This story is the basis for V. Shantaram’s 1946 film, Dr Kotnis ki Amar Kahani, or The Immortal Story of Dr Kotnis. The film reflects not only prevailing nationalist sentiment, but also communist and revolutionary struggles across the globe. It refers to the 1937 plea by the Chinese Communist Party to Jawaharlal Nehru and the Indian National Congress to assist in its struggle against Japan. Kotnis responded to this plea and, on the Long March, he tended to the sick and wounded of the Red Army. The scenes that show him wooing Qing Lan, his future wife, reveal nuances of the relations between the two countries. He tells her that there is no need for chini, “sugar” in Hindi, in Chinese tea, suggesting the Chinese body is filled with sweetness. They are married by official command, and their union is explained to the villagers in terms of underlining the closeness of India and China. The military commander, General Nie Rongzhen, names their son Yin Hua, for India and China.