“Jatt and Juliet 3” has become the highest grossing Indian Punjabi film of all time. The Diljit Dosanjh and Neeru Bajwa starrer has grossed over INR 107 Cr and become a bona fide all time blockbuster. However, one Punjabi film still stands over it, “The Legend of Maula Jatt”.
The Pakistani Punjabi language film “The Legend of Maula Jatt” came out in 2022 and grossed over PKR 400 Cr according to producer Ammara Hikmat. That translates to a little over $14.3 million in today’s money. Jatt and Juliet 3’s gross stands at approximately $13 million. So, the question is, which film will win out?
Both Films Have Drawn Huge Audiences
“The Legend of Maula Jatt” (TLMJ) surprised everyone with its incredible run worldwide, drawing Indians, and Pakistanis from every corner. It was almost universally praised for its direction, action sequences, and particularly for the performances of the two leads Fawad Khan and Hamza Ali Abbasi. Its mammoth gross stands far above any other Pakistani film.
Even so, TLMJ came out of an industry that is still struggling. The Pakistani film industry churns out 10-20 films a year, with a handful becoming hits. There is a lack of awareness about most films, and the international market is largely indifferent. The odd “Bin Roye” and “Jawani Phir Nahi Aani” aside, the US, UK, UAE, and Canada markets that we usually rely on are hardly money spinners.
However, “Jatt and Juliet 3” (J&J3) comes from the Indian Punjabi film industry which is fully established now and churns out several dozen films every year. Stars like Diljit Dosanjh, Ammy Virk, Gippy Garewal, Neeru Bajwa and Sargun Mehta are globally recognized among the Punjabi community. Jatt and Juliet is hardly a lone successful franchise.
Release Conflicts
“The Legend of Maula Jatt” was all set to release in Indian Punjab, but it never did. Political tensions and threats from political parties stopped its release when it all seemed imminent. However, “Jatt and Juliet 3” is running successfully in Pakistan and is drawing huge audiences.
This puts “The Legend of Maula Jatt” at a disadvantage. An Indian release could have potentially doubled its gross, and I don’t say that lightly. We’ll have to see what an OTT release of the film (if that EVER happens) will show.
“Jatt and Juliet 3” stands a good chance of toppling “The Legend of Maula Jatt” as the highest grossing Punjabi film. However, the Gandasa hasn’t fallen just yet.
