ISLAMABAD: Pakistani blockbuster “The Legend of Maula Jatt” is set to release in theaters across China from May 21, the film’s director Bilal Lashari announced recently, saying that the move would prove instrumental in opening doors for Pakistani cinema to other markets worldwide.
China, one of the largest film markets around the world, maintains a tight control over foreign films that are allowed to be screened in the country. Hollywood, which provides the bulk of China’s film imports, has campaigned for this quota to be lifted completely.
Released in October 2022, The Legend of Maula Jatt is a reboot of a hyper-masculine Punjabi film that enchanted viewers four decades ago. It has not only won critical acclaim but also done incredibly well in domestic and international markets.
“’The Legend of Maula Jatt’ has broken into one of the most exclusive film quotas in the world — the first Pakistani film ever to do so,” Lashari wrote on X. “In cinemas across China from May 21, 2026.
Screenshot of Bilal Lashari X account post
“A huge moment for Pakistani cinema, and a new door opening for our stories on the world stage.”
Despite China’s strict foreign films quota, Pakistani movies have managed to be screened in its neighboring country over the years. Military action film “Parwaaz Hai Junoon” became the first Pakistani film in decades to release in theaters in China when it debuted to screens there in November 2020.
One of highlights of the film was the JF-17, a fourth-generation fighter jointly developed by China and Pakistan, which is also featured in the film. The agreement to bring the film to China was signed in April 2019 at a China-Pakistan economic and trade cooperation forum during the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.
