Pakistan’s biggest film, The Legend of Maula Jatt, has won two more awards, this time at the 7th Jackie Chan International Action Film Week in Harbin, China. The film picked up the Special Jury Award and the Best Art Direction award at the closing ceremony.
Director Bilal Lashari shared the happy news on Instagram. He said he received the trophies on stage in heavy rain, with thousands of people watching. In his post, he wrote about a stranger holding an umbrella over him as he walked up, soaked, to collect the award. He called it a moment he could never have planned, even as a filmmaker.
Lashari said the Art Direction award truly belonged to Namsa Abbasi and Hamza Bajwa, the artists who built the film’s world. He also thanked producer Ammara Hikmat and producer Nadeem Mandviwalla, who have supported the film’s journey in China.
Lashari, who grew up watching Jackie Chan’s movies, said meeting him in person and shaking his hand felt unreal. He added that action films connect people across the world without needing translation.
The Legend of Maula Jatt was only released in Chinese cinemas this May, though it first came out in Pakistan back in 2022. The film stars Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, Hamza Ali Abbasi, and Humaima Malick. It is a modern retelling of the classic 1979 Punjabi film Maula Jatt. Since its release, it has earned over Rs1 billion in Pakistan and $10 million worldwide, making it one of the most successful Pakistani films ever made.
