KUALA LUMPUR: The late National Laureate Datuk Abdullah Hussain's novel Imam has been made into a film which will premiere in cinemas on March 2.
Boasting a star-studded cast which includes music maestro Datuk M. Nasir and popular character-actor Faizal Hussein, Imam is produced by Alkahfi Pictures and directed by Mior Hashim Manap.
In an interview with Harian Metro Online yesterday, Mior Hashim said that he "fell in love" with the 705-page novel when he read it back in 2013.
"It's a very meaningful story which is relevant to Malaysian society until today.
"The story may be set in the 1980s but it touches on religious extremism which is still a menace to national unity and progress right now," said Mior Hashim.
Mior Hashim completed the film's script a decade ago but was unable to find a producer. In 2020, he decided to produce the film with support from the National Film Development Corporation (Finas).
Imam which also stars Vanidah Imran and Natasha Charmain tells the story of Haji Mihad (Nasir) a reform-minded religious teacher. He is opposed by some of his conservative peers who accuse him of spreading false teachings and brainwashing youths.