Even as the political relationship between New Delhi and Beijing has gone through ups and downs this year, the Indian government has quietly launched a broad campaign to win hearts and minds in China.

Baimurat Allaberiyev, a diminutive 37-year-old popularly known as Tajik Jimmy for his rendition of “Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy, aaja, aaja, aaja” from Mithun’s 1983 hit Disco Dancer, is poised to become an icon for the Indian foreign ministry’s programme to showcase the country’s “soft power”.

From October 3, the city will be playing host to not only over 7,000 athletes but also a host of artistes and Bollywood personalities as well. The cultural extravaganza, billed as Delhi Celebrates, will not only bring singers and musicians to the city but also theatre personalities, well known chefs, artisans, poets and litterateurs.

India’s summer of dance diplomacy across China ended on Sunday with the last in a series of Bollywood dance shows. Bollywood can be the biggest cultural icebreaker for India in China, but the industry’s top stars and dance groups...were not part of the ongoing India festival to celebrate 60 years of diplomatic ties with China.

In Tere Bin Laden, pop star Ali Zafar makes his debut as a Bollywood hero - a notable coup for a Pakistani actor.

As if there were any doubt about India’s mounting anxieties concerning its status vis-à-vis China, the July 12th issue of India Today, India’s largest-circulation newsmagazine, includes an article on Indian versus Chinese soft power that depicts a substantial Indian deficit.

For years, Bollywood’s producers and directors have favored the pristine backdrop of Switzerland for their films... In the process, they have created an enormous curiosity about things Swiss in generations of middle-class Indians, who are now earning enough to travel here in search of their dreams.

It’s not that often that Bollywood films – better known for formulaic plots and cheesy musical numbers – stir up much international attention for their politics. But the recent announcement here of a film about Adolf Hitler’s last days, his love life, and his supposed connection to India, has raised eyebrows around the world – not to mention the ire of India’s tiny Jewish community.