For the past four years, one Punjabi-language film has dominated the local box office and pop-culture conversation: Bilal Lashari’s The Legend of Maula Jatt. Now, another film with a ‘Jutt’ in its title aims to bring audiences back to larger-than-life Punjabi action, romance, and comedy.
The trailer for Mango Jutt is finally out, offering audiences a closer look at Hareem Farooq’s return to the big screen alongside Faysal Quraishi in the Punjabi-language action-comedy. While the film clearly isn’t trying to be another Maula Jatt, it seems to borrow elements that made Punjabi cinema exciting for mainstream audiences again.
Quraishi plays a righteous, by-the-book police officer with a secret mission that takes a backseat when he crosses paths with Farooq’s character. She gives him the nickname “Mango Jutt” and explains that he is apparently both sweet and pretty.
That exchange tells you quite a bit about the film—Mango Jutt isn’t taking itself too seriously. It wants action, but it also wants romance, comedy, and plenty of Punjabi flavor. The trailer is packed with stunts, fights, dance sequences, and colorful characters, and the chemistry between Quraishi and Farooq seems central to the story.
Written and directed by Abu Aleeha and produced by Farooq herself, the film also features Shamoon Abbasi as the antagonist, who does everything in his power to make the lead pair’s lives miserable. But does Mango Jutt have enough to stand out?
What Works
The good-hearted lad
Faysal Quraishi seems perfectly comfortable playing the righteous police officer. His character is strict, disciplined, and seemingly committed to doing things by the book, yet he also has a softer side.
The trailer gives him plenty of chances to show both sides, and Quraishi seems to understand the balance an action-comedy hero needs. He can throw a punch one moment and play along with a joke the next.
The attractive lass
She may not have worked in a film since Heer Maan Ja in 2019, but in this trailer, Hareem Farooq is clearly having fun. Her character is more playful and outspoken than Quraishi’s, and the contrast between the two provides much of the trailer’s entertainment value.
Farooq also brings a certain confidence to the Punjabi dialogue, which matters since this marks her first Punjabi-language film. She has proven her acting chops on TV and in theater, and in films she gets to showcase her dancing skills after a long time.
What matters is that she became the film’s producer after being cast, which shows she has enough confidence in the film to claim ownership.
The villain
His villainous entry gave Waar its distinct identity in 2013, and he still terrorizes audiences 13 years later, which speaks to Shamoon Abbasi’s enjoyment of being the antagonist.
The trailer doesn’t provide enough to fully understand his character, but he certainly looks like he belongs in the exaggerated world of a Punjabi action film. The film seems to be aiming for a larger-than-life villain rather than a subtle one, which could work in its favor.
For some reason, he appears both bearded and clean-shaven in the trailer, but hopefully that ties into the story. As for his acting and fighting skills, we all know that once he gets the director’s idea, he does an amazing job, and here he seems to have grasped the character’s essence.
The Stunts
Pakistani films, whether in Urdu or Punjabi, have lacked in the fight and stunt departments in recent years; the first film with well-choreographed action sequences and well-thought-out stunts, The Legend of Maula Jatt, set box office records.
Mango Jutt may not match the level of fight sequences or stunt coordination, but it is certainly better than many films produced in recent years. Call it an inspired take on Rohit Shetty films, but one has to start somewhere; Mango Jutt might kick off a trend that could raise the standard of fight sequences and stunts in Pakistani cinema.
The Punjabi humor
Perhaps the most promising element is the humor, which seems more inspired by comedy films from Indian Punjab than by the crass theater dramas produced locally in Pakistan. Most of the stage comedians in the trailer are either known for clean comedy or have worked in Indian Punjabi films, which should put your mind at ease.
One look at the trailer, and you realize it understands that Punjabi cinema doesn’t need to be serious to be entertaining. The banter, wordplay, and character interactions give Mango Jutt a distinct personality. The title itself is a joke, and Farooq’s character’s explanation suggests the film is comfortable laughing at its own larger-than-life premise.
What Doesn’t Work
Too lengthy a trailer
At a time when trailers are increasingly becoming shorter and more focused, Mango Jutt gives away quite a lot. The trailer packs in numerous action sequences, jokes, character introductions, and dramatic moments.
Instead of leaving audiences wanting more, the film occasionally feels as though it is trying to show everything it has. A tighter trailer could have created more curiosity about the actual story.
Too many characters
The same problem extends to the number of characters introduced, including children who try to pull off the Home Alone scenario involving the new guest.
Renowned stage comedians, led by Honey Albela and Qaiser Piya, seem central to the plot, but it would have been better to keep their roles minimal in the trailer.
That may make more sense once the full film is released, but for now, the crowded cast makes the narrative seem more complicated than it needs to be.
Where are the writer-director credits?
One strange omission from the trailer is the lack of prominent writer and director credits. Abu Aleeha isn’t credited as writer and director because he didn’t agree with the final product, but those who have followed the film’s journey know he contributed.
One hopes the matter between him and the producers is resolved, which seems to center on changes he didn’t approve. For a film seeking to establish its own identity, knowing who is behind the camera is as important as knowing who is in front of it.
The Verdict
The obvious question is whether Mango Jutt can become the next big Punjabi action film after The Legend of Maula Jatt. At least from the trailer, it seems to be playing a very different game.
The Legend of Maula Jatt centered on revenge, violence, mythology, and an intensely dramatic world. Mango Jutt, by contrast, leans more heavily into comedy, romance, and the lighter side of Punjabi action cinema. That difference could ultimately be its biggest advantage.
Recreating The Legend of Maula Jatt would be an almost impossible task, especially after that film established a distinctive visual and dramatic identity. Mango Jutt seems more sensible: choose its own lane as a colorful, funny, action-packed entertainer built on the chemistry between its two leads.
The film will be released next month, on October 16, the same month as The Legend of Maula Jatt, and it will be distributed by the same distributor, Mandviwalla Entertainment. Will the result be the same? That is the million-dollar question.
The film hopes to cash in on the same trend that helped high-quality Indian Punjabi films such as Sardaarji and the Chal Mera Putt franchise succeed in Pakistan. That way, Mango Jutt could be an enjoyable Punjabi masala film rather than the next Maula Jatt. Perhaps that’s exactly what it needs to be.
