The Legend of Maula Jatt, a popular Pakistani film, is about to make history by becoming the first movie from that nation to be released in India in more than ten years on December 30.
This will signal a possible cultural breakthrough in the strained relations between the South Asian neighbors. Director Bilal Lashari, 38, will release his Maula Jatt adaption in Indian Punjab and a few Delhi theatres, according to Rajender Singh Jyala, chief programming officer of the Indian multiplex network INOX Leisure.
On December 26, Jyala informed the Press Trust of India that the film “will be exhibited in Punjab and a few theatres in Delhi in INOX where there are Punjabi-speaking people.” Al Jazeera contacted Jyala to get a reaction from her, but as of this writing, no response had been received. Another Indian cinema chain, PVR Cinemas, shared the movie’s release announcement last week before removing it from its website. The incident highlighted the political risks Indian businesses and individuals face when doing business with their counterparts in Pakistan, however, it is uncertain if the movie will continue to be shown in its theatres.
Since its global premiere in October, The Legend of Maula Jatt has gathered more than $10 million at the box office, making it the highest-grossing Pakistani movie of all time. The film, which has a running time of slightly over 150 minutes, centers on family conflicts and explores themes of honor and retribution. It also has a strong cast of well-known performers who are well-known to Indian audiences, led by its headliners, Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan. Even though both Mahira and Fawad Khan have appeared in numerous Indian films, Bol by Mahira was the final Pakistani film to be released in India in 2011. In Khoobsurat, Kapoor & Sons, and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Fawad played the lead role. The 2017 film Raees, starring Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan, starred Mahira.
After more than five years, both actors will make a comeback in Indian cinema with The Legend of Maula Jatt. But if the movie is released in India, far-right political parties there have pledged to demonstrate. Hindu nationalist Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Ameya Khopkar stated earlier in December that his group will not permit the film to be screened in India. Khopkar stated, “It is extremely upsetting that an Indian corporation is leading this plot,” in a tweet on December 9. We won’t allow this movie to be shown anyplace in India, as per Raj Saheb’s directives. He was referring to Raj Thackeray, the leader of the MNS, whose organization routinely targets movies whose actors or material it finds objectionable.
“Fawad Khan’s supporters, traitors,” said Khopkar, who is also a producer, “may very well go to Pakistan and watch the film.” In light of this, entertainment journalist and festival programmer Aseem Chhabra predicted that screening the film in India wouldn’t be simple. He told Al Jazeera that he won’t be astonished if the release of this movie has some political implications. But he thinks it’s a terrific chance to restart cultural exchanges between the two countries. Particularly after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, Pakistani artists have repeatedly struggled to connect with their followers across the border. This is despite the popularity of Pakistani films, plays, and the expanding music industry in India.
Rafay Mahmood, a film critic, and cultural analyst based in Karachi remarked on the probable release of The Legend of Maula Jatt that it was crucial to keep in mind that India has not officially forbade the release of Pakistani films or the hiring of Pakistani actors. The distributors, exhibitors, and artist groups in both countries are responsible for most of these restrictions. According to Mahmood, there is no official government regulation that forbids artists or the creation of art.
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