Beijing: Bollywood blockbuster 'Lagaan' on November 20 became the first Indian movie to be released in China nationwide, rekindling memories of the Raj Kapoor era when Indian films were immensely popular in the neighbouring Communist nation.

The Oscar best foreign film nominee 2002, 'Lagaan', is the first Indian film that has been released nationwide in China, Joe Zhang, an official from Columbia Tri Star Film Distributors International, said.

"Continuing with its international success and now reaching here, Lagaan brings us a great chance to break the wrong idea that 'good movies are American ones', a chance to introduce the Indian culture to the common Chinese," Zhang said.

"Now we are reminded of the times when Raj Kapoor films like 'Awara' was a big hit in China," he said.

The premiere was well-attended with well-wishers of India, film buffs as well as a host of Chinese media thronging the venue.

Welcoming the release, Charge-de-Affaires, Embassy of India, Debnath Shaw, hoped that Chinese people would have more such opportunities to view Indian films.

"Our Chinese friends tell me that Indian films such as 'Awara' and 'Do Bigha Zameen' were very popular in China in the past, but today they do not get many opportunities to see such quality films in theatre houses across China.

PTI