BIOPIC on SALOMA

Today we run a story on film maker Melissa Saila who did a biopic on her aunt, the famous legendary singer  Saloma for the small screen. Here is the full story  

Headline : Saloma Remembered 
By Bissme S

Award winning actress Melissa Saila has just produced and directed a biopic for the small screen that is close to her heart. It focuses on the life of her aunt, the late Saloma, the famous singer- actress extraordinare Saloma who was also the wife to the legendary to the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee.  
Saloma will be aired on Astro First ( Channel 480) tomorrow in two parts. This biopic has been a long time coming for Saloma's sister Mariani Ismail, a well known actress in the 60s. It was  Mariani who inspired her daugther Melissa to direct this biopic.
“I have been waiting for more than 30 years since the death of my sister for someone to do a decent tribute in her memory,” says the 81-year old Mariani Ismail. 
“I am disappointed no one has done that earlier." 
Tired of waiting, Mariani asked her daugther to do something so that Saloma's life story would be made known to all Malaysians. 
"My sister has contributed immensely to the entertainment industry and till today people are still enjoying her song. I do not want Saloma to be forgotten." 
The two part series begin in 1941 when Saloma was aged six and ends in 1983 with the actress's death at the age 51.  Playing the younger Saloma is Puteri Balqish while Nabila Huda takes 
over as the older Saloma. Among the cast are Tony Eusof (as Ramlee), Sazzy Falak (as Mariani), 
Sharifah Amani (as Siput Sarawak) and Hasnul Rahmat (as Pak Ismail). 
Mariani has seen the biopic and is clearly happy  with what her daughter  has presented. Some scenes brought back fond memories  and tears to her eyes. 
“It was difficult for me to cope with my  sister’s death,” recalls 
Mariani. 
“For 20 years after my sister’s death, I refused to listen to any of her songs or watch any of her movies. I did not want anything that reminded me of her as it would  make me sad.” 
Mariani’s favourite scene in the biopic shows Saloma at  age seven and  herself at age nine when their parents had divorced. The two girls were staying with their father in Tanjung Karang, Selangor. 
“Saloma missed our mother who was staying in Singapore very much,” Mariani says. 
“She was crying for our mum almost every day. I could no longer stand to see tears in my sister’s eyes.“So one morning, I took Saloma to the market in Tanjung Karang and manage to hitch a ride to Central Market in Kuala Lumpur. Then, we walked to the railway station and sneaked into a train that was going to Singapore. Our mother was shocked to see us standing at her front door.” 
For Melissa, 42, who started her own production house Kus Semangat Aktor Sdn Bhd in 2007, her favourite scenes are those of Saloma struggling to continue living after the death of her beloved husband,Ramlee. 
“He was the love of his life and she was not the same person after his death,"says Melissa 
"She has lost the will to live." 
Melissa was only 11 when her famous aunt died. She remembers Saloma as an introvert,reserved and shy and such contrast to her mother Mariani, who is an extrovert and outspoken. Melissa's husband Megat Fauzi Isa, 51, is one of the producer and co wrote the script. He is mindful of the fact that doing a biopic on legend like Saloma will likely draw many comments      
"We cannot satisfy everyone,"he says. 
"And they must understand it is impossible for us to feature everything that took place in her life in a three hour biopic. With such a time constraint, we had to choose what we want to feature.”
He adds that they chose to highlight Saloma the person first rather than the singer or actress. 
“Viewers will always be [more] interested about the human side of any famous personality.”
Shooting for the biopic took 33 days to complete and about 90% of it was done in Penang with the rest in Kuala Lumpur. The biggest challenge Melissa had to face was portraying a bygone period in which she was not even born yet.
“In that sense, I’m lucky to have my mother to fill me in on how that era looked like,” says Melisa. 
“She was my adviser.”

