OlaBola The Musical & Rise of the legend

This story was published in theSun on Monday May 29....theSun highlighted two productions  - one is a musical theater and the other is a biopic -  that deals with Malaysian sports and Olympics. Read  the full story here

 Headline: Firing Up The Malaysian Spirit

FOOTBALL fans the world over are looking forward to the Fifa World Cup next year. This international football tournament will be held in Russia from June 14 to July 15, 2018. 
While this sporting fever will be sweeping the world, Malaysians will be presented with two ‘hot’ local productions that deal with Malaysian sporting triumphs.
The first is a musical theatre production based on director Chiu Keng Guan’s 2016 movie, OlaBola, about the exploits of the Malaysian national football team that qualified for the 1980 Olympics. Award-winning actress producer Tiara Jacquelina will be making her directorial debut in this musical.
The second production is a biopic by director Teng Bee on local badminton legend Datuk Lee Chong Wei, who is a triple Olympic medallist and an acknowledged world singles badminton champion. Both productions will be premiering next February. Below is a quick comparison between the two productions. 
OLABOLA THE MUSICAL 

Venue: 
The musical will be staged at the national theatre Istana Budaya from Feb 22 to March 22, 2018.  

Director: 
Tiara Jacquelina has been producing entertaining musical theatre productions such as Puteri Gunung Ledang the Musical and P. Ramlee the Musical. In OlaBola the Musical, she will be directing for the first time. 

The story: 
The musical is based on Chiu Keng Guan’s 2016 football film of the same name, which referenced the 1980 Malaysian national football team and how its multiracial players overcome their differences to qualify for the Olympics.

How the idea came about: 
Tiara loved the film and its theme of dedication, hard work, perseverance and unity. She says at that time, Malaysia did not have the tallest building like the Petronas Twin Towers, or the national car like the Proton Saga, but we were daring enough to dream about entering the Olympics. She hopes her musical will help capture that psyche.

Her challenge: 
Tiara wants the audience to forget they are watching a musical production. She wants them to exprience OlaBola the Musical experience as if they are watching an exciting football game.

Budget: 
Tiara refused to divulge the amount but hinted that the musical could be the most expensive that she has ever produced.

Additional information: 
Some of the people involved in the project include acclaimed music director Saiful Ridzuan, and awardwinning set designer Raja Malek.
Tiara intends to include rap and hip-hop tunes in the musical. Composer Mia Palencia will be composing the score, with additional music provided by rapper Altimet. Actress, director and comedian Shamaine Othman will be cowriting the script.
OlaBola the Musical will be the first show at Istana Budaya after it has completed its current renovation.
The cast of the OlaBola film have been invited to audition for the musical. The production is hoping that the success of the film, which collected more than RM16 million at the box office, as well as next year’s World Cup will attract Malaysians to watch the musical.
Chiu is happy his film is being turned into musical and is keen to watch it.
------------------------------
RISE OF THE LEGEND 

Screening: 

Opening in cinemas on Chinese New Year day, Feb 16, 2018.

Director: 
Teng Bee is known for triad film Kepong Gangster and the sequel Kepong Gangster 2. This will be his fourth film.

The story: 
This biopic of national badminton legend Datuk Lee Chong Wei will focus on his life from the age of 10 to 17, with two child actors set to portray Lee at that age. The audience will see how Lee became a badminton champion.  

How the idea came about: 
Teng says they wanted to tell the story of how Lee who grew up in poverty could still manage to achieve his dreams despite these obstacles. The director hopes the film will inspire the youth out there that whatever challenges they might face in life, they can overcome them, just like Lee.

His challenge: 
The difficulty of finding two child actors who could play badminton as well as act. So far, over 2,000 children have audtitioned for the role, including young actors from Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China.

Budget: 
RM6 million has been set aside for the film.

Additional information: 
 The production house had wanted to make the film three years ago. But it only got the green light from the badminton player late last year.
Teng had an intimate interview with Lee before writing the script. He also read the finished script to Lee in order to make sure that he got the details correct.
The film also looks at Lee’s relationship with another badminton great, Datuk Misbun Sidek, who was his mentor. The producer is hoping to sign on a well-known Malay actor to play Misbun, most likely award-winning Rosyam Nor. 
The film will also highlight Lee’s first meeting with the love of his life, fellow national badminton player and now wife Datin Wong Mew Choo. The film will feature dialogue in Mandarin, Hokkien, Cantonese, Bahasa Malaysia and English.
The filmmakers are also hoping to release the film internationally, particularly in countries were Lee is wellknown. Lee may likely make a cameo appearance in the film itself.

