Major Pakistani cinemas refuse to screen ‘Legend of Maula Jatt’ amid dispute with distributor

The owner of Pakistan's film distribution company Mandviwalla Entertainment and the official distributor of ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’, Nadeem Mandviwalla (right), addresses a press conference in Karachi on October 20, 2022. (Photo courtesy: Starlinks)
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Updated 21 October 2022
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Major Pakistani cinemas refuse to screen ‘Legend of Maula Jatt’ amid dispute with distributor

  • ‘Legend of Maula Jatt’ yet to be screened by major Pakistani cinemas including Nueplex, Cinepax
  • Cinema representative tells Arab News negotiations are underway, agreement seems likely

KARACHI: Despite raking in impressive numbers overseas and attracting critical acclaim, the highly anticipated Pakistani film ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’ is not being screened by major Pakistani cinemas owing to a dispute between the distributor of the movie and cinema representatives. 

The movie has, however, released in limited theaters across the country. The film’s distributor, Nadeem Mandviwalla, had pleaded with cinema representatives for “better terms and support” prior to the movie’s release, citing that it was the most expensive film made in Pakistan to date. 

He asked cinema representatives to raise the prices of tickets for the first 11 days of the film’s release, with the additional amount going to the producers. 

Cinema owners and representatives, on the other hand, had reservations, citing rising operation costs. They objected to the increased cost of tickets, saying that higher-priced tickets would mean a decrease in footfall in cinemas which would ultimately impact revenue. 

At the time of the film’s release, 34 out of 38 cinemas agreed to the terms and released ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’ on their screens. The remaining four that did not agree to the terms are Nueplex, Cinepax, Cinestar and Arena cinemas. 

Released on October 13, 2022, ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’ features an ensemble cast that includes some of the biggest names in Pakistan’s showbiz industry, such as Fawad Khan, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Mahira Khan and Humaima Malick. 

The film has been released in major cinemas across the world. However, prominent Pakistani cinema chains such as Nueplex Cinema, Cinepax and Cinestar are not screening the movie amid the stalemate between the producer and cinema representatives. 

On Thursday, Mandviwalla, the owner of the film distribution company Mandviwalla Entertainment and official distributor of ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’, addressed the controversy at a press conference. 

“We asked for an extra 10 percent share [of ticket prices] in the first week [of the film’s release],” he told reporters. 




The cast members of the newly released Pakistani movie, The Legend Of Maula Jatt, pose for a group picture at the world premiere in Doha, Qatar on October 16, 2022. (Instagram/fawadkhan81)

Mandviwalla heaped praise on ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’, saying never before in the history of Pakistani cinema had a movie like this been helmed. He said that as a result, he had decided to come up with the strategy to maximize revenue from such a flick. 

In its opening weekend, the film raked in an impressive $2.3 million worldwide, according to the official figures. The movie performed the best in the UAE, where it made a whopping $289,739 on the opening weekend, followed by Canada and Australia. 

The combined box office collection from the Gulf countries stood at $515,000 by the end of the first weekend. 

“Universally, whenever mega productions are released, cinema owners or groups support such films by giving more screens so that maximum box office collections are done in the initial fortnight,” added Mandviwalla. 

Mandviwalla said that when the opposite happens and there aren’t many screens available, admission rates are increased and a higher percentage of the box office is shared with film distributors. 

“The objective is to assist the film’s box office collection in the initial period and support distributors and producers without sacrificing the revenue of the exhibitor,” he explained. 

“A win-win for all.” 

Mandviwalla said the film is expected to surpass the Rs 20 crore ($902,708) mark in Pakistan, adding it would be a historic feat and that too when almost 50 percent of the cinemas are not screening the movie. 

“The highest [opening] week in Pakistan till today [has been claimed by] Sanju (Bollywood film), that is, Rs 18 crore ($812,437),” he said. “Both are non-holiday figures,” he told Arab News on the sidelines of the press conference. 

