As The Legend of Maula Jatt garners worldwide praise & in Pakistan too, it is but inevitable, as is the story, that after a few moments of gushing compliments come the many moments of crushing criticism. “But only if Mahira Khan spoke better Punjabi. But only if she acted better…but only if…”
Fact Check
Mahira Khan is the actor who now propels a project to take centre stage. Be it Aik Hai Nigar, Hum Kahan Kay Sachay Thay or The Legend of Maula Jatt – we watch, let there be no doubt, because it’s a Mahira Khan starrer. (Oh & Fawad Khan too, of course, the entire cast has done a superlative job and fans are singing praises).
But know this, whether you love or hate Mahira Khan’s performance, she’s the nation’s Star. Punjabi is not her lingo & neither is Maula Jatt a Gladiator remake but hey, we felt the shades, so … better to drop the ‘authentic’ label. It’s all about the ‘big screen’, the execution & yes, the star power. Apparently, the film works & pretty well on all three premises.
If Punjabi is the only ingredient that will add to the authentic Punjabi label, then why do we get shades of Gladiator x Game of Thrones from a Punjabi remake originally starring Mustafa Qureshi? Why is THAT revision and departure from Punjabi(ism) not called out and this (the accent) is? The point is, we look for perfection in places where we seek to find fault or imperfections. The fact is, and no, I’m not fangirling but it’s okay if you think I am, that the Mahira Khan x Fawad Khan formula is a guaranteed success model and a Pakistani expat in Melbourne, Australia will go watch the movie because that’s the magic they want to relive onscreen! Full stop.
But wait a minute.
Did you really think it was just about the acting?
It’s about the aura, the magic, the screen presence and the star quality that is making The Legend of Maula Jatt a must-watch! Other than of course, the superb direction, the storytelling and the thrilling sequences – take that away and you have no movie but take away Fawad x Mahira and you have a commercial venture that might or might not succeed. Add them back, and you’ve got a sure shot winner! We’re talking millions in investment here. Which formula will you pick?
Now I ask you, what would you do if you were the casting director? There are actors that play beyond the playing field. Shahrukh Khan in Bollywood, Angelina Jolie in Hollywood and Mahira Khan in Pakistan are just some of those superstars who are touched by star dust, they have the Midas touch. You want gold, you ask them to put a name behind a project and poof – you just upped your chances of minting it!
More Than Just an Actor
But Mahira is not just an actor, she is a superstar who represents Pakistanis on an international scale. Be it as UN ambassador, the face of Paris Fashion Week or … Mukhho in The Legend of Maula Jatt. Did her Punjabi take away from the viewing experience? But then, and before you answer that, I ask you, how Punjabi is the experience of watching a Game of Thrones x Gladiator Maula Jatt remake with Pakistani actors thrown in?
Not very, you answer.
Exactly, so why the censure on Punjabi accents? And if you find it so painful, yes, you have a right to complain as an audience, but all I ask is – be fair! Give a performance enough censure that it deserves and not more than its due. If Mukkho did nothing for you, I have a hard time believing all the people who walked out of Maula Jatt and celebrated the win. If Mukkho could have been better played by actor x,y, and z – point taken. But Mukkho aka Mahira Khan is winning at the box office and that my dear folks, is all that counts at present in a Pakistani cinema industry that is riddled with maybes and nearly there’s!
For that, our superstars should not receive our censure, but our love. For all the times an influencer tweets for a cause on behalf of our country, he or she does it knowing the responsibility they owe for all the fan following they hold.
In turn, we, as fans and audiences, have a responsibility too. To respect the platform they work on, and work for.
Stardom goes beyond performances & characters when it reaches the levels of SRK or Mahira, or Angelina Jolie. And this stardom lands in the lap of a few, and it helps them achieve laurels for their country if they are able to.
Mahira Khan is one of those stars. Help her achieve those laurels and know that Mukkho and Maula needed Mahira, (with or without the Punjabi accent), just like the people who went to watch a Pakistani movie in cinemas the world over, perhaps, for the first time in years? Respect is a small word, yet it means the world. Let’s begin with that.
