Can this China-India co-production deal be a success?

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Three new co-productions are in the works as part of a collaborative effort between companies from the world’s two most populous nations.

Beijing-based production company Extraordinary Entertainment will co-develop three film projects with Indian studio B4U, including an actioner about global wildlife poaching.

Working together

Producer Daljit DJ Parmar and Director Renny Harlin are the partners leading the Beijing-based Extraordinary Entertainment / Instagram/@daljitdjparmar

Director Renny Harlin's new Chinese film finance and production and Bollywood movie studio B4U announced on Tuesday at the Shanghai International Film Festival that the companies signed a co-development deal.

This announcement came following a series of panel discussions and keynote speeches at the festival about movie industry collaboration between the two massive nations.

“There is a very unique cultural synergy between Chinese and Indian cinema," Indian producer Daljit DJ Parmar (“Kung Fu Yoga”) said in a statement Tuesday. "The enormous success of co-production films like ‘Kung Fu Yoga’ and other Indian films has helped pave the way for Indian content in China. Building on this, we are excited to develop our new China-India film slate, beginning with ‘Operation Wild’ and our partner B4U, one of India’s most renowned entertainment companies.”

Producer Daljit DJ Parmar and Director Renny Harlin made the official announcement for their Beijing-based Extraordinary Entertainment during the Cannes Film Festival in May. / Instagram/@daljitdjparmar

The power of teamwork

The partners also unveiled their first project together will be an action flick “Operation Wild” which Harlin will direct. The Casting and plot were not revealed, but the film written by Brian Brightly (“Inside Man 2’, “Bleed”) was described as a large-scale action adventure story in which two elite combat warriors from China and India lead covert forces to shut down a global criminal organization engaged in wildlife poaching.

This deal continues a trend of growing Indian participation in the Chinese film market. In recent years a number of Indian movies have found success at the Chinese box office. Aamir Khan’s family sports drama “Dangal” earned 190 million US dollars in China last year, and his follow-up feature “Secret Superstar” brought in 118 million US dollars in January. Other Indian titles have also brought in considerable sums.

Director Renny Harlin and Producer Daljit DJ Parmar launched the Beijing-based Extraordinary Entertainment during the Cannes Film Festival in May. / Instagram/@daljitdjparmar

Dynamic duo

Harlin launched Extraordinary Entertainment at the Cannes Film Festival in May with Parmar (“Kung Fu Yoga”) serving as the banner's CEO.

B4U network is one of Bollywood's largest television networks, operating entertainment channels that reach audiences in some 100 countries. The company also runs a film production subsidiary that releases 10 to 15 movies a year.

Harlin is best known in Hollywood for his 1990s action hits “Die Hard 2”, “Cliffhanger” and “The Long Kiss Goodnight.” He has lived in Beijing since 2014 when he directed the Jackie Chan action comedy “Skiptrace” co-starring Fan Bingbing and Johnny Knoxville. His second Chinese feature, the Alibaba-backed fantasy “Legend of the Ancient Sword,” is expected to be released later this year, followed by his third Chinese title, the pressure-cooker thriller “Bodies at Rest”, produced by Wanda and Media Asia.

(With inputs from The Hollywood Reporter)

(Cover image: / Instagram/@daljitdjparmar )