A scene from Saloma - Tony Eusoff plays PRamlee and Nabilah Huda plays Saloma

A scene from Saloma - It tells a great love story between Saloma & PRamlee 

A scene from Saloma --- This is when Saloma at her height of fame

Melissa (in red) with her mother Mariani and her husband Megat

Raja Azmi & karkuma

Today theSun carries an interview with the film producer cum author  Raja Azmi who have just written about her latest novel Karkuma. The interview took place in art gallery in Publika .... below is the full story that is published in the sun 

Suggested Headline: An Old Age Battle  
By Bissme S

Some people may not be  aware that Raja Azmi Raja  Sulaiman started out as a writer before she became a film producer. She wrote her first novel Black Widow in 1993, followed by Tangkis 
(1996), Jendela Putih (1997), Jijik (1998) and Cinta 100 Ela (2000).
Returning to writing after a hiatus of some 14 years, she has just come out with her sixth book, Karkuma, which explores the age-old battle between good and evil.It centres on Karkuma, a kind gardener, who has the ability to communicate with plants. 
He wins over the heart of Sirehpani, a beautiful maiden in the village, and they marry. Unfortunately, this angers Jameng who harbours feelings for Sirehpani. The man, who claims to be 
a religious leader, is secretly in cohorts with the devil and intends to use evil means to destroy Karkuma. In a recent interview with theSun, Raja Azmi, 55, talks about her new book, how it is different from her earlier works and also her future plans.

*Why did you name your novel,Karkuma? 

Karkuma or kurkuma is the scientific name for kunyit (turmeric). According to Malay folklore, the devil is afraid of turmeric. Note that my lead character also has the same name. I don’t want to be a spoiler by revealing more. Find out by reading the book. 

*You took 14 years to come out  with your sixth novel. Why? 

My last novel, Cinta 100 Ela, was banned in 2000. I went to see the authorities and asked them why they had banned my novel. They said my novel was too sensual.I argued that there are many 
novels in English that are far more sensual than my book and these books do not get banned. You can get these books on the shelves easily. But they said those books are in English and my book is in Malay. I could not accept their argument. They were being unfair. I was so angry and frustrated with the unfairness that I decided not to write novels again. But after 10 years, I began  to miss writing very much. A story was trapped inside me. I decided to forget the bitter episode of Cinta 100 Ela and  started writing again. 

*You started writing Karkuma in 2010 but only had it published  after four years. Why did it take you so long to complete this  novel? 

In the past four years, I was going through many personal crises in my life (her divorce from first husband Jalani Sidek as well as being accused of breaking up the marriage of another badminton player Roslin Hashim, among others). I was not able to give full attention to the novel. Once I had sorted out the mess in my life and cleared my mind, only then was I able to finish the novel. 

*How is Karkuma different from the novels you had written in 
the past? 

When I began my career as a novelist in 1993, I wanted glamour and fame. But now glamour and fame are no longer my priority. As a novelist, I want to leave something of substance behind.
There is a Malay saying: Harimau mati meninggalkan belang, manusia mati meninggalkan nama’ (When a tiger dies, it leaves behind stripes; when a man dies, he leaves behind his name or reputation). I do not want people to remember Raja Azmi only as 
a woman who loves to court controversy. I have plans to get an international publisher to translate Karkuma into English and distribute the book all over the world. I also have plans to turn Karkuma into a stage play and a movie. In fact, I am already writing a sequel to the story. 

*Some people say your novels can be erotic. Any comment? 

Sex, religion and love are three important elements in our lives. We should not be afraid to explore these elements in our writing or be afraid to discuss them. I would say the sex element in my novel this time around is more poetic and polite. I was told that people during 
that bygone era expressed their sexual desires in a more subtle manner. 

*Some people may condemn you for writing about the devil. Any comment? 

Every religion believes there are dark spirits that walk among humans. The food for any devil is our hatred and our negative energy. My novel emphasises that you should have more love than hate in your heart and in your mind … You should pay attention to having more positive energy than negative energy. My novel asks this important question: ‘How do you fall in love with God?’ My novel is more about God than the devil. 

Footnote: Raja Azmi Raja Sulaiman will be discussing her novel, Karkuma, at the Art For Grabs event at The School, Jaya One, on Aug 24 at noon. Karkuma: The True Colours of Raja Azmi dialogue session is open to the public.

Lelaki Harapan Dunia

Today theSun carries an interview with Liew Seng Tat who talks about his film Lelaki Harapan Dunia that will premiere at 67th Festival del Film Locarno in Switzerland on Aug 11.  Read the full article here 

