Raj Thackeray Warns Theaters Against The Release Of Fawad Khan's Pakistani Film (Image-X/aestheticallyFM)
Ahead of the release of the Fawad Khan‘s Pakistani film The Legend Of Maula Jatt in India, the Maharastra Navinirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has issued a stern warning stating that the film will not be allowed to screen in the theaters of Maharastra.
Scheduled for its Indian release on October 2, this film become the first Pakistani film to be released in India after a decade. Criticising the release of the film in India featuring Pakistani actors, Mr. Thackeray has claimed that the cultural exchanges with Pakistan should not be tolerated.
Expressing his opposition to its release, the MNS chief on his X handle wrote “Art does not have national borders, this is all right in other cases, but in the case of Pakistan, this will not work at all. What is the beginning of bringing the country’s actors here to dance and show their films on the single issue of hatred of India? Let alone Maharashtra, the government should not allow this movie to be screened in any state of the country,” he questioned. “Of course, what the rest of the states should do is their question. It is certain that this movie will not be released in Maharashtra.”
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Recalling the previous actions taken by MNS to block similar releases, he also urged the theatre owners to avoid screening the film in theatres. “Everyone remembers the actions we took earlier. We do not want any conflict during the Navratri festival when this movie is slated for release, but we will not hesitate if this movie is shown in Maharashtra,” he posted on X.
फवाद खान नावाच्या पाकिस्तानी अभिनेत्याचा, ‘लिजेंड ऑफ मौला जट’ नावाचा सिनेमा लवकरच भारतात प्रदर्शित होणार आहे. महाराष्ट्र नवनिर्माण सेना हा सिनेमा कुठल्याही परिस्थितीत महाराष्ट्रात प्रदर्शित होऊ देणार नाही. पाकिस्तानी कलाकारांचे सिनेमे मुळात भारतात प्रदर्शित का होऊ दिले जातात?…
— Raj Thackeray (@RajThackeray) September 22, 2024
“Navratri festival will start around the time when this movie will be released. I do not want any conflict to happen in Maharashtra. And the same will not be the wish of the Chief Minister of the state, the Home Minister and the Director General of Police of the state. And we don’t want any conflict,” Mr Thackeray said.
“I wish that there should be no conflict in the state for any Pakistani cinema and I am sure that the government will give due attention to it,” he added.
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Moreover, reports also claims that the film will be released only in Punjab and not across the country. Originally released on 2022, the film is expected to become a huge hit and to do good bussiness at the box office, since it is not available in any OTT platforms.
Directed by Bilal Lashari, The Legend of Maula Jatt is a remake of the 1979 Pakistani film Maula Jatt. It emerged as the biggest Pakistani hit at the box office upon its release two years back. The makers are hoping for the Punjabi audience to give it a chance in theatres, considering the story is based in Punjabi culture.
The film was expected to release in India in 2022, during the time of its worldwide release. However, several political parties objected to the release, and it never saw the light of day here. It features Fawad in the role of a rural man and focusses on his fight against tyranny and injustice.
