The Legend of Maula Jatt
The Legend of Maula Jatt is a 2022 Pakistani Punjabi-language action drama film directed and written by Bilal Lashari. It is an adaption of the 1979 cult classic film Maula Jatt. Produced by Ammara Hikmat and Asad Jamil Khan under the production banner of Lashari Films and Encyclomedia.[4][5] It is based on the characters and stories by Nasir Adeeb. The film stars Fawad Khan as the titular character with Hamza Ali Abbasi, Humaima Malik and Mahira Khan.[6] In the film, a local folk hero named Maula Jatt takes on his archnemesis and the leader of a brutal clan, Noori Natt.
Development of a Maula Jatt remake was announced in December 2013 by director Bilal Lashari, he had completed a script treatment for the film a year later.[7][8][9] Asad Jamil Khan and Ammara Hikmat joined as producers in November 2016 with Hamza Ali Abbasi and Fawad Khan signing as the lead actors. Principal photography began in January 2017 and concluded in June 2019. The film was initially scheduled for cinema release during multiple dates in 2019–2020, but kept getting delayed due to the copyright related issues and COVID-19 pandemic.[10] The film has been described as the most expensive film of Pakistan to date. The film music score is composed by Sarmad Ghafoor.[11]
The Legend of Maula Jatt premiered at Cue Cinemas in Lahore on October 12, 2022 and was theatrically released by Mandviwalla Entertainment in Pakistan on October 13, 2022.[12][13][14] The film was widely praised by critics for its direction, acting, musical score, action sequences and visual effects.[15][16] It has grossed over $8.80 million worldwide, surpassing Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2's entire theatrical run,breaking numerous box-office records, including becoming highest-grossing Pakistani film of all time.[11][17]
Plot
The film opens with Jeeva Natt with his clan, launching an attack on Haveli of Sardar Jatt. Despite being larger in number, they are overpowered and Sardar Jatt and his wife are killed. Maula, the son of Sardar Jatt and the sole survivor of the attack, is raised by a woman named Daani. One day Mooda, the actual son of Daani, takes Maula to his coach, who teaches wrestling. Mooda’s coach gets impressed by Maula and agrees on teaching him.
Maula grows up to be a wrestler and becomes famous, but at night he struggles with violent dreams of his past.
Maakha Natt, the son of Jeeva Natt, terrorizes the village of Maula by kidnapping a girl from his village and raping her several time in his haveli. Jeeva Natt, because of his old age, decides that he will declare someone else as the leader of his clan, but Daaro Natt, the daughter of Jeeva Natt, declares that only Noori Natt, the elder son of Jeeva Natt who is in prison because of his killing obsession, will become the ruler of the clan.
Before a fight, Maula is reached by an old man who tells him that he has the answer to Maula’s every question. He also tells Maula to meet him in the ruins of Sardar Jatt’s haveli. That night, Maula loses the fight for the first time in his life, but is saved by Mooda. The next day, Maula arrives at the ruins of Sardar Jatt’s haveli where, the old man, who was waiting for him to arrive, reveals to him that he is the son of Sardar Jatt. The old man then hands him the 'Gandasa' of his father. Maula arrives back to his village, only to find men of Natt clan terrorising the village once again. Maula, in rage, kills all the men. When Maakha comes to Maula’s village to investigate the killing of his men, he is humiliated and defeated by Maula.
When Maakha returns home to plot his revenge, his sister Daaro incensed upon hearing what he has agreed to verbally abuses him but before she could kill him he suicides and takes his own life. The Natt clan now try to avenge the humiliation that Maula Jatt has caused them while Maula Jatt tries to ensure that his decision is enforced and justice is done.
When Noori Natt gets out of jail, he tells the jailor that he has run out of competition and now wants a worthy opponent.
Upon everyone’s request, Maula agrees to apologise to the Natt clan. As soon as he leaves the village, Noori arrives at the village in search of Maula. When Moodha tells Noori that it was he who humilated his brother, Noori beats him to death. Maula returns and finds Moodha dead. He then swears to kill Noori. Maula arrives at Natt’s heveli but is captured and Jeeva Natt is killed by Noori. Noori declares Daaro as the leader of the clan, but she is betrayed and killed by her own clan. Maula also escapes. When Noori finds out about the death of his sister, he burns down the Muala’s village and captures everyone. Maula arrives at the village and fights Noori. At the end Noori is killed and Maula is declared the hero of the village.
