'The Legend of Maula Jatt' to release in India on December 30: reports
Is Bilal Lashari's magnum opus, The Legend of Maula Jatt finally releasing across the border? Well, it is certainly being reported as such. Several Indian publications report that Pakistan's biggest offering is set to screen in the country's Punjab region. However, it is pertinent to mention that the makers are yet to confirm or deny the news.
A source told Bollywood Hungama, “The Legend Of Maula Jatt will be released in India on December 30, 2022. It’ll be the last major release to hit Indian screens. It was released in Pakistan and elsewhere in the world on October 13, 2022, and it has crossed the Rs. 200 crore mark at the worldwide box office. It is the first film from Pakistan to achieve this feat. Hence, a lot of people in India, especially the fans of the lead cast, are looking forward to seeing the film, and it can have healthy box office numbers.”
The source also continued, “Zee Studios is mainly looking at releasing The Legend Of Maula Jatt in Delhi-NCR and Punjab. This is because it’s a Punjabi film and will have the maximum chance in the Northern belt. A clear decision on this aspect will be taken later on.”
An industry expert remarked, “Maybe, Zee can release The Legend Of Maula Jatt on December 30 in the North and a week later, it can release it in the rest of the country once the word of mouth spreads. Or it can go for limited screenings in certain centres like Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru etc. Let’s see how this unique release strategy pans out.”
He also said, “On December 23, it would have faced competition from Cirkus. Next week, there’s only the Hindi version of HIT: The Second Case releasing and it’s not a strong competition. If The Legend Of Maula Jatt works, it can have a healthy run till the release of Pathaan.”
Last week, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), a Hindu far-right party's leader Ameya Khopkar has threatened anyone trying to release Bilal Lashari's The Legend of Maula Jatt in India, branding actor Fawad Khan's fans in the country as traitors.
According to Times Now, Khopkar, who is also a film producer, claimed that an Indian distributor is working on the Indian release of Lashari's magnum opus. The politician further shared that if MNS chairperson Raj Thackeray orders, then the party would make sure that the film isn't screened anywhere in India.
Khopkar allegedly called Khan's fans and anyone hoping for The Legend of Maula Jatt's release in the country traitors and asserted they should go to Pakistan to watch the blockbuster.
Rumours regarding the possible release of the film in India were rife. Pinkvilla earlier reported that the film, which is living up to its name with a legendary box office run globally, might hit Indian theatres on December 23. It clarified, however, that no official announcement was made on the matter.
Several Indian outlets, albeit, followed suit, speculating whether and when the Bilal Lashari directorial will hit Indian theatres. To clear the air, The Express Tribune got in touch with the film’s producer, Ammara Hikmat, for an answer. While Ammara expressed hope for the film to reach Indian audiences, she dispelled reports of there being any deal in place for The Legend of Maula Jatt to release in India.
“We hope that Indian fans get to watch this movie in cinemas as well,” Ammara shared in an exclusive chat with The Express Tribune. “But right now, there is no such deal in place," she added. Having raked in Rs220 crores ($10 million) globally, The Legend of Maula Jatt continues to outperform Indian titles globally in its seventh week of run.
The Express Tribune has reached out to The Legend of Maula Jatt makers and is currently awaiting a comment.
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