New Delhi: The highly anticipated release of Fawad Khan-starrer The Legend of Maula Jatt has been stalled in Punjab. The film’s Pakistani distributors told ThePrint that India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has sought a stay from the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding its release.
“The ball is now in their court. I don’t know the basis for the stay. The most surprising thing is that it is the government that has asked for the stay. If distributors in Punjab screen the film, it will now be a contempt of court,” said Nadeem Mandviwalla, a Karachi-based distributor.
Mandviwalla holds exclusive distribution rights for the film in Pakistan, while Zee Studios, which holds the international rights, is working for its release in Punjab, India.
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The success of Maula Jatt
Since its release in Pakistani cinemas in 2022, The Legend of Maula Jatt has become a cultural phenomenon, and the first Punjabi film in Pakistan to gross PKR 400 crore globally. Mandvivalla said that the film continues to perform well, collecting crores in cinemas across Sindh and Karachi.
On 18 September, director Bilal Lashari announced the collaboration with Zee Studios to release the film in Indian Punjab. However, this move faced resistance from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), whose chief, Raj Thackeray, recently tweeted that his party would not allow the film’s premiere in Mumbai.
The Legend of Maula Jatt was initially scheduled for release in December 2022, but that plan was derailed by protests from conservative groups. Since the Uri attacks in 2019, there has been an unofficial ban on Pakistani films in India. Although the Supreme Court dismissed a plea to ban Pakistani artists in November 2023, uncertainty surrounding cross-border film releases persists.
Mandviwalla drew parallels to the situation with China, which banned Indian films in 2021 but later resumed economic collaborations.
“Shouldn’t this have been done with Pakistan as well? The Pakistani government was sensible not to stop Punjabi movies. If Maula Jatt were to be released in India today, it would be because Indian Punjabi films have performed well here,” he said.
He likened Maula Jatt to iconic Indian films like Sholay and Hum Aapke Hain Koun.
“If Maula Jatt releases in India, it opens a pathway for distributors to screen these movies, given their commercial potential. None of these are agenda-driven films; they’re just great business,” he added.
Also read: Fawad Khan’s ‘Humsafar’ to be adapted for Indian stage. Pakistanis say it’ll be ‘ruined’
Crossover of Punjabi films
Meanwhile, Indian theatre actor Imran Zahid, who is working on an adaptation of the Pakistani TV show Humsafar, has filed an RTI with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, seeking clarity on the stalled release of Maula Jatt.
“It is incredibly disheartening to see that the release of The Legend of Maula Jatt has been stalled in India. In an era where digital media transcends borders, banning a film only in theatres feels contradictory,” Zahid told ThePrint.
He highlighted the inconsistency in allowing digital platforms to feature Pakistani actors while denying theatrical releases.
“When Zee Studios announced the film’s release a month ago, why is it only now, so close to the date, that we hear it’s stalled?” Zahid questioned, calling for clearer communication from the government regarding any restrictions on collaborations with Pakistani artists.
Both Zahid and Mandviwalla challenged claims that the stalling was due to a lack of Indian films in Pakistan since 2019, asserting that such statements are misleading.
Mandviwalla emphasised that Punjabi films are being screened in Pakistan and performing well at the box office.
“We are already importing a lot of Indian Punjabi films, and audiences are enjoying them. Films like Jatt and Juliet and Carry on Jatta have done business of PKR 20-30 crore. If a Punjabi film comes [to India] from Pakistan, it should have been released as well,” he stated.
Despite the current setback, Mandviwalla remains optimistic.
“A stay cannot be permanent. We were hopeful that the movie would do good business because every frame of the film was made for the big screen. It gives you the feeling ‘ki kya kamaal ki cheez dekhi’ (what a wonderful cinema). If the I&B wanted it stalled, why did the Censor Board (which comes under I&B) clear it in the first place? Unfortunately, its release is stalled until the court makes a decision,” he said.
(Edited by Prashant)