After more than two years of intensive labour and secrecy to the extent that would have you believe the film held trade secrets, The Legend of Maula Jatt has released its first look, which should whet the most starved fan’s appetite. The 2-minute 23-second clip, that has no dialogue except for the one chilling holler, ‘Maula!!’, has a narration by Kamran Lashari introducing us to the legend of Maula Jatt and to the main characters of this epic saga. Finally, we get to see Fawad Khan, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Mahira Khan, Humaima Malick and Gohar Rasheed together in action, quite literally. The teaser says that Hamza versus Noori is Pakistani cinema’s “biggest rivalry”. I say Maula is Pakistani cinema’s biggest film; it’ll take on the world!
Fawad Khan is Maula Jatt and he looks like he’s never looked before. Months of adding weight and muscle, intensive training are evident in his bulk of a character. It’s a sharp departure from all his previous roles and seeing him in the teaser, one understands why he couldn’t do much more while he was portraying Maula Jatt. It’s this kind of dedication and focus that creates legends.
Hamza Ali Abbasi is Noori Natt, Maula’s arch nemesis, and as the narrator explains, he and Maula will indulge in the biggest rivalry ever seen in Pakistani cinema. Hamza, as an actor, is as amazing as ever and while he doesn’t have any dialogues in the teaser, that evil laugh or the raise of an eyebrow is enough to deliver his menace. It’s in the precision of action and art of detailing that this film promises to raise the bar exponentially. It’s evidently not competing just locally, but with the world.
“This is not a girl-boy romance but love between a man and woman,” Mahira recently said in an interview with Something Haute. Indeed, things do steam up when Mahira and Fawad appear together, locked in embrace, and it looks like fans will finally get the moment they have been waiting for. Mahira looks as good as ever; she is perhaps the only person who looks as gorgeous, if not more, without makeup. And we don’t get to hear her speak in Punjabi yet, but Mahira’s eyes have all the expression you need. She is pure love.
Sexy and sultry, Humaima Malick is a siren and she plays the wicked game to perfection. There’s something about Humaima that one associates with rebellion, passion – it could be the roles she has previously undertaken – and she’s passionate and glamorous and gorgeous here. I don’t have a doubt that she’ll match the men and challenge them, frame for frame. I for one cannot wait for a film to give her a role that does her skills justice; this looks like that film.
The Legend of Maula Jutt is all about the characters and then much more. The production quality is evidently as superior as anything you’ve seen before, not just in Pakistan but in the world. It does appear dark and the fact that it is in Punjabi may pose as a problem for people who don’t understand the language but this looks like more of a visual experience and art has no barriers. The motley of names on the credit roll are testament to the groundbreaking work done on the film; Bilal Lashari has proven his prowess as a director, once again. Brian Adler, for example, is just one name who’s responsible for the visual effects in The Hunger Games so, if you get that larger than life arena of war feel, this is why. From the sound effects to the stunts to the wardrobe, The Legend of Maula Jatt is a game changer.
Expect some serious action next Eid.
