Film

THE LEGEND OF MAULA JATT

MEGA REMAKE

By Sara Danial | November 2022

VViewers waited long for the remake of Maula Jatt, a 1979 Pakistani Punjabi language action film. With plenty of big moments and heart-rending lines, the hype is absolutely worth it.

Bilal Lashari’s remake of the film ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’ is a cross of Game of Thrones and Gladiator, an entertaining and old-fashioned film with intermittent throat-slashing, remarkable scenery, and lots of camps and horses. As a high budget film, this remake is by far the best cinematic experience in Pakistan, in terms of editing, imagery, cinematography, music, acting, and outreach.

The cult classic from 1979 weaves a story of a young boy, Maula Jatt (Fawad Khan), who is sent to a nearby village to a foster family when a rival clan slaughters his parents. Fast forward, we meet him as a young man, the size of a bear, the temper of a lion, earning his living fighting in gladiatorial games (a prized fighter whom people bet on in fighting carnivals), pounding fighters from neighbouring villages. Traumatized as a child and haunted by nightmares, when he learns of his past, he is persistent in avenging his parents’ death, against the notorious Natt family, who killed his mother and father. Mukkho (Mahira Khan), peppers the story with jovial humour.

On the other side of the area reigns the terror of the Natt clan with scenery-chewing villains, the meanest of whom is the eldest son Noori (Hamza Ali Abbasi), an unruly, vengeful man who speaks in a threateningly gentle purr. He insists on staying in prison, as he believes that is where the fiercest men in the country are contained. It is his magnificent weariness in his disappointment at the pitiable quality of opponents. “Oh God, I ask you for lions and you send me sheep.”

The film ends, predictably, with a final fight between Maula and Noori – in which Maula pauses to toy with his fine moustache. The film is old school and old-fashioned but still, thrillingly watchable and and enjoyable - every minute. Many times, film critics say that such big-budgeted films fail to impress on release, but The Legend of Maula Jatt stands tall, with special focus given to the minutest of details. The film derives much of its lines from the original story written by Nasir Adeeb and produced by Sarwar Bhatti, starring Sultan Rahi and Mustafa Qureshi.

Fawad Khan plays the lead in the new version and his anger and resentment are well portrayed though he is clearly overshadowed by the nonpareil performance of Noori Natt, played by Hamza Ali Abbasi. His first appearance in the film is one of the finest scenes in Pakistani cinema. The latter’s malice is almost tangible as he yearns to find a commendable adversary, a hero to die at his hands. Daro (Humaima Malik), sister of Noori Natt and the princess of the Natt household, makes her strong presence felt. Mahira Khan is a pretty face and the film could have easily done without her aimless presence. We wish she would do more purposeful roles.

With the release of the film, Pakistan’s film industry can safely be considered at par with international standards. It has definitely set the bar high and must be credited for restructuring and reviving the golden era of Pakistani cinema. Of course, revenge, dominance, and righteous justice are strong elements of the film. Bilal, whose debut film ‘Waar’ broke box office records in Pakistan, unquestionably deserves a pat on his back for this masterpiece.