THE producers of Mat Kilau: Kebangkitan Pahlawan had to approach Datuk Adi Putra three times before he finally agreed to play the titular role.
"When I was first offered the leading role, I didn't feel ready to play a strong historical figure.
"I mean, it wasn't just any other role. Playing the nation's hero who fought against the colonial masters is a big deal. Mat Kilau was a nationalist," shares Adi.
The 41-year-old Singapore-born artiste also declined the role when approached for the second time.
But on the third occasion, Lady Luck must have shined on the producers as Adi finally said yes.
"Having accepted such a big responsibility, I took it upon myself to do some homework.
"I met some of Mat Kilau's descendants to learn about the man," he recounts.
Adi admits that playing a national hero, whose life details were not recorded much in history except for a photograph in his old age, is tough to begin with.
While history books may have recorded his struggles against the British colonialists and how he fought for Malaya, the actor who received his Malaysian citizenship in April 2018 says no one actually knows what Mat Kilau looked like in his heyday, let alone his demeanour and the way he spoke.
"Besides his family and everything that was recorded in the national archives, I had very little reference to help bring this character to life," he says.
While it may have taken Adi some time to accept the role, film director Syamsul Yusof has always believed that only Adi had what it takes to play Mat Kilau.
The actor, whose full name is Mohamed Hadi Putera Halim, adds: "Syamsul once said that I was born for this role. I wasn't sure if he was serious when he said that, but I told him he was one daring director for having such a strong conviction."
Epic role
Adi admits while he felt there was something different when filming Mat Kilau, he did not expect it to become a box-office hit.
After 25 days of screening, the movie has raked in more than RM81 million.
"With the costume, language and 19th century Malaya vibes, filming was simply a unique and extraordinary experience," shares Adi, who has been acting for 21 years.
He has starred in Anak Halal (2007), KL Gangster (2013) and Makrifat Cinta (2018). The actor also played leading roles in popular TV drama series like Tentang Dhia (2011), Cinta Qaseh (2013) and Sejadah Untuk Dia (2018).
Adi admits while his latest film is inspired by the life of Mat Kilau, it is not a historical documentary, but rather a mixture of fact and fiction Mat Kilau is a biographical epic directed by Syamsul with the script co-written by him and Shahruddin Dali.
While many have waxed lyrical about the movie, it is not short of sceptics. Certain quarters have complained that the movie painted an ugly picture of its non-Malay characters.
Mat Kilau, produced by Studio Kembara, is still being screened in 140 cinemas in the country, as well as in Singapore and Brunei.
With Mat Kilau's success, Adi, whose upcoming films Jerangkung Dalam Almari and Air Force the Movie: Selagi Bernyawa are slated to open on Aug 4 and Aug 25, respectively, is anxious to see moviegoers' response to his portrayal of Fikri and Mejar Adnan in the two films.
"With the overwhelming success of Mat Kilau and the short gap between screenings of these new films, I'm sure people will be able to equate Mat Kilau with Mejar Adnan and Fikri," says Adi.
Then, there's also the box-office record set by Mat Kilau, which has definitely raised the bar for other local feature films, he adds.
"I do hope Jerangkung Dalam Almari and Air Force the Movie: Selagi Bernyawa will do well in the box office too. I can't wait to find out how moviegoers rate my portrayal of Mejar Adnan and Fikri compared with Mat Kilau," he says.
Besides Syamsul's directorial magic, Adi also attributes the success of Mat Kilau to his co-stars, namely Beto Kusyairy, Fattah Amin, Johan As'ari, Khir Rahman, Datuk Rahim Razali, Namron, A. Galak, Wan Hanafi Su, Datuk Jalaludin Hassan and Indonesian actor Yayan Ruhian."
Mat Kilau would not have been a huge success without the presence of all these wonderful actors and those involved in the production.
"It isn't a one-man show, but rather collective hard work from everyone. And it has certainly paid off," says Adi with a smile.