Last week, word in the industry spread that Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan’s blockbuster, The Legend of Maula Jatt, was India-bound after its smashing success in Pakistan and around the world. The action drama was gearing up for a December 30 release, marking over a decade since Bol (2011), the last Pakistani film to get a theatrical release in the country. The movie opening across Indian screens could also be viewed as an inflection point — after all, the Indian film industry had stopped working with Pakistani actors, following the 2016 Uri attacks. However, only three days away from the scheduled release date, the producers have done a rethink. In the latest development, Zee Studios, which has acquired the film’s distribution rights in India, has deferred its release.
If things had gone as planned, the Fawad and Mahira-starrer would begin with a limited release in Delhi and Punjab, playing across the multiplexes and single-screens. Sources tell us that Bilal Lashari’s directorial venture had also got the green signal from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). A trade source reveals, “The Legend of Maula Jatt took Pakistan by storm on its October 13 release. Soon, Zee Studios was in conversation with the makers to bring the movie to India. By mid-December, the studio submitted the action drama to the Censor Board, which green-lit it. The film’s trailers had started playing across theatres in Punjab. However, yesterday, the suits at the studio had a change of heart, and decided to postpone it. The new release date has yet to be finalised.”
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The Legend of Maula Jatt, an adaptation of the classic Maula Jatt (1979), revolves around the eponymous local folk hero and his arch rival Noori Natt. The action drama has reportedly earned a whopping R230 crore, becoming the highest grosser in Pakistani cinema. Why the hesitancy in bringing the much-loved film to India? The source points out that news of the movie’s release in India elicited negative reactions. “After the release date was announced, there was found to be some resistance to a Pakistani movie releasing in our country. It’s a delicate situation, and the studio did not want to hurt people’s emotions by going ahead with the release,” adds the source.
mid-day reached out to Zee Studios, as well as officials at Inox and PVR cinemas, who remained unavailable for comment.
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