The official box office numbers for the film’s first week in Pakistan have not been announced yet. 

“We designed the strategy targeting the Rs 100 crore ($4,513,543) figure and for that, we needed to make Rs 40-50 crores ($1,805,417-$2,256,771) in the first eight days,” Mandviwalla added. 

Mandviwalla said the film’s producers were on board with the strategy to increase the film’s revenue. 

“The plan we came up with was based on the calculations made accordingly, with agreement from the film’s producers,” he reiterated. 

He said it was not possible for him to “go back” on the terms agreed upon as 34 out of 38 cinemas had agreed to them, which Mandviwalla said were the same for everyone. 

Adnan Ali Khan, general manager of marketing and sales of Cinepax Cinemas, told Arab News that the distributor initially said the movie is “a one-of-a-kind film and asked to raise the ticket price and [demanded] more share than the usual agreement.” 

“Given the operation cost for the cinema, we wanted to stick to the old formula and terms set for previous films. Negotiations are still going on,” Khan said, hinting that both sides were expected to come to an agreement. 

 


Stars Aamir Khan, Emily Blunt to be honored at Red Sea Film Festival

Updated 02 December 2024
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Stars Aamir Khan, Emily Blunt to be honored at Red Sea Film Festival

  • They are receiving the festival’s Red Sea Honoree award in recognition of their exceptional contributions to the film industry

JEDDAH: The Red Sea International Film Festival announced on Monday that stars Aamir Khan and Emily Blunt will be honored on the opening night of the Saudi festival’s fourth edition running from Dec. 5-14 in Jeddah.

Bollywood superstar Khan is an acclaimed figure in Indian cinema and known for films such as “Dangal” and “Ghajini.”

Blunt is an Academy Award nominee recognized for roles in blockbusters including “A Quiet Place” and “Oppenheimer.”

They are receiving the festival’s Red Sea Honoree award in recognition of their exceptional contributions to the film industry, organizers said.

The pair will also take part in the festival’s “In Conversation With” series, which features distinguished industry figures discussing their careers and insights into the art of filmmaking. Other participants in the series this year include Eva Longoria, Andrew Garfield and Ranbir Kapoor.

Jomana Al-Rashid, chairwoman of the Red Sea Film Foundation, praised the honorees, saying: “We are thrilled to celebrate Aamir Khan and Emily Blunt, whose remarkable achievements and enduring contributions to cinema have left an indelible mark on the industry.”

Khan expressed his gratitude for the recognition and highlighted the festival’s role in uniting global artists.

“Cinema has been my lifelong passion, and to be amid such an inspiring group of artists from across the world is truly humbling,” he said.

“I am deeply honored to be recognized by the Red Sea International Film festival as it celebrates the impact and magic of cinema. I look forward to sharing my experiences, learning from others and collectively celebrating the art of storytelling that unites us all,” he added.

Blunt highlighted her excitement about the festival’s efforts to support women and emerging talent in the industry.

“I’m incredibly excited to be coming to the Red Sea Film Festival and grateful to be one of this year’s honorees,” the British actress said.

“I love all that this festival is doing for innovative and emerging talent in the film industry. In particular, I’m enthused by how they are empowering women in cinema and amplifying their voices,” she added.

The festival will also honor Egyptian actress Mona Zaki during the opening ceremony, while Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis will be recognized at the awards ceremony on Dec. 12.


Amina Muaddi promotes ‘fuzzy’ collection

Updated 02 December 2024
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Amina Muaddi promotes ‘fuzzy’ collection

DUBAI: Jordanian Romanian luxury shoe designer Amina Muaddi is busy promoting her winter drops, with K-Pop star Rose wearing her heels in a recent photo shoot.

Muaddi took to Instagram to reshare Rose’s posts, where the star is seen being photographed for her latest single, “Number One Girl,” wearing a Lupita crystal slipper in green.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by ROSE (@roses_are_rosie)

The designer’s latest collection, titled Drop 24/25, launched in October. Over the weekend, she used Instagram to promote winter-friendly shoes including the Veneda stretch boot, the Anok bootie and the Lila slipper.

