Legal team of 'The Legend of Maula Jatt' clarifies Lahore High Court order

Bahoo Films' Sarwar Bhatti states makers have been restrained from using any unauthorised material for film

KARACHI: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday ordered the makers of The Legend of Maula Jatt (respondents) to refrain from using any unauthorised material from the 1979 hit Maula Jutt.

Bahoo Films Corporation director Sarwar Bhatti took to Twitter to share a copy of the court order. "Trailer censor certificate has been suspended by Lahore High Court for The Legend of Maula Jatt. They have been restrained from using any similar or deceptive titles, characters, dialogues, style, songs, of Maula Jatt," he wrote.

https://twitter.com/BahooFilms/status/1108377528513765383

As per the Bahoo Film's submission on the document (in italics), the team of The Legend of Maula Jatt has been asked to restrain from "unauthorised and illegally using the title, copying/publishing script, characters, dialogues, poetry, style, songs, etc and making/shooting of the film Maula Jutt in any manner" until the pendency of the appeal.

However, the key words here are 'unauthorised' and 'illegally.' Speaking to The Express Tribune, the head of legal counsel for The Legend of Maula Jatt, Ahmed Pansota explained this further. "The order issued by the Honourable Lahore High Court is being misreported by the media. In no way have we been restrained from releasing our movie The Legend of Maula Jatt."

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He continued, "The Honourable High Court has merely directed us to not use any unauthorised copyright or trademarks. To this extent, there is no change in the status quo. We are not using any unauthorised copyright or trademarks, anyway. We have a valid copyright certificate on the script for The Legend of Maula Jatt. The Honourable High Court is cognizant of our copyright certificate."

Pansota added that " the media should bear restraint in reporting and discussing the order since there is no written order as of yet. Mr Sarwar Bhatti has created pre-mature and unnecessary hue and cry. He appears to be using the sacred platform of this second highest forum for the dispensation of justice in Pakistan for pressurising the team of The Legend of Maula Jatt."

PHOTO: PUBLICITY

He concluded, "Mr Bhatti’s malicious intent to mislead the general public is laid bare through such conduct. This propaganda is being spewed to discredit the team of The Legend of Maula Jatt."

The makers of Maula Jatt filed an appeal against director Bilal Lashari and producer Ammara Hikmat on March 18, 2019. The court has been adjourned till June 6, 2019.

The Legend of Maula Jatt is slated to release on Eidul Fitr. The much-awaited film has a star-studded cast with the likes of Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Humaima Malick, Gohar Rasheed, Ali Azmat, Faris Shafi and others.

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