Extremist group threatens 'Legend of Maula Jatt' release in India, calls Fawad Khan fans 'traitors'

A far-right Hindu group is pushing to halt the release of Pakistan's The Legend of Maula Jatt in India.

A Hindu group has threatened to block the release of Pakistan’s most successful film, The Legend of Maula Jatt, in India.

According to Indian media, the political group, Nav Nirman Sena, has vowed to prevent the release of Pakistani films and to bar Pakistani actors from working in Indian films.

Nav Nirman Sena leader, Ameya Kopekar, issued a threatening statement, labelling Indian fans of actor Fawad Khan as "traitors."

He described the decision by an Indian film company to release the Pakistani film as provocative.

Ameya Kopekar further warned that the group would comply with the orders of Raj Thackeray, the nephew of the late Bal Thackeray, a well-known anti-Pakistan and anti-Muslim figure.

Raj Thackeray has demanded that The Legend of Maula Jatt be blocked from release in Indian cinemas.

The film, starring Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, Hamza Ali Abbasi, and Humaima Malick, is set to be released in Indian theatres on 2 October.

It is a remake of the 1979 hit film Maula Jatt.

It all started a few years ago, when Pakistani actors such as Mahira Khan and Fawad Khan were asked to stop working on their Bollywood projects immediately.

While this act is being supported by many film industry veterans across the border, a few have spoken in favour of Pakistani artists.

One such example is that of Indian Central Board of Film Certification Chief Pahlaj Nihalani.

According to Pahlaj, Indian cinema could face big losses if Pakistani actors are prevented from working in India.

He shared that directors such as Karan Johar signed Pakistani artists when the relations between the countries were stable and it would be unjust to stop the release of films now.

“Why are we talking about the artists? Instead, we should talk about India and Pakistan. To give a visa to any Pakistani is the sole decision of the government, and we as producers and actors, are saying they are not terrorists and that art and culture should never come in between,” Pahlaj said.

“The way our country was developing relations with Pakistan, the same way Karan Johar and Shah Rukh Khan had accepted the Pakistani actors, and now, this film should be released and should not face difficulties, because through this, not only will these actors suffer losses, but also the nation and the film industry will suffer,” he added.

While Mahira was shooting for Shah Rukh’s Raees, Fawad was filming for Karan’s directorial Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.

Pahlaj’s comment comes after Salman Khan and Mahesh Bhatt supported Pakistani artists and spoke against the irrational demands of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leaders to ban films casting Pakistani actors.

“They are artists not terrorists. It’s the government who gives them permits and visas,” the Bajrangi Bhaijaan star said in an earlier interview.

Last year, in a significant ruling, the Bombay High Court rejected a petition that sought to ban artists from Pakistan in India.

The petition, filed by cine worker and artiste, Faaiz Anwar Qureshi, had urged the government of India to prohibit Pakistani artists, including actors, musicians, singers, lyricists, and technicians, from collaborating with or working in India.

As per a report by Bollywood Hungama and Live Law India, the division bench of Justice Sunil B Shukre and Justice Firdosh P Pooniwalla ruled against this plea, emphasising the importance of promoting peace and cultural harmony through artistic exchanges.

The court's ruling, delivered with a strong focus on the role of art, music, sports, culture, and dance in fostering unity and harmony, sent a powerful message.

The judges observed, "A person who is good at heart would welcome in his country any activity which promotes peace, harmony, and tranquillity within the country and across the border. Arts, music, sports, culture, dance and so on are the activities which rise above nationalities, cultures, and nations and truly bring about peace, tranquillity, unity, and harmony in the nation and between nations."

Highlighting the idea that art transcends borders and brings people together, the court stressed that being a patriot does not necessitate animosity towards individuals from abroad, even neighbouring countries.

They argued that a true patriot is someone who is selfless and devoted to their country, a person of goodwill.

The court also underlined the Indian government's commitment to promoting global peace and security, in line with Article 51 of the Indian Constitution.

This was especially pertinent as the Pakistan Cricket team has been participating in the ongoing World Cup 2023, hosted in India.

The court recognised that the presence of the Pakistani team in India for nearly a month was made possible by the positive steps taken by the Government of India in the interest of peace and harmony.

The court's decision underscored the importance of supporting initiatives aimed at international peace and security.

The call for a ban on Pakistani artists harks back to 2019 when various sections of the country demanded restrictions on cultural and artistic exchanges with Pakistan.

Consequently, artists like Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, Atif Aslam, and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, among others, have refrained from working in India.