A Review on OlaBola

Today, theSun runs a review on OlaBola Here is the full story 

  

THE STORY starts in the present time with a young professional broadcast journalist (Marianne Tan) who is disillusioned with life in Malaysia and prepares to head for greener pastures in England. She is given a final assignment: to do a story about a multicultural team of footballers who are trying to overcome the odds and their personal problems to achieve international Olympic glory. The film goes back to 1980s and focuses on three individuals in the team – team captain Chow Kwok Keong (Chee), striker Ahmad Ali (Luqman), and goalkeeper Muthu Kumar (Saran). Chow is torn between giving his family a better life and his passion for football. Muthu faces objections from his father over his fascination with football and Ahmad wants to be the best player in his team, but has p r o b l e m controlling his temper. I am sure director Chiu is feeling some pressure.

Two years ago, he delivered the touching The Journey, which went on to break box-office record as the then highest-grossing Malaysian film, collecting more than RM17 million. (That record has since been broken by Polis Evo last year.) Now, everyone is expecting him to recapture the magic with OlaBola. I am sure most of them are going to make comparisons between the two films. Well, I will try not to succumb to temptation, and instead judge OlaBola on its own merits.

For starters the movie was well shot. The cinematography was beautiful. The football matches were intense, and will have audiences at the edge of the seats. Chiu has managed to capture era magnificently. A lot of attention has been put on the costumes and the set. The actors also gave convincing performances including the new ones like Chee, Luqman and Saran. Sometimes, new actors have a tendency to look awkward on the screen. This did not happen here. Yet, OlaBola is far from perfect.

The biggest flaw I felt lies in the script and dialogue. The message of unity among different races and the ultimate love these characters have for their country is continuously drummed into the audience. These messages of patriotism can be overwhelming and at times, a little irritating, and could have been delivered in a more subtle way. While Chiu has given us a very sweet cake of a movie, what it badly needs is a little bitterness to cut down on that overt sweetness.

Bront Palarae

Bront Palarae has a small role in OlaBola but he left a lasting impression. He talks to theSun about his passion for acting and directing.  

Headline: A Passion  For Movies

By Bissme S

When  I first saw Bront Palarae  in a television show 17 years ago, I did not think highly of his abilities. To me, he was just a handsome actor churning out a superficial performance. Now, I see the 37-year-old actor in a totally different light.

Bront has certainly sharpened his acting skill. Put him in any role and he will give a convincing performance. Indeed, Bront has become an actor to be reckoned with. He has been giving memorable and varied performances, from portraying an eccentric filmmaker chasing after UFOs in Terbaik Dari Langit to a mentally disturbed person in PSIKO: Pencuri Hati. His current show-stealing role as a hyper sports commentator in sports drama OlaBola is another feather in his cap.

Bront has also been roped in by several well-known Indonesian directors recently for their projects. Among them are awardwinning director Joko Anwar, who has cast the actor in the HBO Asia supernatural TV series Halfworlds, and Upi Avianto who picked him for her comedy film, My Stupid Boss.

Bront will next be seen playing a police inspector in the action thriller Headshots, under the direction of The Mo Brothers (consisting of two friends, Timo Tjahjanto dan Kimo Stamboel), which is expected to hit cinemas this year. In a recent interview with theSun, Bront shares some insights on his career.

*Tell us about your experience in Indonesian productions.

Only the directors who hire you have seen your movies, and know of your talents. Others in the production team, from the cast to crew, may not have heard of you or seen your movies. You are like a rookie, all over again. You have to prove that you are a good actor [to them all].  This experience is exciting and humbling, at the same time. Working on those productions is like being in an acting workshop where you will learn new lessons to make your craft better.

*Do you have plans to be based in Jakarta and do more Indonesian projects?

(Laughing) If Christoper Nolan calls me to act in his movie, I will go to Hollywood and do his movie. “But the moment his film has finished shooting, I will head straight back to Malaysia. My base will always be Malaysia  There is no place like home. I have always wanted to be a part of the Malaysian film industry. If you are based overseas, you will be a part of their film industry and I do not want that.

*Tell us some of the lessons you’ve learned after having been part of the Malaysian entertainment industry for 17 years.

That you should not get too happy with your highs and you should not get too down with your lows. The feelings of rejection and dejection are part and parcel of the job. When I first joined the entertainment industry, everyone kept telling me that it is a dog-eat dog world, and that I should not trust anyone; that genuine friendships do not exist here and people are eager to backstab you. Well, I have made some great friends in the entertainment industry. Nothing works without trust.

* Do you get frustrated when you are presented with terrible scripts and horrible roles?

The phase of getting frustrated has come and gone. I have come to accept how the industry works, and there is no point dwelling on the issue. I count my blessings as an actor. There are more talented actors than me who do not get the opportunity to showcase their talent like I do. I would rather spend my energy on making things better in the entertainment industry than wasting my time feeling frustrated. I am slowly moving towards production and direction, and hopefully, I can make some difference there.