Suggested Headline A Moving Tribute 
By Bissme S 

Film maker  Liew Seng Tat’s second feature film, Lelaki Harapan Dunia (Men Who Save the World) has been given the honour to premiere at the 67th Festival del Film Locarno in Switzerland on Aug 11. This is one of the film industry’s prestigious festivals held annually in August in the city of Locarno since its founding in 1946, making it one of the oldest film festivals in the world, alongside those in Venice and Cannes.The festival, which runs from Aug 6 to 16 this year, has established itself as a launching pad for striving filmmakers around the world. Some of those well known filmmakers who first made their mark at this festival included Stanley  Kubrick, Mike Leigh, Chen Kaige, Edward Yang, Jim Jarmusch, Abbas Kiarostami and Gus Van Sant.
Lelaki Harapan Dunia will be competing in the Concorso Cineasti del Presente (Filmmakers of the Present) section that is dedicated to emerging directors around the world. Only 15 feature
films are selected each year for the competition.Liew’s film touches on an ancient Malay tradition called‘Angkat Rumah’. In the old days, whenever a villager wanted to shift or move house, it was common for his neighbours to come together and literally carry the entire house to the new location.
This practice has, over the years, slowly disappeared. Liew had toying with the idea of doing a  film on this since 2007. But he waited as he wanted to gain more experience, first through directing short films  and then, attempting his first feature film, Flower in the  Pocket.
That film won Liew a slew of awards and glowing reviews  at such international film festivals as Busan (South Korea), Rotterdam (The  Netherlands), Fribourg  (Switzerland) and Pesaro (Italy). 
Liew said he was inspired to  write the script for Lelaki Harapan Dunia after reading an article in the newspaper in 2007 which tells of a farmer who  decided to move closer to his sick mother-in-law in order to care for her. 
But the farmer was reluctant to move into a new house. So, he got 150 villagers to  help him carry his old house half a kilometre to his mother-in-law’s place. 
“The image of a group of people literally carrying a house together left a  lasting impression on me,” said Liew. 
“The spirit of unity where a group of people get together to help an individual was simply amazing. I wanted to document this spirit in a Malaysian film.”
This comedy drama revolves around Pak Awang who wants to give a house to his daughter as a wedding gift. Unable to afford a new house, he comes up with the  brilliant idea of restoring an abandoned old house he found in the jungle. The villagers agree to help him carry  the house from the jungle into the village. Unknown to them, an illegal immigrant  has been hiding in the house. When a villager mistakes the black  shadow he sees in the house as the infamous Orang Minyak, it causes undue panic besides creating several hilarious situations. The cast comprises Wan Hanafi Su, Soffi Jikan, Harun Salim Bachik, Jalil Hamid and Azhan Rani.Lelaki Harapan Dunia will likely screen  in Malaysian cinemas on Nov 27. 
Liew cited the shifting of the house from the jungle to the village as the most difficult scene to shoot. 
“If we had used a house made of cardboards, the scene would not have  looked real,” he said. 
“We had to build the house using aged wood – and moving the house  made from such material is not easy. Further more, the road from the  jungle to the village is not smooth or  level. There were many slopes and we even had to cross a stream! 
“But the men managed to carry the house without any incident. Luckily, I had a strong team of men comprising the producer to the crew and cast.” 
Currently, Liew is working on two scripts which both have comedic elements.The first one touches on a love story involving a ghost while the second  involves soldiers trapped in a jungle. Liew also confesses that his dream  project is to turn Lat’s comic books,Kampung Boy and Town Boy, into a series of films – and, definitely, not  animations. The filmmaker said: “I am a huge fan of Lat’s comics. I gave these books to all my tourist friends as souvenirs. “They are great representations of what Malaysia is all about. And I like to tell Malaysian stories in my films.”

Seng Tat during the interview at Plan B in Bangsar

A scene from the film

A scene from the film

One of the poster of the film

Eka Kurniawan

Today theSun published article where I have interviewed a famous fiction writer  Eka Kurniawan who is from Indonesia. I would say a big thank you to Wan Nor Azriq and Ainul Muaiyanah for arranging this interview. Below is the full article.  

Suggested Headline : Rattling Minds 
By Bissme S 

Eka Kurniawan  is acknowledged as one of the most exciting fiction writers in Indonesia. His debut novel, Cinta Itu Luka, published in 2002, received critical reviews and won him fans throughout. 
Since then, the 39-year-old has written three novels and three collections of short stories. Born in Tasikmalaya in West Java, in 1975, Eka was in Malaysia recently for a book event and to promote his new book, Seperti Dendam, Rindu Harus Dibayar Tuntas. He sat down with theSun to share his thoughts on his work and motivation, the literary scene in Indonesia and his new book.

*You have been compared to (the late) Pramoedya Ananta Toer, one of Indonesia’s finest writers. Some believe you are the most exciting writer that Indonesia has produced since. Any comment?

