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Legend of Maula Jatt producers reach settlement with original filmmakers

Legend of Maula Jatt producers reach settlement with original filmmakers

The two parties have decided to resolve their dispute amicably after fighting a legal battle for years in court.
Updated 11 Feb, 2020

Looks like the legal battle over The Legend of Maula Jatt has finally come to an end.

Muttaqi Sarwar, the son of Muhammad Sarwar Bhatti, who produced the hit 1979 film starring Sultan Rahi and Mustafa Qureshi has been claiming for a while now that the upcoming Maula Jatt flick directed by Bilal Lashari and produced by Ammara Hikmet is being marketed in violation of the original classic's copyrights.

However, the two parties have now finally decided to resolve their dispute amicably after fighting about it for years in court in Lahore and Karachi.

Read: Sindh High Court has issued a stay order against the original Maula Jatt producer

In a copy of the settlement provided to Images, the agreement states that Mr. Sarwar Bhatti is the exclusive copyright and trademark owner of the cinematographic work Maula Jatt (1979) who has out of the goodness of his heart and in consideration of the revival of Pakistani cinema, allowed the filmmakers behind the new movie to use the content from his original work and will subsequently withdraw all other court petitions related to its release.

The agreement also declared that this concurrence is only confined to the making, releasing, promoting and distribution of The Legend of Maula Jatt and not any future movies that may violate rights of the old movie retained by Bahoo Films. It also states that Bahoo Films will record a statement before the Intellectual Property Tribunal, Lahore, reiterating that the matter has been resolved and that Ammara Hikmet's Encylomedia PR is permitted to use the content of Maula Jatt for this upcoming movie.

Also read: What is the future of Maula Jutt?

The movie will tentatively hit cinemas on Eid-ul-Fitr 2020; the flick, starring Mahira Khan, Humaima Malick, Fawad Khan and Hamza Ali Abbasi, (Ali Azmat will also make a cameo!) will also become the first film from Pakistan which will release in China the same day as its domestic release.

The cast also includes Gohar Rasheed, Faris Shafi, Shafqat Cheema, Nayyer Ejaz and Saima Baloch, among others; it is said to be Pakistan's most expensive production to date and it sure looks it too:

In 2017, Mr Sarwar filed a suit before the Intellectual Property Organisation of Pakistan (IPO-Pakistan) tribunal seeking an injunctive order against the exhibition of The Legend of Maula Jatt; in 2019, he also went on to submit multiple applications for a stay order in Lahore High Court to prohibit the producer and director of the new movie from using the name (or similar title), character and dialogues that violate intellectual property law.

Comments

Sahmad Feb 10, 2020 03:06pm
Can’t wait to watch it in theaters.
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M. Saeed Feb 10, 2020 03:19pm
Good settlement perhaps at some financial benefits to the original owners of the story adaptation.
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Waseem Sarwar Feb 10, 2020 04:57pm
The trailer looks so promising.
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Khan Feb 10, 2020 08:27pm
This new MJ will be huge flop!
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Eldrick Feb 10, 2020 09:13pm
It is comforting to know that the two parties have agreed amicably after spending thousands of rupees towards the fees of lawyers. If they could not have reached an agreement over the copyrights, they would have found at the precipice of legal war.
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Rami Feb 10, 2020 09:26pm
This is going to be blockbuster film fawad and Mahira ,looking beyond gorgeous !
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asif jafri Feb 10, 2020 11:26pm
Good news. Who says PTI not doing anything.
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Salim Badruddin Feb 11, 2020 02:58am
Come on guys release this movie so we can watch. We will come from USA to watch this movie in Karachi. Hurry hurry.
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Zak Feb 11, 2020 03:32am
Saw trailer, it look awesome. Eagerly waiting for its release. Superb acting.
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joe Feb 11, 2020 05:54am
Looks amicable and exciting visually. I wonder what's the plot like.
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Jawaid Islam Feb 11, 2020 03:37pm
It's time to release the movie; any further delay would be bad for it.
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