The eagerly awaited Pakistani film “The Legend of Maula Jatt,” featuring Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan, has been barred from screening in India after officials in Delhi denied its planned release on October 2 in Punjab.
The film’s distributor, Nadeem Mandviwalla, reported that an Indian court issued a stay order following a ministry’s plea, with the Information and Broadcasting Ministry of India providing no specific reason for the refusal.
This decision is significant, as it would have marked the first Pakistani film to hit Indian theaters in over ten years.
“The Legend of Maula Jatt,” a remake of a 1979 Punjabi classic, is the highest-grossing Pakistani film ever, centering on a local folk hero who confronts a rival clan leader.
Originally scheduled for release in 2022, the film faced delays before director Bilal Lashari announced a theatrical debut in September, expressing enthusiasm for Indian audiences to experience the film, which continues to thrive in Pakistan.
However, opposition from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), a political party led by Raj Thackeray, has complicated matters, as it declared it would not allow the release of any Pakistani films in India.
Politician Ameya Khopkar emphasized this position, stating, “We will not permit the release of Pakistani films, nor will we allow their artists to work in Indian films.”
As tensions escalate, the fate of “The Legend of Maula Jatt” in India remains uncertain, highlighting ongoing challenges in cultural exchanges between the two countries.