‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’ release blocked in India

Mumbai: The popular Pakistani actors Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan's blockbuster film ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’ has been blocked from releasing in India.

The film was to be released in the Indian Punjab, making it the first Pakistani film to hit Indian screens in more than a decade, according to a BBC report.

On September 18, the director of the film, Bilal Lashari, announced that the film would be released in the Indian state of Punjab by Zee Studios.

After the announcement of the film's release, some extremist groups in India opposed it. These groups had warned that there would be strong protests if the film was screened in the country.

President of MNS Cinema Wing Amiya Khopkar, while preferring Indian talent over foreign artists, said: “Our soldiers are dying on the borders and our cities are being attacked, why do we need Pakistani actors here? Don't we have enough talent”?

He warned cinema owners in India to reconsider screening the film, adding that although art and politics are separate, the party does not support the idea of ​​screening Pakistani films at the expense of Indian soldiers.

The Legend of Maula Jatt has a long journey from Pakistan to India but the success of the film is undeniable. The film was released in Pakistan on October 13, 2022 and soon collected more than Rs40 million worldwide by August 2023 and made a new record in history.

The film is not a sequel or a remake of the 1979 superhit film ‘Maula Jatt,’ but a new story has been created based on the characters of the film, which is called a reboot in film parlance.

Last year, 'The Legend of Maula Jatt ' was awarded the best film at the annual 'Bollywood Film Festival' held in the European country of Norway.

The cast of the film includes Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Humaima Malik, Gohar Rashid and other actors.