In September, Muaddi unveiled her latest heels on none other than Rihanna, as the singing star was spotted at Milan Fashion Week. Muaddi created a custom pair of Anok mules in a shade called butter satin and Rihanna attended shows by Ferragamo, The Attico and Gucci, wearing each of the brands as she sat in the front row. She also turned heads at the Dior show during Paris Fashion Week last month, while French Saudi model Amira Al-Zuhair graced the runway for Danish fashion label Ganni.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by AMINA MUADDI (@aminamuaddi)

Muaddi, a regular at Dior fashion shows, opted for a classic white button-down shirt and a sleek black satin pencil skirt. She accessorized her look with a pair of dark round sunglasses and a small textured blue Dior handbag.

Since launching her eponymous footwear line in August 2018, Muaddi has attracted a loyal following of celebrities including Dua Lipa, Gigi Hadid, Kylie Jenner and Hailey Bieber. Her brand, known for its distinctive footwear, bags and jewelry, has quickly become a favorite among the fashion elite.

Since the launch, Muaddi has enjoyed a series of successful events, notably her collaboration with Rihanna’s Fenty collection. Their partnership earned the Collaborator of the Year award at the 34th FN Achievement Awards in 2020.

A year later, Muaddi’s influence and success were further recognized when she was named one of Women’s Wear Daily and Footwear News’ 50 Most Powerful Women.
 


‘We are artists’: Karachi’s bonsai enthusiasts nurture ancient art of miniature trees

Updated 02 December 2024
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‘We are artists’: Karachi’s bonsai enthusiasts nurture ancient art of miniature trees

  • Every year, enthusiasts of Japanese art form gather for annual exhibition of Pakistan Bonsai Society
  • Bonsai involves growing trees in small containers to create a realistic miniature of mature forms

KARACHI: Every year, enthusiasts of an ancient Japanese art form gather in the port city of Karachi to show off their works at the annual exhibition of the Pakistan Bonsai Society. 
This year’s edition too saw members of the group putting on display trees that they had grown in containers to create a realistic miniature of mature forms. The members consider themselves artists and the miniature trees, shaped and pruned with precision and care, are not just plants for them but living sculptures rooted in history, tradition and deep personal devotion.
The practice of bonsai, or miniaturizing plants, is thought to have come to Japan from China sometime around the seventh century, when the two countries formally established diplomatic ties. Similar art forms exist in other cultures, including Korea’s bunjae, the Chinese art of penjing, and the miniature living landscapes of Vietnamese Hòn non bộ. 
In the world of bonsai, every twist, turn and trim is an artistic act in which horticulture meets creativity.
“We are artists, using our horticulture knowledge and aesthetic sense, we create these bonsai,” Salman Farooqui, an enthusiast with over a decade of experience, told Arab News on Sunday, as his hands gently guided a tiny tree branch into shape.
Farooqui described bonsai as the only “recognized” living art form that traces its origins back to the ancient Gandhara civilization, which existed from around 500BC to 900AD in what is now northern Pakistan and Afghanistan, long before it became synonymous with Japan.
Buddhist monks in the ancient Taxila and Harappa cities meditated under the shade of the Peepal tree, or Ficus religiosa, with its roots intertwining with the spiritual practices of the time, according to Farooqui. The art form then shifted to Tibet in China, before it finally reached Japan.

