Kalashnikovs replace gandasas in ‘Maula Jatt’ sequel

Second instalment of Lollywood franchise to be produced by late Yunus Malik’s sons

LAHORE: Enough can never be said to do complete justice to Maula Jatt, which is arguably one of the most influential products of Pakistani cinema. Starring Sultan Rahi and Mustafa Qureshi in lead roles, the film proved to be a turning point for our industry. Now in 2016, Bilal Lashari may be busy producing a reboot of the classic with fan favourites Fawad Khan and Hamza Ali Abbasi, but a new duo has recently emerged on the fore with their take on the film.

Heera Malik and Zahid Malik have an edge over the rest when it comes to the project. They are the sons of the director of the original Maula Jatt, late Yunus Malik. The two will jointly produce a sequel to the movie, titled Faisla Jatt Da, which is expected to go on floors right after Eidul Azha.

“We decided to make another part of the phenomenal Maula Jatt as our very first project, and allocated a hefty budget for it,” said Zahid about stepping into the film industry.  The film will be formally announced at a launch event after Eid which will be attended by film notables, including Mustafa Qureshi who essayed the role of the notorious Noori Natt in the original movie.



Zahid emphasised that the original idea of the movie will be retained in the sequel, but new themes will be incorporated to match current times. “I am aware of the fact that Kalashnikovs and machine guns have replaced gandasas and axes that were once common features of Punjabi movies. We will be showing the typical culture of our villages in the film, but by replacing conventional fighting weapons with modern ones,” he said.

The Malik brothers have hired prominent industry veterans to ensure that the project runs smoothly. Liaquat Ali Cheema and Mumtaz Hussain have stepped onboard for Faisla Jatt Da. The former was Yunus’ assistant during the making of the original Maula Jatt, and also helped with script-writing — the latter, on the other hand, was a student of the late director. The cast of the film includes Ghulam Mohiuddin, Babar Ali, Asif Khan, Qaiser Baloch, Zari, and Qureshi.

“Maula Jatt was indeed a trend-setter,” said Faisal Jatt Da director Mumtaz Hussain. “To honour the memory of Yunus Malik, his sons and I approached Qureshi and Mohiuddin with our idea of a sequel. The story we’re about to tell revolves around the second generation of Maula Jatt and Noori Natt’s families.” He added that he does not care what other film-makers were doing with their remakes of the original and simply wishes to focus on making a film that contributes to the revival of Punjabi cinema.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 16^th, 2016.

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