Encyclomedia and Lashari Films in association with AAA Motion Pictures and its distributors, Mandviwalla Entertainment in Pakistan and Moviegoers Entertainment overseas, have announced a smash hit opening for The Legend Of Maula Jatt, both in domestic and overseas markets.
The Legend Of Maula Jatt was released worldwide on over 500 screens across 25 countries, making it the highest and widest ever release for any Pakistani film yet. The makers also say it’s the biggest release for a Punjabi film too. In its opening weekend, the big budget film collected Rs509 million (US$2.3 million).
It ranks number one at the UAE Box Office, number six in Canada, number eight in Australia and number nine in the UK. The film grossed Rs113 million (US$ 526,902) in the domestic market despite not being shown at all cinemas across the country.
The film also grossed £315,000 (Rs77.3 million) in the UK in its first weekend spanning 79 locations. This marks the highest opening weekend collection for any Pakistan-made or Punjabi language film in the UK to date, entering the UK Box Office Top 10 at position nine.
In Canada, The Legend Of Maula Jatt grossed CA$324,000 (Rs51.1 million) ranking number six in the Canadian Box Office. Total collections for North America exceeded US$600,000 (Rs130.3 million). In the UAE, the movie grossed over US$515,000 (Rs111.9 million) in four days and reached number one in the UAE Box Office. Other performing territories are Australia (AU$255,000 which is Rs30.7 million), Norway, Germany, Netherlands, Spain and South East Asia.
Commenting on the film’s domestic performance, director Bilal Lashari said, “I’m beyond overwhelmed by the love the film has received from audiences and critics alike the world over. We are so proud that The Legend Of Maula Jatt has been instrumental in putting Pakistan-made cinema on the global map as it continues to win over hearts in theatres across the world.”
Producer Ammara Hikmat said, “The Legend Of Maula Jatt has been our labour of love for a number of years. The pandemic came and returned but we knew we had to hold out for a theatrical release, as the film is undoubtedly a big screen experience, as has been proved by the sheers numbers of cinema-goers who have turned out at the cinemas and the full house screenings, with exhibitors adding extra shows to the weekend programmes. We’re so delighted that our film has broken previous records and set a new benchmark for Pakistan-made cinema, loved and lauded not only domestically but by audiences and critics globally.“
CEO of Mandviwalla Entertianment Nadeem Mandviwalla said, “Considering that [the] three biggest cinema chains, comprising of more than 50 per cent of cinemas in the country have not supported the the most expensive film of Pakistan, still the Box Office Gross every day is astronomical and remains unprecedented in the history of Pakistan industry. I have never seen any film performing on this scale in my 42 years.”
The Legend of Maula Jatt released across cinemas worldwide on October 13. The film is a reboot of the 1979 cult classic Maula Jatt, reimagining Punjab’s own superhero for a world audience. It stars Fawad Khan, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Mahira Khan, Gohar Rasheed, Humaima Mallick, Faris Shafi and Ali Azmat, among others.