“The Legend of Maula Jatt”, the record-breaking Pakistani blockbuster starring Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan, is set to release in cinemas across China from May 21, marking a major breakthrough for Pakistani cinema in one of the world’s most tightly controlled film markets.

Filmmaker Bilal Lashari announced the development on X, describing it as a landmark achievement for the country’s film industry.

“‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’ has broken into one of the most exclusive film quotas in the world — the first Pakistani film ever to do so,” Lashari wrote.

“A huge moment for Pakistani cinema, and a new door opening for our stories on the world stage,” he added.

Lashari also shared a Mandarin-language poster and a dubbed trailer for the Chinese release.

Released in October 2022, the film is a reboot of the 1979 Punjabi cult classic “Maula Jatt”. The story follows local hero Maula Jatt as he confronts his arch-rival Noori Natt, leader of a feared clan in Punjab.

The cast also includes Hamza Ali Abbasi, Humaima Malick, Gohar Rasheed, Faris Shafi and Ali Azmat.

The film emerged as one of the highest-grossing Pakistani movies ever, earning more than $13 million worldwide and crossing Rs1 billion at the domestic box office. It was widely credited with reviving large-scale Pakistani cinema and expanding the global reach of Punjabi-language films.

China remains one of the world’s largest film markets but maintains strict limits on foreign film imports, with Hollywood studios having long campaigned for broader access.

While Pakistani films have previously screened in China, Lashari said “The Legend of Maula Jatt” was the first Pakistani movie to secure a place within the country’s exclusive foreign film quota system.

Earlier, “Parwaaz Hai Junoon” became the first Pakistani film in decades to receive a theatrical release in China when it premiered there in November 2020.

The film was also expected to release in India in 2024, which would have made it the first Pakistani movie to screen in Indian cinemas in more than a decade after Shoaib Mansoor’s “Bol”. However, the release did not materialise following opposition from hardline nationalist groups.