In the comedy series, set in a fictional small city, a young man called Seven, who has lost his memory, is accidentally hired by a shadowy organization as an assassin. He chooses a job as a barber as his cover and, although Seven keeps failing in his assignments, he gradually shakes off the image of a loser and finds his true identity.

"We don't deliberately put in nods to traditional Chinese culture, but everything that happens on the streets of the small city makes you feel like it's a part of our daily life in China," says Zou.

He Weifeng, 31, director of Killer Seven, who is based in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, is a good observer of his neighborhood.

"Not everything in the film is based on my own experiences," he tells China Daily, "but they all come from what I observe and how I feel about life. They're my true emotions."

He adds that the assassin's story is only a "shell".

"I borrow his points of view to express inclusiveness and love," he explains. "I always wonder why completely different types of people can get along with each other. Better understanding and love makes for harmony and peace."

He, who grew up watching comedies starring Hong Kong actor, Stephen Chow, confesses that Killer Seven bears some resemblance to Chow's iconic films of the 1990s, which were extremely popular in China.