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Shaz Khan’s The Martial Artist is set to hit cinemas across Pakistan on the first day of Eidul Fitr, with its global theatrical release to follow on April 4.

The film’s release, originally set for January 31 in Los Angeles, was postponed due to wildfires which burned 40,687 acres of the city.

The movie is directed by Khan who served as the co-writer alongside Michael Ross Albert. Khan, known for his roles in Yaqeen Ka Safar and Parwaaz Hai Junoon, also stars in the movie alongside Faran Tahir, Sanam Saeed and Babar Peerzada.

Filmed in the United States, Pakistan and Central America, the film marks a milestone as the first international-level English film featuring four lead actors from Pakistan.

According to a statement from the film’s team, the movie will also be released in a dubbed Urdu version to make it more accessible for Pakistani audiences.

The sports drama features Khan as Ibby “The Prince” Bakran, an MMA fighter whose ascent is hindered by his own indulgences, Variety reported. When his fighting career begins to crumble, a family revelation sends him on a journey to Pakistan to connect with his estranged grandfather and confront his truth.

Khan received training from MMA champion Rafael Cordeiro in California to prepare for the film. In an Instagram post, he said he hoped to “humanise the fighters and the often misunderstood sport, which is a true combination of science and art.” He added that the fighters are “humble with an insatiable appetite to grow” and have “hearts as big as their will”.