The much-anticipated release of the Pakistani film ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’, featuring stars Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan, in India has been postponed. This development was confirmed on Tuesday by Nadeem Mandviwalla, the film’s distribution holder, who shared that a court order has halted the screening.
The Legend of Maula Jatt not to release in Punjab
Mandviwalla told PTI that an Indian ministry sought and obtained a stay order, effectively putting a stop to the film's release, which was originally scheduled for Wednesday.
While Mandviwalla holds exclusive distribution rights for the film in Pakistan, he noted that the international distribution, managed by Zee India, had been working towards securing the release in Punjab.
"Unfortunately, its release has once again been stalled, and there is nothing anyone can do until the court gives its decision," Mandviwalla told PTI.
The film's distributor still has hopes for the film's India release
As one of Pakistan’s leading distributors, exhibitors, and cinema owners, Mandviwalla expressed hope that whenever the release finally happens in India, it will be a significant moment for Pakistan’s film industry.
“I am pretty sure given the quality and efforts put into the making of the film and its brilliant cast, Maula Jatt will be a big hit in Indian Punjab,” he added.
The announcement of the film’s release in India was met with opposition from various political figures and groups, which may have contributed to the legal action.
Earlier, on September 18, the film's director Bilal Lashari announced that ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’ would be released in India in Punjab in collaboration with Zee Studios and Zindagi. Zindagi had previously brought Fawad Khan back to Indian audiences through its show ‘Barzakh’.
India-Pakistan conflict
India stopped the export of its films to Pakistan following the Pulwama incident in 2019, and in retaliation, Pakistan banned Indian films from being screened in the country.
The last Pakistani film to be shown in India was Bol (2011), starring Humaima Malick and Atif Aslam.
Released two years ago, ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’, starring Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, and others, became a record-breaking success for a Pakistani film, grossing around PKR 400 crore globally.