Visitors attend the annual exhibition of Pakistan Bonsai Society in Karachi on December 1, 2024. (AN Photo)

“The imagination of Buddha was under the Peepal tree,” Farooqui said. “Japan gave it an official recognition.”
For many Karachiites, the journey into the world of bonsai began with the efforts of a visionary, the late Maj. Gen. Dr. Shaukat Ali Syed, who brought the art form to Pakistan in the 1960s and is often credited with popularizing it in the South Asian country. The Pakistan Bonsai Society itself was established in 1998, the brainchild of Dr. Syed, whose legacy lives on through its annual exhibitions and workshops.
“I saw a live bonsai for the first time at his [Dr. Syed’s] residence in Karachi when I was a child. He had been growing them since the ‘60s,” Khawaja Mohammad Mazhar, an engineer who retired from the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and took up the cultivation of bonsai in 1980, told Arab News.
“POTTED PLANTING”
Bonsai plants, unlike traditional potted ones, require care, patience, and expertise. They can be grown from seeds, cuttings or nursery stock. Beginning with a thicker trunk to form the base of the tree is often the quicker method but regardless of the starting point, all bonsai are treated as living sculptures that are pruned and shaped meticulously over time.
Various techniques, including painstaking pruning and wiring, are used to give the trees a mature appearance, Mazhar explained. It could take decades to complete one tree, meant to symbolize a scene from nature, and they could then survive for centuries.

Bonsai trees are seen exhibited by the Pakistan Bonsai Society in Karachi on December 1, 2024. (AN Photo)

“It’s the same normal plants, they are only trained,” Mazhar said:
“They have a shallow pot, the roots do not spread much as they are constantly trimmed, and they are kept in the same shallow container, while the shaping is controlled from the top through wiring, through weights.” 
The “clip and grow” method, in which parts of the plant were selectively trimmed to encourage specific growth patterns, is a main technique of the art. 
Local plants are best suited for bonsai cultivation and Karachi’s enthusiasts recommended training native species into sculptural forms that express their unique ecological and cultural climates.
“An imported plant from outside will not survive here as a bonsai,” Manzar said.
Mansoor Alam Khan, another enthusias who found his passion for the art form through the Pakistan Bonsai Society, began cultivating about 10 years ago. The practice allowed him to continue his love for planting trees in Karachi, where space is often limited.
In fact, bonsai, which literally means “potted planting,” became popular as a way of bringing nature inside for many Japanese whose small houses made gardens impossible.
“I was inclined toward planting trees since childhood but there isn’t enough space in Karachi so we couldn’t grow trees,” Khan told Arab News. “When I met these people [at the Pakistan Bonsai Society] and saw that they are growing these trees in their homes so I followed suit too. I have made a really good collection in the last 10 years.”

Visitors attend the annual exhibition of Pakistan Bonsai Society in Karachi on December 1, 2024. (AN Photo)

“Everyone talks about planting trees these days to save the environment. So, if there is not enough space, you can start gardening from your home too,” he added. “For instance, if someone has 50 plants on their rooftop, they can turn them into bonsais.”
Farooqui, who practices bonsai with his wife Ruby Salman, said though the art was in its “introductory conditions,” in Pakistan, more young people were becoming interested.
“Now, as we train more youngsters into this art form, I hope it will become known in this country in the future,” he said.
His wife added that the Internet was helping to boost interest in bonsai among younger people.
“Yes, I feel that when kids do come [to Bonsai Society] and when they come to know the whole story about the bonsai, when we tell them that how it started, they really take an interest in it.”


Princess Rajwa and Crown Prince Hussein visit speech therapy center in Amman

Updated 02 December 2024
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Princess Rajwa and Crown Prince Hussein visit speech therapy center in Amman

  • The Saudi-born royal looked elegant in an all-black ensemble from Max Mara

DUBAI: Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah and Princess Rajwa Al-Hussein visited the Seeds of Hope Center, which specializes in treating speech and language disorders in children and adults, in Amman on Sunday.

Princess Rajwa looked elegant and professional in an all-black ensemble featuring a wrap jacket and trousers from Italian fashion label Max Mara.

The royal couple, who welcomed their first child — Princess Iman bint Al-Hussein bin Abdullah II — this year, toured the facility, which houses the only space in Jordan designed to provide multi-sensory experiences aimed at promoting relaxation and sensory integration. The visit also included a look at the center’s gym.

