Ahead of the release of Pakistani film ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’ starring Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, Hamza Ali Abbasi in India, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has issued a stern warning, stating that the film will not be allowed to screen in Maharashtra.
Thackeray criticised the release of films featuring Pakistani actors in India, claiming that cultural exchanges with Pakistan should not be tolerated, given the strained relations between the two countries.
“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.
He urged theatre owners to avoid screening the movie, recalling previous actions taken by the MNS to block similar releases.
“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 said.
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When is Maula Jatt releasing in India?
The Legend of Maula Jatt is scheduled to be released on October 2 in the Punjab region.
The movie would be the first Pakistani movie to release in India since 2011’s ‘Bol‘, starring Humaima Malick and Atif Aslam. Its release was initially planned for December 2022 but faced delays.
The ban on Pakistani artists working in India was implemented after the 2016 Uri terror attack, which led to tensions between the two countries and disrupted cultural exchanges, including Fawad Khan’s flourishing career in Bollywood.
Although Fawad and Mahira remain popular in India, the political climate continues to complicate their involvement in Indian cinema.
