Social
media was abuzz with dissatisfaction among Malaysians, especially the local movie industry
players over two movies, Ola Bola and Jagat being disqualified from winning the
best film category in Festival Filem Malaysia 2016 (FFM-28). It was
understood that the movies were
not nominated for 'best film' because the dialogues were not fully in Bahasa
Malaysia, and were thus nominated for 'Best Non-Bahasa Melayu Film' along with Maravan, Huat The Fish and The Kid From The Big Apple.
Dailyseni.com reported that the ceremony
was lambasted by writers association PENULIS (Persatuan Penulis Lakon
Layar Kuala Lumpur dan Selangor) for
creating “racist categories” and for assigning non-Malay films less worth
despite claiming to represent the Malaysian film industry as a whole. In its
twenty-eight year, FFM has chosen to keep the Filem Terbaik Bukan Di Dalam Bahasa Melayu category even though award-winning actress
and producer Erma Fatima called
out its irrelevance on air from the Festival Filem Malaysia ke-27 stage.
Both were expected to do exceptionally well in this year’s
ceremony, but the segregation has taken members of the industry by
surprise. This inexplicably leaves the Filem
Terbaik category open for entries such as Mat Moto – Kami Mat Moto Bukan Mat Rempit and Munafik, two SKOP
Production releases which grossed substantial money at the
box office. This year’s nominees were coincidentally put forward by PFM
(Persatuan Penerbit Filem Malaysia), also led by SKOP Production honcho Yusof
Haslam. It is understood that FINAS Director-General Kamil
Othman was not involved in the nominations.
Jagat is set in the
early 1990's, a critical period in Malaysian Indian history. The story subtly
underlines the plight of the Malaysian Indians who were forsaken by the estate
owners who had employed them for generations and systematically marginalized.
The movie shows how they were forced to move to the cities and survive under
harsh circumstances. Left out of the nation's urbanisation and development
plans, many lived in squatters and work for minimum wage. The plot centers on a
bright but mischievous 12 year old boy, Appoy and his relationship with his
father, Maniam and his uncles, Bala (an ex-drug addict) and Dorai (Mexico) a
local gangster.
Jagat was noted to have been nominated under 9 categories
in the 28th Film Festival of Malaysia (FFM28). The award night will be on 3rd
September 2016 at Plenary Hall, KLCC.
1. Best Film (Non Malay Category)
2. Best Director (Non Malay Category)
3. Best Screenplay (Non Malay Category)
4. Best New Director
5. Best Original Story
6. Best Child Actor
7. Best Art Direction
8. Best Cinematography
9. Best Editing
2. Best Director (Non Malay Category)
3. Best Screenplay (Non Malay Category)
4. Best New Director
5. Best Original Story
6. Best Child Actor
7. Best Art Direction
8. Best Cinematography
9. Best Editing
JAGAT - KABALI TRIVIA
(courtesy of Jagat The Movie FacebookPage)
Somewhere around October 2015 Director
Pa. Ranjith (Kabali) visited Malaysia and met Director Shanjhey Kumar Perumal
(Jagat) to get some input about the anthropology of gangs in Malaysia (the
culture, history, current scenario etc). Director Shanjhey shared his views on
how gangsterism born, rooted & evolved among Indian Malaysians. The meet
was arranged by Mr. Navin Manogaran (Vallinam Malaysia).
It was learnt that Mr. Navin Manogaran recommended Director
Pa. Ranjith to watch ‘Jagat Shortfilm' which was made in the year 2010 by
Director Shanjhey. (Funded by BMW Shorties)
'Jagat Shortfilm' revolves around a conversation between
an aged gangster with a young & upcoming gangster. In the course of conversation,
the aged gangster recalls events of his past life on how he rise to become a
big time gangster from being a mere fisherman at Pangkor Island, Malaysia. The
young gangster will kill the aged gangster in order to gain power in the end of
the short film.