Sharing photos from their visit on Instagram, Crown Prince Hussein wrote, “Rajwa and I were inspired by the dedication of the young Jordanians we met at the Seeds of Hope Center. They carry a noble mission driven by compassion and a commitment to serve those in need.”

Aya Al-Jazi, the center’s director, briefed the couple on the services it provides. These include evaluation and treatment of speech, language, and voice disorders, as well as support for difficulties with swallowing.

Princess Rajwa made her first public appearance since giving birth when she attended Jordan’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification match at Amman International Stadium in October, alongside her husband. Princess Iman was born on Aug. 3.


Dutch artist Vincent Ruijter’s exploration of heritage and ethnicity on show at Noor Riyadh

Updated 01 December 2024
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Dutch artist Vincent Ruijter’s exploration of heritage and ethnicity on show at Noor Riyadh

RIYADH: Dutch artist Vincent Ruijters explores themes of identity and self at the ongoing Noor Riyadh, the annual Saudi festival of light and art. The festival runs until Dec. 14.

At this year’s edition, Ruijters digs deeper into hybrid cultures through the interplay of light, shadow and fabric. “This is telling my own story from a very personal way. But by doing that, hopefully connecting to all kinds of people,” Ruijters told Arab News. 

Set in a studio in the Jax District, one of the three main festival hubs, “Selintas Selalu” is a kinetic installation. (Supplied)

Set in a studio in the Jax District, one of the three main festival hubs, “Selintas Selalu” is a kinetic installation: a steel-based structure stands at the center of the space where strips of red fabric hang off vein-like rods. A light is suspended in the center while steel light structures with sharp metal spikes frame the surrounding walls. 

The work came about after three months’ research in Indonesia, where the work was created. While he was born and is based in the Netherlands, Ruijters’ mother is a seventh-generation Indonesian, with family roots going back to China.

These multi-ethnic groups, referred to as Peranakan, demonstrate a fusion between Chinese and Indonesian culture. “They have their own arts, colors, patterns, music, and their own culture,” he said.

The Betawi people, native to Jakarta and its outskirts, blend cultures including native Indonesian, Arab, Chinese and Portuguese. 

“Actually, a lot of Chinese and Asians immigrated after the independence of Indonesia after the Second World War because the colony was over. So, they went to the Netherlands and America, and then they had children like me, but those children do not know about their ancestors,” Ruijters said. 

Taking ownership of his own difficult history, he decided to research the topic not just for himself but also “for my other generations of Chinese Indonesians living in the Netherlands, younger people, to show them: this is your heritage,” he said. 

Dutch artist Vincent Ruijters explores themes of identity and self at the ongoing Noor Riyadh. (Supplied)

The mix of cultures is realized in the motifs: the sun-shaped lamps on the periphery which are reminiscent of kembang kelapa decorations, the petal shapes at the structure’s base that are popular in Javanese batik dyeing techniques, and the red fabric, which is made in collaboration by Chinese and Indonesian craftsman with a special red color, associated with the Peranakan culture. This fabric was specially made in a batik house for this project.

“To make big installations, it’s never one person,” Ruijters said. “So, I was always trying to emphasize this as part of a team. I worked with an Indonesian electronic engineer, with a Dutch electronic engineer, with the batik workshop house for the fabric … I’m more like a guide to the creative process,” he said. 

The artwork branches out from the light in the center, a symbol of Ruijters’ ancestors. As time progresses, the lamp moves forward, symbolically straying from those strong roots of the past, toward the twiggier branches at the forefront, leading us to the present. 

Shadowplay is an important element, because it preserves Indonesian culture through shadows as a means of accessing an inner world. “You can feel your ancestry; you can feel the past shivering and whispering to you. And this is similar, I think, to the guiding light that is the constellation of the theme … I think shadow is a beautiful way of expressing that, because you cannot touch it. It's there, but it’s also not,” he said.