The film opens with tales of a massive feud over land between the goons of Ilyas Kashmiri's Malik clan and the opposing Jat clan headed by the deranged father of pacifist Roshan who licks his lips in anticipation of the blood letting that beckons - "There are two things that improve with age" cackles the demented old fogey. "One is wine and the other is a good feud!" As the old fart is duly being murdered by Kashmiri's hoods he lets out a wail for "Maula" and miles away Maula who is indulging in some jousting and luddi somehow hears the death cry. Everything comes to a shuddering halt as Maula considers his explosive response - the feud rages on.

Next we are introduced to feisty, motor mouthed, buxom village belle Aasia who has the locals drooling for her attention - yet she has eyes only for Maula even though she doesn't yet know who he is…his reputation alone is enough to secure her unwavering devotion.
Maula axes one of his enemies and is dragged off to jail by the cops who were alerted by pacifist Roshan. In jail he announces his intention of destroying the entire enemy race! Both Malika (Kashmiri) and Maula are taken to prison where they both wait for the day they can continue their deadly blood feud.

Later there is enormous excitement in the pind when Maula's release draws nearer. Mukho the Jatti (Aasia) can barely contain herself but the party is spoiled by the arrival of the hunter brandishing Malkaniye (Ghazala) who proceeds to badmouth Maula to his closest friends and then makes off with the fellows Gandaasa (the blade topped weapon synonymous with manhood). As the bristling Ghazala leaves she taunts the Jats to dare to try to get the gandaasa back from her clutches. Once again the pacifist Roshan intervenes just when massive blood letting appears imminent.

The rampaging Ghazala comes across rustic hunk Iqbal Hassan - He a true man who knows how to tame the most rebellious of vixens! He starts by seizing her feared hunter and now taunts her to try to get it back. She vows to have his head in revenge for having her trusty hunter confiscated. However hatred slowly gives way to love as Ghazala begins to globally warm to Iqbal's considerable charms.
Meanwhile Maula is released and informs his buddies that he is waiting for the day that he can even the score with Malika much to the disappointment of eternal and lone pacifist Roshan Jat. Maula taunts Roshan to pick up his gandaasa like a true man but Roshan tries to reason that violence is not the answer. Maula has no time for such pathetic idiocy. However due to the incessant moaning of Roshan, Maula lies in court which in turn infuriates his followers who reckon he has sold out! The now released Malika also mocks the new "peace loving" Maula and word gets about that Maula has abandoned the feud and become a coward…but we all know that this surely cannot be.
The film winds down to its blood drenched conclusion but not without a classic confrontation where Roshan's principled stand and his lofty ideals come crashing down in the face of grim reality but Maula finally realizes that this endless bloodletting cannot have anything but a disastrous outcome.

The film is a rollicking actioner filled with insane levels of violence and it actually paved a path for the blood drenched era of the Jat films starring Sultan Rahi (and later Shaan). The film is a turning point in Punjabi films in that it carved out a new genre which has continued to gain in popularity over the years and is a force to be reckoned with as we enter the new millennium. Wehshi Jatt is the film which began the legend of Maula Jat and is thus one of the most influential films ever produced in Lollywood.

There have been countless sequels, some official, some not and Maula Jat which went on to become the most famous Lollywood film ever is a direct sequel/remake of Wehshi Jatt. Sultan Rahi growls, scowls and yells maniacally throughout the film as he did through countless subsequent epics. Aasia as Mukho Jatti has never been better and turns in a winning performance as the pind di Jatti - rather modelled on Hema Malini's character from Sholay which was such a roaring success across the border during this period. Seema is at her bellicose best as Daani, a role she went on to reprise over and over again successfully in further Jat epics. Wehshi Jatt has just been remade again (March 2002) and is about to be unleashed onto screens with Shaan doing his Sultan Rahi imitation. When looking back over the history of Lollywood this ultra violent entertainer for the masses will certainly deserve more than a mention as being a genre buster that kick started the infamous legend of Maula Jat.

Among the Maula Jat inspired films that were produced in the wake of the movies huge success include: Jat da Kharaak, Ziddi Jat, Jat Bahadur, Jat Soorma (1979), Jat da Vair, Maula Jat te Nuri Nath, Jat in London (1981), Mirza Jat(1982), Jat te Dogar, Jat Gujar te Nath, Shagird Maula Jat da (1983), Uchcha Shumla Jat da (1984), Jat Qanoon da, Dushmani Jat di (1986), Jat Majhe da (1988), Yumla Jat (1989), Maula te Mukho (1991), Roshan Jat (1993), Jatti da Vair (2000), Maakha Jat (2001) Wehshi Jatt (remake - 2002).