* You studied to be a film director. But you became an actor, instead. Why?

While waiting for my break as a film director, I have to earn my bread and butter, so I took any job both behind and in front of the camera. But I have stuck to acting. As an actor, you have a better view of how a film is being made, and the working process of your director, your crew and your castmates. Observation is important if you want to be a good director.

* You have just directed one film, Kolumpo. Do you have plans to direct other films?

I have two projects in hand. My first project is called Dawn Raid, which is based on a real event where a group of Malaysian businessmen managed to take over the hugely-successful British-owned company, Guthrie, through the London Stock Exchange.

My second project is called Sabotage and it centres on how the government recruited some ethnic Chinese to infiltrate and spy on the Malayan Communist Party during the Emergency.

*After being an actor and now director, which do you prefer?

I love both, and I need both. Acting helps me to be a better director and directing helps me to be a better actor. When you are sitting in the director’s chair, you have to help your actors shape their performances. Indirectly, you are learning something about acting. When you are an actor, you are taking orders from directors, and you are constantly observing your director. Indirectly, you are learning something about directing.

Actors from OlaBola

OlaBola is a Malaysian movie that is everyone is waiting to see. Today, theSun published an interview I have done with the three young actors from the movie.  

Headline: Reel Football Heroes

By Bissme S

The New Movie by director Chui Keng Guan (of The Journey fame) may turn quite a few first-time actors into national heartthrobs. Opening in cinemas this Thursday, OlaBola follows the trials and tribulations of a team of young footballers in the 1980s as they struggle to reconcile their personal relationships with their love for football. It also showcases their journey towards international glory as they strive to win a place in the Olympics. The ensemble cast features a mix of familiar and new faces. Among them are Bront Palarae, Marianne Tan Poh Yee, Katrina Ho Fooi Tin, Daphne Low Sin Mun, and Mark Williams. At a recent preview of the film, local media were introduced to three of the fresh-faced actors who have been gaining positive reviews for their work – J.C. Chee, Luqman Hafidz, and Saran Kumar. These young actors from different backgrounds stood out thanks to their convincing performances. theSun spoke to them on their reel ambitions to make a mark in the Malaysian film industry.

From left, Saran, Luqman and JC 

*JC. Chee J.C. (short for Jun Cherng), 26, plays Chow Kwok Keong, the captain of the Malaysian national football team who is torn between wanting to give his family a good life and pursuing his dream as a footballer. The Perlis-born J.C. started his career as a model five years ago but decided to switch to acting last year.

“You cannot be a model forever because there are always new faces who will replace you,” he says. “You need to branch out and try other things.”

So he chose to be an actor. His first film was the Taiwanese comedy drama, When a Geek Meets with a Serial Killer, released last year. OlaBola is his second film.

“Modelling and acting are totally different ball games,” he admits.

“As an actor, you will have to be in character all the time and you have to use a lot of imagination.”

 J.C. cites one scene in OlaBola where they were shooting a football match, but there was no crowd in the stadium. The crowd would be added in later using computer- generated imagery (CGI).

 “We had to pretend that we were playing to a crowd,” he recalls.

After OlaBola, J.C. will next be seen in Girl Generation, a Taiwan-Malaysia production where he plays a handsome boy who is the object of desire of all the girls in his school. The film will be due out this year. However, J.C. doesn’t want to depend on his good looks alone to shine as an actor. He says he does not mind taking on challenging roles where he doesn’t have to look dashing.

“I love eating and I could easily put on weight,” he adds with a laugh.

*Luqman Hafidz Luqman, 24, plays dedicated footballer Ali who wants to be the best player in his team. But that driving ambition somehow makes him come across as an arrogant overachiever.

“I love football,” says Luqman.

“When I heard there was a movie being made on football and the production team was looking for extras, I decided to attend the audition.”

As it was his first attempt at acting, he never expected to be offered one of the lead roles. Since then, he has been bitten by the acting bug. After this experience, the quantity surveyor is seriously considering pursuing a career in acting.

He says: “In acting, you are constantly expressing your emotions and when you do that, you are being truthful to yourself. And I loved that feeling.”

He appreciates the fact that director Chui had put his young cast through an intensive acting and football training before the cameras started rolling. Chui had three acting coaches from Taiwan to train his young cast.

“As a result, we could [deliver] a believable performance,” says Luqman.

“We worked hard, but the director worked even harder on the film.”

 Luqman also has a keen interest in music and would love to try singing.

*Saran Kumar Saran, 21, plays Muthu, the best goalkeeper on the national football team. Unfortunately, his love for the game has caused a rift between him and his father.

