Indian cinemas are likely to screen Pakistani film “The Legend of Maula Jatt” this Friday, making it the first film from Pakistan in over a decade to get a theatrical release in the neighbouring country, The News reported citing an INOX official.
Directed by Bilal Lashari and starring Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan, “The Legend of Maula Jatt” hit the screens with its worldwide theatrical release on October 13.
“It will be played in Punjab and a few theatres in Delhi in INOX where there are Punjabi speaking people,” Rajender Singh Jyala, chief programming officer, INOX Leisure Ltd, told Press Trust of India.
Multiplex chain PVR Cinemas had shared a release announcement on its official Instagram page but deleted it soon after. “Presenting the official poster of #TheLegendofMaulaJatt! Coming to PVR this Friday,” the post read.
The action drama, which has become the highest-grossing Pakistani film of all time amassing $10 million, was released in Pakistan on October 13. “The Legend of Maula Jatt” is an adaptation of the 1979 cult classic Maula Jatt and producers have said it is neither a remake nor a sequel.
Its stars Mahira and Fawad who are familiar to Indian audiences through their popular Pakistani drama Humsafar and also through Bollywood — Fawad, who was most recently seen in the superhero series Ms Marvel, has featured in “Khoobsurat“, “Kapoor & Sons“, and “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil” while Mahira appeared in Shah Rukh Khan-starred “Raees“.
The last Pakistani film to get a theatrical release in India was “Bol” starring Mahira in 2011. Before that was “Ramchand Pakistani” starring Nandita Das and Rashid Farooqi in 2008. “Khuda Kay Liye”, which included Fawad in the ensemble cast alongside Naseeruddin Shah, came in 2007
Pakistani films, however, have been screened at festivals in India. In November this year, the Dharamshala International Film Festival screened Saim Sadiq’s “Joyland”, which is Pakistan’s official entry in the international film category at the 95th Academy Awards. “Khuda Kay Liye” was the first ever Pakistani film to be included in the official selection of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
“The Legend of Maula Jatt” started production in January 2017 and concluded in June 2019. The film was initially scheduled for cinema release on multiple dates in 2019–2020 but kept getting delayed due to copyright-related issues and the COVID-19 pandemic.
