how the Malaysians can be united with the NO NO
The Star Online > Nation
Wednesday May 3, 2006
Director defends her controversial sequel
By EDDIE CHUA
KUALA LUMPUR: Award-winning director Yasmin Ahmad has defended her movie Gubra, which was recently criticised during a talk show on national TV and labelled by PAS newsletter Harakah as a deviationist film.
She admitted, however, that on hindsight, she could have changed certain scenes.
ut I will not change the entire storyline,?she said.
The film, screened in cinemas nationwide last month, is a sequel to her other controversial film, Sepet, which revolved around a young Malay girl (played by Sharifah Amani Syed Yahya) and her Chinese boyfriend (Ng Choo Seong) who sells pirated VCDs.
In Gubra, her sweetheart has died and the girl has married an advertising executive (Adlin Aman Ramlie). The plot thickens when she meets her late lover brother (Alan Yun).
Yasmin: will not change the entire storyline?/div>In a sub-plot, a non-judgmental bilal (muezzin) and his wife became friendly with their neighbours ?a couple of prostitutes ?and caused a stir.
Those who tuned in to RTM1 Fenomena Seni entertainment talk show on April 21 would have heard some of the criticisms by two panellists against the movie and the characters.
To further fuel the controversy, Harakah questioned the morality and decency of some of the scenes in the movie, claiming it belittled the Islamic maxim of amar makruf nahi mungkar (which encourages good practices and discourages indecencies).
Yasmin said there were scenes in the film that could have been shot differently.
or instance, the scenes of men and women touching each other freely or the scene that showed an actor buttocks, could have been shot differently on hindsight.
owever, I would not change the other scenes or the storyline,?she stressed.
The film was approved by the censorship board without any snips and was rated ?for general viewing.
It also stars newcomer Namron and veterans Ida Nerina and Harith Iskandar.
?1995-2005 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)
Comments