Amidst the backlash is the tentative release of ‘Legend of Mawla Jat’ in India

On Saturday (September 28, 2024), government sources indicated that they would seek to block the release of the Pakistani Punjabi-language film. The Legend of Maula Jatt After the political backlash of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray in India, among other things. Mr Thackeray had last week vowed to prevent the film from being screened in any cinemas in Maharashtra.

Perhaps as a result of this backlash, the film’s release plans were changed: it will be released only in Punjab, a producer of the film said last week. Directed by Bilal Lashari and starring Fawad Khan, the film was originally released in 2022. It was also approved by the Central Board of Film Certification later that year after submission by the film’s Indian distributor, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited. When the movie was supposed to release that year, Zee apparently canceled the release.

A spokesman for G had no immediate comment on the government’s move to stop the film’s release. Since the movie has already been banned by the CBFC, and the Cinematograph Act does not give the central government retrospective powers to stop the release of a movie after this key step, the government has few formal avenues to seek a ban on the movie.

A spokesperson for PVR INOX, which operates 90 screens in Punjab, did not immediately respond to queries on whether the government had asked them not to distribute the film. While the movie is slated for an October 2 release, tickets didn’t go on sale until Wednesday, Saturday (September 28, 2024).

The presence of the Pakistani entertainment industry in India has been severely limited in the last few years. After the Uri attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in 2016, the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association passed a resolution banning Pakistani actors and crew from working in India.

No Pakistani film had a wide release in India for several years, with the last notable release being bowl In 2011 Joylandwhich was Pakistan’s submission to the Oscars last year, was slated for release in March 2023; However, this release never materialized beyond a few privately organized screenings. The Censor Board has not cleared the movie and it is not clear whether the film has been submitted to them.

Sources have indicated that Mola is confused It will not be released in India from 2019, citing the long-standing ban on Indian films in Pakistan. Despite the mutual animosity, some cooperation has emerged, mainly from G. Until 2017 the media conglomerate operated an entire TV channel almost entirely dedicated to syndicating Pakistani TV shows. The channel was shut down after 19 Indian soldiers were killed in the Uri attack.

The Zindagi brand, which has become online-only, has again collaborated with Pakistani talent after a few years. 2020 web series Churiles Produced by British-Pakistani filmmaker Asim Abbasi for Zee. The series was banned in Pakistan, and after streaming platform Zee5 reinstated the show, the Pakistani government banned banks from processing payments on the service.

Another series, look upAlso produced for Zee, and episodes released on YouTube. After reacting to a gay character in the series, it was blocked from YouTube in Pakistan a few days after the show ended.