“I have never been interested in acting,” confesses the Kuala Lumpur-born lad who is currently pursuing a degree in electrical engineering in Universiti Tenaga Nasional. Saran was playing a friendly football game with his friends when he was spotted by a talent scout. Eventually, he bagged the role of Muthu as his first film role.

“Muthu and I are very different,” says Saran.

“Muthu is a very serious guy, and I can be funny.”

Like Luqman, Saran has also been bitten by the acting bug.

“I hope OlaBola will open up opportunities for me,” he says.

His favourite actor is Indian veteran Rajnikanth, whom he regrets not being able to see when the actor was in Malaysia last year to shoot his latest film, Kabila.

On OlaBola, Saran says the movie’s greatest strength is its multiracial cast and indirectly, that gives the film a Malaysian touch.

“OlaBola is not only about football,” he says. “It is a movie that highlights our unity as Malaysians.”

The cast in costume ... from left JC Chee, Saran and Luqman

OlaBola

Film director Chiu Keng Guan became a famous face when his movie The Journey raked in more than RM17 million at the box office last year. Today theSun carries an interview I have done with him where he talks about his latest film OlaBola. Here is the full story  

Headline:Eye On The Goal

By Bissme S

Director Chiu Keng Guan’s The Journey created history last year when it became the highest grossing Malaysian film at the box office with some RM17 million. (But its record has since been broken by Polis Evo this year.)

That film depicts the touching relationship between a conservative Chinese man and his Caucasian son-in-law. But for his latest film, OlaBola, which he has just completed shooting, Chiu has gone a different direction by lensing a story about football. And he is fully aware of the pressure to produce another hit with his take on this sport.

“Honestly speaking, I feel some pressure trying to live up to this expectation,” says the 43-year-old filmmaker, but he managed to calm his nerves by focusing on what drove him to be a filmmaker in the first place.

“I became a filmmaker because I wanted to tell stories. So, I began to forget about everything else and just focus on the story I want to tell.”

Chiu adds with a touch of humour that he left the money factor to his

producers (Astro Shaw), saying: “My job as a director is to put my energy on the creative side of the film.”

Set in the 1970s, the film is about a Malaysian football team which overcomes the hardships and hurdles to qualify for the Olympics.

The story is loosely based on real events. Malaysia national football team did  qualify for the Olympics – the first time, by beating Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines, for a spot in the 1972 Munich Games, where it  defeated the United States but lost to West Germany and Morocco.

The team again qualified for the Olympics in Moscow in 1980, but never got to compete as Malaysia joined 64 other countries which boycotted the Games because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

To do research for the movie, Chia and his team interviewed several key figures from that national football team such as the legendary ‘Towkay’ Soh  Chin Aun and Santokh Singh.

But OlaBola is not a depiction of that national team and the characters are fiction, says Chiu, adding that this allowed him more creative freedom to be dramatic in his storytelling because he did not have to stick to the facts.

OlaBola stars Bront Palarae, Muhd Lugman Hafidz, Saran Kumar Manokaran, Eric  Teng Shin Wang and Chee Jun Cherng. In choosing his cast, the director has also taken the risk of placing a priority on the cast’s ability to play football rather than having any acting experience. Most of the cast members are newcomers and they were given three months of intensive acting classes before facing the camera.

It was easier for me to teach them how to act than to play football,” Chiu explains, adding that he also wanted the matches in the film to look authentic.

Shooting for the film started in April for about two months. His crew comprised not only locals but also an expert team from Argentina that has worked in Hollywood to help in the visual effects, an Australian specialist for aerial cinematography as well as an award-winning sound effects team from Taiwan.

“I always make sure our local talents constantly follow these foreigners while shooting,” says Chiu.

“Indirectly, they will learn from these experts and that will help them

sharpened their skills. We must never stop learning.”

The film not only has some adrenaline charged football action at the iconic Stadium Merdeka but also a scenic train journey between Beaufort and Tenom in Sabah as well as scenes of the exciting night life at fun-fairs in the 70s.

When asked why he wanted to make a film about football, Chiu explains: “I played football in my school and college days.”

He also reveals that he had wanted to be a national football player but the dream did not materialise. So he decided the next best thing is to make a football movie. Chiu has always been proud of the national team back in the 70s and loved  watching them in action. 
“It is not easy to qualify for the Olympic Games but  they did.”

As for his favourite Malaysian footballer, he says: “I was a striker in my

school and college days. Naturally, my choice is Mokhtar Dahari. He was a striker too, and was a great one. He even beat Arsenal 2-0.”

He hopes his film will reintroduce these football heroes to the younger

generation.

“Some of these youngsters do not even know who they are and I hope this film will change that.”

The director is ready to kick some balls.