Hope ‘The Legend Of Maula Jatt’ Will Widen Pakistani Cinema’s Reach

Pakistani actor Fawad Khan will soon be seen headlining the upcoming film The Legend of Maula Jatt. It is arguably the most ambitious Pakistani film and is directed by Bilal Lashari who has also co-produced the film. In an exclusive chat, Khan expresses hopes that the wider global release that the film has got may bring larger exposure for Pakistani cinema in the near future.

Khan essays the titular role of Maula Jatt in the film that also features Pakistani actors Mahira Khan, Hamza Ali Abbasi and Humaima Malik in important roles. Lucid Studios, that have previously worked on Marvel movies including Venom, Black Panther and Avengers, has worked on the VFX for The Legend of Maula Jatt. The action seen in the film has been choreographed by the team that worked on popular Hollywood films Gladiator and 300.

Pakistani films rarely get the kind of wide global release that the upcoming film has secured. Apart from Pakistan, the film is releasing in the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, and the Gulf. It is also releasing in a few countries in Europe, South East Asia and Africa. The Legend of Maula Jatt will release across 400 screens outside Pakistan on October 13. Khan hopes his new film will open new doors for Pakistani cinema. “Hopefully, it (his film’s global release) will put a foot in the door and open it wider for wider global releases for more Pakistani films. (I hope) investment will also be better if that happens. Wish this one will have fruits for other films to cherish.”

Elaborating on the grueling preparation for his role, Khan says that he had a short period of just two months to bulk up, “Those two months were gruelling, the time at the gym was especially insane but because he (the character) is not exactly an Adonis, or a sculpted version of a Greek god, (I could manage well). Maula Jatta is more of an ‘akhade ka pahalwan’ (arena wrestler), and it made the job easier. I did not have to worry much because it was a character that plays in the mud and does not give two hoots about hygiene. I did not need frequent makeup touch ups.”

The actors recalls that he had to be hospitalised because of the physical transformation. “But the physical transformation was not easy, I ended up in a hospital, it (the stress and fatigue) reflected in my health. I could not not sustain the physical transformation. There was a bit of damage but I recovered. The real difficulty was talking in Punjabi, but I also had a great team to help.”

“I am a very anxious man – something or the other is happening and always bothering me. I also picked a habit of stress eating, so I am not careful or disciplined when it comes to diet. I should be careful because of my condition but for the transformation, I managed well. I could eat as much as I wanted but there is a downside to it of course. What I did with myself (for the physical transformation), I won’t ever repeat. Tauba hai (Good gracious, I repent), I can manage for a few months but after that I do not have that courage,” Khan says as he recalls losing and gaining weight for The Legend of Maula Jatt.

Asked about his long absence from films, Khan says, “I think part of the blame goes to Maula Jatt. Of course, I am joking. I was working, but I have a history of doing one thing at a time. My prep for The Legend of Maula Jatt started and after we started work on it, we ran into several obstacles.” The film faced legal troubles as the producers fought copyright violation case and it took them around two years to secure rights to the 1979 film Maula Jatt.

The actor’s last theatrical release came in 2016 when he featured in Indian films Kapoor and Sons and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. Does that mean he has a lot of pressure for box office performance? “I do not mean to sound insensitive but I have never felt the pressure. I do my work, and I get paid for it. Once those things happen, I am done. Now the pressure is on the producer and director. I have been blessed that I have had a lot of work and I hope this does not change anything. The fact is that I genuinely enjoy the journey of completing a film.”

He adds, “I am not really comparing it but we can say that is how I see it. Giving birth to a baby… I do not mean to offend anyone with this comparison. A lot of sweat blood and pain goes into the making of a film and when that is done, once you give birth to it, it grows on its own. You may nurture it a bit but it grows on its own, and the audience does that. I feel that my job is of kind of done right there. To feel the (box office) pressure is of no use. It is sheer anxiety for no reason and I do not like any stress or anxiety added to my life. A bit of anxiousness is obvious as we are responsible for the film too but I think Ammara Hikmat (producer) and Bilal (director-producer) have got all bases covered. It is a huge investment of time and money, but I hope the risk is worth it. I am hopeful it will pay off.”

Talking about the unusual look that he sports for the upcoming film, Khan says, “I have always been adventurous. We did not intend to make Maula look like Hrithik Roshan – that is very difficult – so (we did not go there). Then, I wanted Maula to look like someone who does not have an eye. I wanted to do that but Bilal not convinced it would work for the audience, so we settled for a scar on his face. I wanted him (character) to be brute and cruel. I am a bit brave in that sense as I like choosing unconventional looks. It may have been a bit of gamble as I have been well-groomed for most of my characters. (I am sure) I will live and cherish this one forever.”

(The conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity)