The film Lion, starring Sunny Pawar and Nicole Kidman, will be released across China on Thursday.[Photo provided to China Daily]

"I am happy, as I've done a good job," Pawar says at a Shanghai cinema after the festival screening.

Prakash Gupta, consul general of India in Shanghai, says movies with Indian themes are popular in China, thanks to the phenomenal success of Dangal, the highest-grossing non-Hollywood import into China.

He highlights the similarity between Lion and Dangal, saying: "The first and most important thing is that both of them are based on real stories ... both their themes are common to all of us."

Gupta says he believes the suffering and struggles in the two movies resonate with audiences, making them globally successful hits.

Graeme Meehan, consul general of Australia in Shanghai, also attended the screening. He says Australian movies have gained popularity across the world in recent years.

"I hope in the future we'll see more Australian films in China," says Meehan.