Shaz Khan’s “The Martial Artist”, first international film with Pakistani leads, is set to premiere in cinemas across Pakistan on Eidul Fitr, with its global release scheduled for April 4.
Shot in the United States, Pakistan, and Central America, The Martial Artist breaks ground as the first international-level English movie to feature four Pakistani lead actors. To make it more relatable for local audiences, an Urdu-dubbed version will also be hitting the big screens in Pakistan.
At its core, this is a gripping sports drama. Shaz takes on the role of Ibby “The Prince” Bakran, an MMA fighter who struggles with his own vices as his career starts to fall apart. A surprising family revelation leads him back to Pakistan, where he reconnects with his estranged grandfather and comes face-to-face with his truth.
For the past year, Shaz Khan has immersed himself in intense MMA training to step into his role convincingly.
“The idea for this story sparked a decade ago when I worked on a short film about a boxer,” Shaz revealed during an interview on Gup Shab with Vasay Chaudhry. “I expanded on that concept and wove in an element of Pakistan.”
Hinting at the plot, he shared, “As a martial artist, the character dreams of being the best in the world. But certain events lead him astray, and that’s when he crosses paths with his Dada (paternal grandfather), played brilliantly by Faran Tahir.”
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This movie is not just directed by Shaz Khan—he also co-wrote it with Michael Ross Albert and stars in it alongside talents like Faran Tahir, Sanam Saeed, and Babar Peerzada. Shaz, known for his work in Yaqeen Ka Safar and Parwaaz Hai Junoon, is bringing a fresh perspective with this film.
It should be noted that the movie originally scheduled for release on January 31 in Los Angeles, however, the date got pushed back due to the devastating wildfires that scorched 40,687 acres of the city.
