ISLAMABAD: There’s finally a release date for Bilal Lashari’s version of ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’, a film that is set to premiere in Pakistan and China on the same day.
The highly-anticipated film will release on Eid-ul-Fitr in June next year, with audiences eagerly waiting to watch the remake of the 1979 Pakistani cult classic.
Boasting a power-packed star cast, with the likes of Fawad Khan, in the titular role of Maula Jatt, Mahira Khan, Humaima Mallick, Hamza Ali Abbasi, and Gohar Rasheed, the posters of the film caused a social media frenzy when they were released earlier this week.
When news broke out that the film was going to premiere in China as well, Abbasi took to his Twitter account to share and celebrate the news. “Eid ul Fitr 2019 will set a great new milestone for Pakistani Film Industry & even Bollywood. Maula Jatt will be the 1st film in the history of the subcontinent to have the same day release in [China],” he tweeted.
While China has become a leading market for Hollywood films — where the consumer power is undeniable — it also entertains the audiences’ taste for foreign films, capping 34 releases each year. Major blockbusters from the greater Marvel franchise, such as Spider-Man and X-Men, have received the dual premiere treatment, but Pakistan will be the first from the sub-continent to release a film on the same date.
On the other hand, the Hindi film industry has not had any films released in tandem with their worldwide premieres. In fact, major films — including Saba Qamar Zaman’s ‘Hindi Medium’ — are released weeks after their initial premiere.
‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’ has been in the news since rumors broke out that Lashari had it on his radar nearly three years ago. Casting announcements were watched closely, with delays in production scrutinized and reported with equal fervor – in turn upsetting fans who were excited to see the new take on an incredible classic.
The original ‘Maula Jatt’ was directed by Younis Malik and starred Sultan Rahi in the lead role, with Aasia as the heroine and Mustafa Qureshi essaying the role of the villain. It was a huge success in the 1980s and went on to become a classic and a sought-after film in Pakistani cinema’s history. Such was the popularity of the cult classic that images and quotes from the film are often seen used in posters, truck art, graffiti, and fashion merchandise.