I believe the comparison is not fair. Pramoedya and I came from two different generations and two different eras. So, we tend to look at Indonesia very differently. When two people look at
something differently, naturally the stories we tell will be different.
I really believe you cannot make a comparison between the two.
Each writer has his own style and his own perspective. Pram is one of the finest writers in my country. But he should not be made into a God.

*Some readers love your latest novel Seperti Dendam ... but others were not comfortable with the vulgar language.

My characters in the novel arefrom the lower class and I was capturing the language these characters tend to use when it comes to sex.I also looked at some of the graffiti writings on sex that you normally find behind the trucks(In Indonesia, graffiti is often found on trucks). I have used some of these graffiti writings as an inspiration.Personally, I take these comments as compliments. It is like some people who do not like seafood but when a chef cooks up  a good seafood dish, they enjoy the flavours. They forget the dish they are eating is seafood.

*Your novels deal with sexual themes. Some may feel good literature should discuss the mind rather than desires of the body. What is your comment?

I don’t agree. We should be discussing anything that is relevant to human life – mind and body, happiness and sadness, virtue and sin.Our society and our history are always dealing with the pain and joy of our bodies and our minds as well.

*What motivates you as a writer?

I started writing at the age of 11. I was not a clever student nor was I keen on sports. I wanted to win the attention of my classmates, especially the opposite sex.So I started writing poetry. But over the years, I became serious about making writing my profession.

*What is the misconception that people have about you?

After reading my work, some people have this impression that I
am a serious old man. But when they meet me, they are surprised
that I am nothing like that (he looks boyish and jovial and loves
to laugh).To me, an ideal literature is telling a serious story with a touch of humour. I know people who read my work and have a good laugh. But in the end, they regard my work as serious literature.

*Do you think every story should have a message?

Consciously or unconsciously,writers [leave] messages in [their]stories. [But] readers may not see things the same way the writer wants them to see. The writer simply has no control over how readers interpret his stories.
I really believe a story should not become a sermon. Once a story becomes a sermon, the story is no longer interesting. I write
mainly to disturb the mind of my readers (laughs).

*Why do you want to rattle the mind of your readers?

Literature is one of the ways to discuss our existence in this life, to
share our ideas and to react to other people’s ideas. What is the
best way to get people into a discussion? Perhaps by disturbing
their mind ... am I right?

*How do you take criticism?

A well-known critic of a newspaper gave my first novel(Cinta Itu Luka) a bad review. He said that my novel had no direction – it was not realistic nor was it surrealistic. I did not mind his review. But my friends and my fans were not happy.
They felt the critic was unfair and that he did not appreciate a

young writer’s view of the world. They critiqued him for giving me a bad review. The reviewer jokingly told me that my friends and my fans were very garang (fierce)!

His latest book 

His first book

U-Wei Interview ( 2004)

From my old file, I  managed to find this old article dated September 2, 2004  where I did an interview with U-Wei Hj Saari. He has just directed his fifth movie Buai Laju Laju. With this director, you can always expect an interesting answer.  Here is a full story.  

Sept 2, 2004 
Suggested Headline: Swinging With U - Wei   
Bissme S. explores director U-Wei Hj Saari's fascination with sex in his latest film Buai Laju Laju

Betrayed by a woman. That's the theme of U-Wei Haji Saari's first movie Perempuan, Isteri Dan ...? made 10 years ago. It became a controversial box-office hit and bagged five awards at the 11th Malaysian Film Festival, including best film and best director for U-Wei. He treads the same path for his latest movie, his fifth, Buai Laju Laju, which opens on Sept 9.
The story centres on Amran (Eman Manan), a drifter who arrives at the home of Ibrahim (Khalid Salleh), a rich older man married to a younger, beautiful woman called Zaiton (Betty Banafe). The couple live next to a restaurant where Zaiton runs. A hungry Amran agrees to do some manual jobs at the restaurant in return for food. It's here that Zaiton seduces Amran and convinces him to kill her husband. They come up with what seems like the perfect plan, until something goes wrong ...Interviewing U-Wei is like interviewing a poet. His answers are never straight-forward or standard.

*Why haven't you made a movie for five years?

I was tired. I was not inspired. Most of all, I couldn't find a good producer who I could work with. Besides, my wife keeps telling me a good director is a working director. Now I have found a good producer in Julia Fraser and Julie le Brocquy.

* What is the biggest challenge you faced in directing Buai?

Conjuring lust without sex, depicting seduction without too much skin and staging a murder without gore. The result is fulfilment through self restraint.

