Rising economic powers China and India have put their collective cinematic weights behind Kung Fu Yoga (功夫瑜伽), an ambitious US $65 million co-production with Jackie Chan headlining as an adventure-seeking archaeologist in the mold of America’s Indiana Jones. The film also stars Amyra Dastur, Disha Patani, Aarif Rahman, and Sonu Sood, whose characters join Chan’s character on a journey to find a lost Indian treasure in Tibet.
On the heels of 2016’s Xuanzang, Kung Fu Yoga represents the second major collaboration between the Chinese and Indian film industries. Though Xuanzang was not hugely successful at the box office (with only US $4.9 million in total receipts), perhaps Kung Fu Yoga — with stronger star power and a more approachable premise — will finally be able to crack into the 2.7+ billion strong collective Sino-Indian markets.
The film hits Chinese theaters on January 28, 2017 and Indian ones shortly after on February 3, 2017.