Even though there have been a couple of Pakistani movies and series being shown on Ghanaian screens, ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’ is the first ever Pakistan-made, Punjabi language movie to be premiered in the country.
The event took place last Saturday, 5th November, 2022, at the Silver Bird Cinemas in Accra Mall. The premiering experienced a massive turn up of audience which included both Ghanaians and Pakistanis residing in the country. It also received a phenomenal audience interest and reaction during its premiere.
In attendance was Mrs. Farhat Ayesha, the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Ghana, who sat as the chief guest for the event, as well as the crew of the Ghanaian feature film ‘Borga’ which has won three awards at the 2022 Africa Movie Academy Awards.
The core purpose of the premiering of the movie in Ghana was to improve cultural ties and media promotion for both countries since the cultural and creative industries are a central part of Ghana and Pakistan developmental policies.
The movie ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’ was first premiered at the Cue Cinema in Labore on the October 12, 2022 and was theatrically released by Mandvi Walla Entertainment in Pakistan on October 13, 2022 which after was released on over 500 screens across the world, making it the highest and widest ever released for any Pakistan movie, a press release stated.
‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’ is reported to be the most expensive film ever, costing US$4.6million to make in the country where the biggest films’ budgets have been below US$1.5 million. It also earned US$2.3 million worldwide.
The movie is based on the 1979 film titled ‘Maula Jatt’. The story revolves around family feuds, a vigilante hero, an invisible vilain, revenge and honour. The movie had characters like Fawad Khan as the titular character, with Hamza Ali Abbasi, Humaima Malik and Mahira Khan.
It is about the rivalry between Natts and Jatts, where only the surviving heir of the Jatts, Maula, is unaware of his past, remembering only some nightmarish flashbacks from his childhood.
The Natts murders parents of the Jatts, and Daani raises Maula along with his own son, Mooda. Maula grows to become an undefeated wrestler in the arena.
He is later confronted by an unknown man who decides to reveal what happened in the past.
He further decides to seek revenge for his dead parents, and also restore the honour and dignity of the Jatts clan, storming the kingdom of the Natts and fighting all his enemies, including the strongest of the Natts family, Noori Natt, killing them all.
