Fawad Khan's 'The Legend of Maula Jatt' first Pakistani film to release in India after ban

Fawad Khan Pic/Instagram

Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan-starrer "The Legend of Maula Jatt" is set to become the first Pakistani film in over a decade to release in Indian theatres. Director Bilal Lashari, Mahira, and the film's official Instagram page shared the news on their social media pages.

"Releasing in India, Punjab on Wednesday 2nd Oct! Two years in, and still house full on weekends in Pakistan! Now, I can't wait for our Punjabi audience in India to experience the magic of this labor of love!" Lashari captioned the poster on Instagram.

According to the poster, the film is a "Zee Studios release in collaboration with Zindagi", which also brought Fawad back to audiences in India with its latest show "Barzakh".

"Maula Jatt" would be the first Pakistani film to release in India after 2011's "Bol", starring Humaima Malick and Atif Aslam.

The Fawad-starrer, which released in Pakistan in 2022 and became a massive hit, is a remake of the 1979 cult classic Maula Jatt. It is ranked as Pakistan's highest-earning movie by raking in Rs 400 crore globally.

"Two years on, 'The Legend of Maula Jatt' is still unstoppable! Witness the epic saga on the big screen in India from 2nd October 2024. Cinema listing to be shared soon" read the announcement on the official Instagram page of the film.

Besides Fawad and Mahira, a hit pair in Pakistan thanks to their pairing in "Humsafar", the film also features Hamza Abbasi in a pivotal role.

"India is a massive market for films and we are confident that 'Maula Jatt' will be appreciated by Indian audiences," one of the people associated with the film said.
There was a ban on Indian film releases in Pakistan and vice versa after a spate of terror incidents that also led to a controversy around Fawad's casting in "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil".

The actor's flourishing career in India suffered a setback due to the tensions between the countries. Both Fawad and Mahira, who starred opposite Shah Rukh Khan in "Raees", continue to enjoy popularity in India and the film is expected to create a buzz. The film was earlier slated to arrive in Indian theatres in December 2022 but its release was postponed.