We are not sure how much ‘Jagat
Shortfilm' & input given during conversation with Director Pa. Ranjith
inspired in the creation of ‘Kabali’. If it does in any way, we are happy about
it. We believe an artist from a part of the world can be an inspiration to
another artist at another part of the world.
Magizhchi!
Watch 5 minutes glimpse of 'JagatShortfilm (2010)'
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Jagat was recently
selected to be shown at the New York Asian Film Festival
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JAGAT
more violent than Kabali?
The team behind Jagat questioned if Jagat was
more violent than Kabali on it’s official Facebook page, ‘Jagat The Movie’
recently. The local movie was given a different frating rom the Kollywood movie
by the censor board although centered around the same plot, in fact with less
violetn scenes. Jagat was released last year with an 18 rating, while Kabali
was revised to a P13 rating by the Film Censorship Board of Malaysia (LPF).
They had also appealed to LPF to change the rating to P13 to see the reaching out to a wider audience. However, according to the team, the appeal was dismissed as it was violent. It was also understood that the team was given some suggestion to make Jagat eligible for P13 classification including a change of climax. This idea was shot doen by the team. They added that there was hardly any usage of gunshots or usage of machetes in Jagat except for 2 shots. (This is a contrary to Kabali we all would agree)
They had also appealed to LPF to change the rating to P13 to see the reaching out to a wider audience. However, according to the team, the appeal was dismissed as it was violent. It was also understood that the team was given some suggestion to make Jagat eligible for P13 classification including a change of climax. This idea was shot doen by the team. They added that there was hardly any usage of gunshots or usage of machetes in Jagat except for 2 shots. (This is a contrary to Kabali we all would agree)
In a Facebook post, the team further elaborated
that Kabali, however, managed to attain a P13 rating with only minor
censorship. The same post quoted LPF President Abdul Halim's reason for Kabali’s
censorship: "to make the film a P13-rated film, so it can be seen by more
Malaysians. [There were] only very minor censorship. Every scene was cut by
only a few seconds and the part we censored, we only shortened the violent
scenes, like the usage of machetes and all the gory part, as this is a P13
rated film."
Those who watched would know that apart from minor cuts, other changes made to the movie included the bleeping of the word 'keling', which is a derogatory term to local Indians, and a subtle but impactful change to the ending.
Those who watched would know that apart from minor cuts, other changes made to the movie included the bleeping of the word 'keling', which is a derogatory term to local Indians, and a subtle but impactful change to the ending.
The climax of Superstar Rajinikanth's 'Kabali' was altered in the
version released in Malaysia. While the film ends after a black out of screen
and a gun shot elsewhere. The climax of the film in Malaysia ends with a
caption that says ‘Kabali has surrendered to the Malaysian police’. According
to a Malaysian censor board member, the climax was altered to convey a message
that a crime will always get punished.
While Superstar fans are questioning the ending but we must not fail to look at the bigger picture. How the censorship affects local movies' availability to a wider audience and how locally produced real tear jerking movies like Jagat and Ola Bola are not national film award worthy.
“Both 'Jagat' and 'Kabali' deal with Malaysian people in an emotional
manner and both the films deserve same rating” - Malaysian born Tamil filmmaker
Sanjhey Kumar Perumal
Also read: Moral retribution in movies? What era are you in? ‘Jagat’ director asks Censorship Board - BY YISWAREE PALANSAMY
Also read: Moral retribution in movies? What era are you in? ‘Jagat’ director asks Censorship Board - BY YISWAREE PALANSAMY
Movies in Malaysia are
categorised into three classifications:
U – for viewing by all walks
of life without age limit
P13 – viewers under 13 years
of age need parental/guardian supervision while viewing (contains elements of
horror; scary; negative acts; suspense and frantic elements, but not excessive;
elusive storyline; and elements that can disturb a child's emotion)
18 – for viewers aged 18 and
above (contains elements of horror, gory, and violent, but not excessive; adult
scene that is not excessive; social, sensitive political and religious elements
which require a high level understanding).
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