Will it release? Will it not? That has been the question buzzing in distributor circles, over the past few days, as The Legend Of Maula Jatt neared its scheduled October 2 release in the Punjab sector. Now, with only a day to go, the writing seems to be on the wall. In a turnaround, the India release of the Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan-led blockbuster has been cancelled. Reason? Sources say that the action drama did not receive a clearance from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The October 2 release of Bilal Lashari’s directorial venture had generated quite a buzz in the north sector. It was set to become the first Pakistani film to have a theatrical release in India in over 10 years. 

When we contacted the owner of a theatre chain in Delhi and Punjab, who was gearing up to screen the movie in one of his cinemas, he said, on the condition of anonymity, “On September 27, the film was to receive a clearance from the I&B Ministry. That hasn’t been granted. The prints were to be given to us on Tuesday, but we have heard that the film won’t play from Wednesday.”

A well-known Mumbai-based trade analyst echoed the possibility of the movie’s India release being cancelled.

The trade analyst said, “I don’t believe there is government pressure. I feel the issue is loss of property from fringe groups, which are protesting the theatrical release of a Pakistani film. If this film releases, a cross-cultural exchange could start. It’s possible the release is pushed till Friday. But I haven’t heard anything about the film from the trade world or the studio. The silence could indicate the release has again been stopped, like it was in 2022.”

In December 2022, The Legend Of Maula Jatt was slated to release in India. However, its release was opposed by certain political groups and subsequently cancelled. Last month, Zee Studios decided to bring it to home turf, beginning with Punjab. However, the team apparently did a rethink over the weeks, and in a meeting held yesterday, the studio decided against its big-screen release.

“We can’t risk damage of property,” said an insider. “For now, the film won’t be releasing on the big screen, but we can always release it on OTT, like we did with Barzakh. A plan will drawn soon, but the film isn’t releasing this week.”

Zee Studios officially declined to comment.