MARKING his film directorial debut with Makrifat Cinta, director Kamal G takes pride in sharing the success story of a real-life businessman friend with cinemagoers.
The rags-to-riches story scored several “firsts” in Malaysian cinema history, including the song Maula Wa Sallim by Oscar-winning A. R. Rahman. It is the South Indian composer’s first single to be used in a Malaysian film’s soundtrack.
A frequent collaborator with Rahman, Indian hip-hop singer Blaze, also made his debut in the film’s soundtrack, where he performed a duet with one of the main actors, Singaporean Datuk Adi Putra, titled Duniawi.
Kamal, 33, said the tune, which received good airplay here, was set to enter the British Broadcasting Corporation’s radio charts next week.
“Makrifat Cinta may be a personal ‘first’ for me in terms of filmmaking, but it is making Ma-laysian history. This is our first film with songs by Rahman and Blaze, and our first to be screened in the United Arab Emirates,” the Ipoh-born told the New Straits Times yesterday.
Kamal, who has eight years’ experience making short films and television dramas, said the 108-minute action-adventure movie would have plenty of drama, but more importantly, it would be a “total Bollywood experience” for cinemagoers.
“Almost all ingredients that make a good Bollywood film are present — music, action, drama, comedy and character development,” he said, adding that the film crew was from Mumbai.
“India’s award-winning editor Praveen K. L., who worked on Kabali, is involved in Makrifat Cinta.”
The movie, which cost RM4 million to make, stars Syamsul Yusof, Adi, Nora Danish and Nabila Huda.
“Working with the dedicated and talented ensemble was a blast, and I am confident it will do well at the box office.”
Kamal’s next project will also be an action movie, but one which sees a mixed cast Malaysian and Indian actors.
Produced by Dhananwoodd Films Sdn Bhd, Makrifat Cinta opens in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei on Feb 1.