The highly anticipated release of a blockbuster Pakistani film in India has been put on hold, causing disappointment among fans on both sides of the border. The Legend of Maula Jatt, a remake of a 1979 Punjabi film, was set to hit screens in the northern Indian state of Punjab, but officials in Delhi refused to grant permission for its screening.
The movie, which stars popular Pakistani actors Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan, has been a massive success in Pakistan, becoming the highest-grossing film in the country. Its release in India would have marked the first time in over a decade that a Pakistani film was shown in Indian theaters.
Despite efforts by Zee Studios, the film’s distributor in India, to secure permission for its release, the information and broadcasting ministry denied the request, leaving the fate of the film uncertain. The reasons for the decision are not immediately clear, and the ministry has yet to provide a comment on the matter.
The news of the film’s stalled release has sparked protests in India, particularly in the state of Maharashtra, where a political party has vowed to block the film under any circumstances. Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra, is home to Bollywood, India’s largest film industry.
Despite the tensions between the two countries, there has always been a shared appreciation for each other’s art and culture. Movies and web series from both India and Pakistan are widely consumed across the border, with collaborations between artists from both countries being common in the past.
The decision to halt the release of The Legend of Maula Jatt in India comes at a time when relations between the two countries have shown signs of improvement, with the Supreme Court of India dismissing a petition seeking a ban on performers from Pakistan in 2023. The film’s makers had hoped that its success in Pakistan would attract audiences in India, but for now, fans will have to wait for the film to make its way to Indian screens.
