'English Vinglish' to release in mainland China on Sridevi's 5th death anniversary

Mumbai: Sridevi's critically-acclaimed film "English Vinglish" is set to hit theatres in the Chinese mainland on February 24 to commemorate her fifth death anniversary.

According to distributer Eros International, the 2012 movie will release in 6,000 screens across mainland China.

Directed by Gauri Shinde, the Hindi family comedy-drama marked Sridevi's return to the silver screen after a 15-year hiatus and went on to become India's official entry to the Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category for 2012.

"English Vinglish" narrates the story of a quiet, sweet-tempered housewife Shashi Godbole, who endures small slights from her well-educated husband and daughter every day because of her inability to speak and understand English. Her attempt to learn the language helps her rediscover herself and reassert her value.

The story was inspired by Shinde's mother who ran a business of spices.

"Indian films have gradually gained a foothold in the competitive Chinese movie market, the second biggest in the world. We have seen a rising demand for Indian films in China Mainland, especially the ones which are culturally driven.

"We are excited for the audience in China to marvel at this masterpiece showcasing one of the most memorable performances by the late Bollywood superstar Sridevi", Kumar Ahuja, COO, Eros International, said in a statement.

The movie also features Adil Hussain, Sumeet Vyas, Priya Anand, Sulabha Deshpande and French actor Mehdi Nebbou.