* Did Buai face any problem with the censorship board?

Not at all. They have not asked me to cut anything. This time around, they have been kind to me.

* Some feel Buai has a lot of similarity with your first film, Perempuan, Isteri Dan..?

I believe every filmmaker makes only one film and all their other films are just a variation of that. Perempuan, Isteri Dan... ? is like my old flame. Both movies are the same but a little different.

*Buai makes it seem as though women are smarter than men...

That has always been a fact. "Tak hebat lelaki Melayu kalau tak kalah kepada perempuan" (You are not a man till you lose to a woman).

* Your movie will face stiff competition from Puteri Gunung Ledang. Are you ready for that?

Like I said earlier tak hebat lelaki Melayu kalau tak kalah kepada perempuan' and I will be losing not to just any woman but to a Puteri (a Princess). But I still must exist. I must still tell my stories.

* Some say your movies depict women in a bad light. Are you anti-women?

I can never be anti-woman. My mother is a woman. I don't judge people. I am not a moralist. No woman is born bad. I will look at the reasons why she becomes bad.

*Your movies always revolve around sex. Why?

Sex is important in my life and I think sex is important in everyone's life. I am comfortable with expressing and capturing sensuality. My movies are never vulgar.

* Have you been betrayed by a woman before?

(Laughs) I try to make myself interesting with the hope that women will not betray me.

Alex Komang

I was digging into my file and found this old article where I have interviewed the famous Indonesian actor Alex Komang. The article was published September 28, 2004 Below is the full article. 

Suggested Headline: Addicted to Acting 
Indonesian actor Alex Komang tells Bissme S that acting is like a drug  

Watching Puteri Gunung Ledang, you cannot help but be impressed with the performance of Indonesian actor Alex Komang. His onscreen presence as Gusti Adipati Handaya Ningra is magnetic.
Alex started off as a writer, penning short stories, before moving to theatre and finally to the small and big screen. He won the best actor award in 1985 for his performance in Doea Tanda Mata. In this exclusive interview, the Jakarta-based actor talks about his career and life as an actor.

* What is your definition of acting?

Acting is a torture. Acting requires one to suffer.One must have discipline and learn to make sacrifices. But acting gives me great satisfaction. So I'm willing put up with the torture and the suffering. In my book, I regard whatever I have gone through as sweet suffering.

* What is the greatest sacrifice you had to make as an actor?

As an actor I have to hide my own personality and adopt the character's personality. Only after the shooting is over can I resume my own personality. It can be tiring.

* You started off as a writer. What motivated you to be an actor?

I dabbled in writing as a way of expressing myself. But in writing, you cannot fully express yourself; you cannot use your body or facial expressions. I wanted to use my body language to express myself. What I found lacking in writing, I managed to fulfil through acting.

* Are any of your family members involved in acting?

No. I am the first in my family to be in this line. My father is a teacher and was not keen on the idea of me becoming an actor. In our society, 'anak wayang' (artistes) don't command respect.

* Did your dad finally come to terms with your acting career? Is he proud of your achievement?

I don't know whether dad is proud of my achievements. I have never heard him say that. But honestly, in the end, I think my dad came to accept my choice of career.

* What influenced you to be a writer and actor?

My dad owned a small bookshop. I spent a lot time reading. This naturally led to my interest in writing. You could say my journey into the arts started from there. I joined a writing association that targeted youngsters. Slowly, from there, I was introduced to other forms of art such as theatre and cinema. Acting is like a drug. Once it enters your body, it will not leave you.

* You are father to three children (the eldest is 14 and the youngest five). Do you want your children to follow in your footsteps?

I don't encourage them, but neither do I influence them to stay away. They will have to find their own path in life. If they choose to be in this line, I will guide them. Being an old hand in this industry, I have some experience I can share.

* What do your children think of your acting ability? Are you their favourite actor?

My two older children are at the stage where they feel a little shy to say their father is their favourite actor. My youngest daughter is different. She is so biased. She will insist I am the best and most handsome actor. (he laughs)

* You are 41. You have directed TV shows and stage plays. So when are you going to direct a movie?

I don't believe you have to rush in to do things. In fact, I feel like 28 (pointing at his heart). Many people have commented I look younger than my age. Some even ask me whether I am still single (he says laughing out loud).

theSun & Sharifah Aini

Today I am just highlighting some articles on Sharifah Aini that had appeared in the sun. This Queen of Songs passed away on July 5, 2014. All you will see is the pages of the articles