In a developing story concerning the anticipated release of the Pakistani Punjabi-language film ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt,’ government sources revealed on Saturday, September 28, 2024, that steps would be taken to block the film’s debut in India. The decision follows intense political backlash spearheaded by Raj Thackeray, leader of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). Thackeray has vowed publicly that he would not allow any cinema in Maharashtra to screen the film.
As a potential consequence of this political upheaval, the producers have revised the release strategy, narrowing it down exclusively to Punjab, with a spokesperson confirming this last week. The film, directed by Bilal Lashari and featuring acclaimed actor Fawad Khan, initially premiered in 2022. It received clearance from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) the same year after being submitted by Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., the film’s Indian distributor. However, plans for its release that year were abruptly annulled by Zee.
A representative from Zee Entertainment refrained from providing immediate feedback on the government’s intention to block the film. With the movie already cleared by the CBFC, the Cinematograph Act lacks provisions that would enable the Union government to prohibit the release post this certification stage, thus leaving the government with limited formal avenues to enforce a ban.
Additionally, representatives from PVR INOX, which operates 90 screens in Punjab, did not respond promptly to inquiries on whether the government had contacted them regarding the distribution of the film. Despite a scheduled release date of Wednesday, October 2, ticket sales had not commenced as of Saturday, September 28.
The past few years have seen significant restrictions on Pakistan’s entertainment industry within India, a situation worsening post the 2016 Uri attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
. The Indian Motion Picture Producers Association swiftly reacted by passing a resolution that banned Pakistani actors and crew from participating in Indian productions.
No Pakistani film has seen widespread release in India in recent memory, with the last major release being ‘Bol’ in 2011. Pakistan’s submission to the Oscars, ‘Joyland,’ scheduled for release in March 2023, failed to go beyond a few privately organized screenings. The CBFC did not clear this movie, and it remains uncertain whether an official submission was made to the board.
Insiders pointing to the likely prohibition of ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’ in India cited the enduring ban on Indian films within Pakistan, which has been in effect since 2019. Despite these strained relations, some collaborative efforts, chiefly led by Zee Entertainment, have surfaced. Until 2017, Zee operated an entire TV channel dedicated to Pakistani TV shows. However, this venture was discontinued post the Uri attack, which resulted in the deaths of 19 Indian soldiers.
The Zindagi brand, later transforming into an online entity, rekindled its collaborative projects with Pakistani artists. One such project was the 2020 web series ‘Churails,’ crafted by British-Pakistani filmmaker Asim Abbasi for Zee. ‘Churails’ faced a ban in Pakistan but was later reinstated on the Zee5 streaming platform, provoking the Pakistani government to ban banks from processing payments to the service.
Another series from Zee, ‘Barzakh,’ saw episodes released on YouTube. Initial enthusiastic reception gave way to backlash due to the inclusion of a gay character, resulting in the series being blocked on YouTube within Pakistan just days after concluding its final episode.
Published on September 28, 2024, at 12:49 pm IST
Pakistan/Cinema
