KUALA LUMPUR: Petronas is ushering in this year’s Festival of Lights with the screening of its latest festive Webfilm, “Thanggam” at Concourse Suria KLCC, here tonight.
The heartwarming webfilm features the story of a boy, Kumar, and his grandmother which centres on the theme of Anugerah Kita (Our Blessings) to reminds us to cherish and treasure our elders no matter the circumstances.
Thanggam loosely translated as “my precious” takes us on a journey into Kumar’s past 10 years, retracing the key coming-of-age moments that shaped him into the lovable character that he is.
An urban millennial youngster, Kumar faces his formidable Paati (grandmother in Tamil) and experiences cultural, linguistic and generational shock that seem impossible to overcome.
Petronas group strategic communications senior general manager Zahariah (Liza) Abdul Rahman said “Thanggam” depicted the journey of a boy who grew up not being able to speak his mother tongue until his teens.
“The webfilm shows the journey of the young boy, Kumar who struggles to understand and communicate with his grandmother, when he is sent to his late father’s village to spend his school holidays with his 82- year-old grandmother who only speaks Tamil.
“At first he find it very difficult to understand his grandmother, but after he witnessed one incident involving a pregnant lady in that village which she handled amicably, all changed,” she said.
The film shows Kumar who only spoke Bahasa Malaysia and English throughout his childhood take on the challenge to learn Tamil from the shows that his grandmother watched.
He mastered some Tamil words to surprise her and he apologised for his actions earlier speaking to her in Tamil for the first time.
“The Webfilm is an exploration of our cultural identities, traditions and what it means to be Malaysian.
“It shows us there is more than what meets the eye,” she said.
Liza said Petronas hoped that the film’s storyline would highlight our similarities despite our differences, choosing to focus on what can bring us closer instead of what can keep us apart.
“The togetherness as Malaysians is a blessing that makes us all a family, regardless of our backgrounds,” Liza said adding that “Thanggam” was Petronas sixth festive web film for the year.
Kumar is a familiar face in several Petronas festive Webfilms this year. Liza encouraged viewers to look out for other familiar faces from previous films.
Everyone’s story is inter-connected and inter-related.
“Just like our own I think it will be a fun exercise to let the viewers guess correctly what these relationships and connections are in our Anugerah Kita cinematic universe.”
The Webfilm is available for viewing on Petronas YouTube channel.
The 60-second commercial version will be aired on TV and in selected cinemas from tomorrow until Nov 6.