President Pranab Mukherjee shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping at a meeting in Beijing. (PTI Photo)
Hits from the old and not so old Bollywood films wafted across the banquet hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping in honour of his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee as the two leaders relaxed after hectic talks over contentious issues.
'Gore Gore' from Hindi film Samdhi set the tone for the 90-minute banquet as the Chinese military band played mellifluous tunes over a dinner as guests were treated to Chinese delicacies.
Later it was 'Roja Janeman', the A R Rehman melody in Aravind Swamy, Madhu starer 'Roja' of the mid-nineties that captivated audience that included famous Chinese folk singer and wife of Xi, Peng Liyuan.
It was followed by 'Bar Bar Dekho' of the 1962 vintage China Town film that kept the guests at the banquet hooked to the Indian music.
Raj Kapoor's 'Awara' still evokes strong nostalgia among the old generation of Chinese.
At the dinner, the guests enjoyed coconut chicken soup, mixed pot stew, steamed stone cropp leaf and grilled corn rounded off with pastries and coffee and tea.
For the vegetarians it was Coconut-Tofu soup, mixed vegetable stew, curry bean curd and grilled Tofu.