WEB DESK
The Embassy of India in Beijing on Saturday launched a movie series “cinemaSCOpe” exclusive for the SCO family in which the embassy will be screening more than two dozen Indian movies dubbed in Russian language, on a monthly basis. beginning with the movie ‘Three Idiots’ on Saturday till India’s chairmanship of the SCO ‘Council of Heads of State’ meeting in 2023.
It is part of India’s continued diplomatic outreach to the SCO countries with it’s soft power further cementing the people to people connection.
The event was jointly inaugurated by Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Misri and SCO Secretary General Vladimir Norov in a cheerful atmosphere. Our Beijing Correspondent reports that the event was attended by nearly hundred diplomats from SCO countries and neighbouring countries who shared their fondness for Indian cinema and culture.
Addressing the gathering, Ambassador Vikram Misri while the proposal from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a ‘SCO Film Festival’ is under consideration by the member States, the Indian Embassy in Beijing has decided to make a small beginning on the road to build relationships through the medium of cinema. Mr. Misri recalled the successful hosting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting by India on 30 November 2020, which resulted in important outcomes including first-ever initiatives like SCO Startup Forum, Young Scientists Conclave, Consortium of Economic Think-tanks, Traditional Medicine, Buddhist Heritage Exhibition. The event was both a way to celebrate the successful conduct of the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting on 30 November and start a new track of bringing the SCO Family together through a ‘cultural connect’.
He highlighted the glorious past of India cinema and its remarkable journey in the past more than 100 years. He noted that in the last 100 years, Indian cinema has transcended boundaries and is not only seen as an art but a powerful medium to connect people. Indian movies, with Russian dubbing, have left a huge positive impression among the soviet movie fandom. Showman Raj Kapoor’s ‘Awaara’, was one of the first bollywood movies to be screened in the Soviet Union. From Raj Kapoor to Mithun Chakraborty to Amitabh Bachchan, many Indian actors and actresses are considered as symbols of optimism in the households of Russia and Central Asia, he added.
SCO Secretary General Vladimir Norov congratulated the Indian Embassy for taking the unique initiative to organize “cinemaSCOpe” movie screening for the SCO Family. He expressed happiness that that “cinemaSCOpe” event will coincide with the “SCO Year of Culture” in 2021 as SCO celebrates its 20 years of formation. The SCO region is a confluence of diverse civilizations and a cradle of rich traditions of art and culture which is also reflected in the cinemas made in SCO countries that are globally appreciated. He lauded the Indian Cinema as the largest cinema industry in the world in terms of movie production.
The industry produces about 2000 movies every year in over 20 languages, which is more than double the number of movies made in the United States. Indian Cinema industry is also one of the largest in the world in terms of revenue with about US$ 3 billion, providing direct and indirect employment to thousands of people. Global influence of Indian Cinema, especially Bollywood is unparalleled and it has helped propagate the Indian culture and civilizational message to far off places, he noted.