Dangal' not only rose to the top of the Chinese charts but also dislodged one of Hollywood's biggest tentpoles of the year - 'Guardians of the Galaxy 2'. 

The film, which released in China under the title 'Let's Wrestle, Dad' (Shuai Jiao Baba), seems to have certainly touched a nerve in China, which is exactly as patriarchal a culture as India. 

What's amazing is that collections for the film grew in the second week, rising to a whopping Rs 208 crore in week two. This seems to be the result of positive word-of-mouth for the film. 

According to a report in Variety, the film collected $11.3 million in its first week and tripled that collection in the second week - earning $32.5 million. The ten-day total is $59.7 million (Rs383 crore approximately). 

'Dangal' has got a second wind thanks to its release in China, pushing its collections beyond the Rs 1000 crore mark. This puts it slightly ahead of the much-hyped 'Baahubali: The Conclusion', perhaps soothing some wounded pride in the North, after the Southern film swept aside all records. 

'Dangal' made quite a few records itself, the latest being that it is now officially the highest-ever grossing Indian film in China.