The hilarious road trip of Bidin Al-Zaifa, played by Zizan Razak, gets a more explosive sequel this month
FUNNY action hero Zizan Razak has fallen in love with Thailand. He loves its tourist attractions, food and hospitality. For this reason, he is overjoyed to reprise his role as bumbling motorcycle enthusiast Bidin Al-Zaifa, in Bikers Kental 2, the long-awaited sequel to Bikers Kental.
Set three years after the events of the 2013 film, Bikers Kental 2 brings Bidin back to southern Thailand’s popular cities Hatyai, Phuket and Krabi to visit his sweetheart Cherry. He plans to propose to her, but her elder brother Ananda, a Muay Thai champion, does not like him. Also. the ruthless gangster hunting Bidin, is still on the loose. Albuquerque is now alone, since his elder brother Pornthaliwat is dead. However, the gangster’s equally ruthless crime boss, Khunna, also wants to eliminate our hero.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
“The director promised a sequel, and we got cracking in late 2016, wrapping up the new film within a month,” said Zizan at the launch of Bikers Kental 2 in The Gasket Alley, Petaling Jaya recently.
Zizan is delighted to be reunited with Datuk Azhar Othman, a.k.a. Awie, who reprises his role as tough guy biker Eddie, and also Bidin’s best friend and “bodyguard”. “I've learnt a lot about biking from Awie who is an experienced biker, and while I used to do dirt-biking back home in Dungun during my teens, it’s nothing like the real deal,” says Zizan.
On a sad note, the actor misses the company of the late comedian Harun Salim Bachik, who played his employer and cousin Aidil in the original movie. “The first Bikers Kental was my major collaboration with Harun. He was one of my heroes, a real friend and teacher. Despite his fierce look, he was always a gentleman and never scolded me.”
Thankful to Helmi Yusof, the director of both films, for dedicating Bikers Kental 2 to Harun, Zizan is glad that Datuk Afdlin Shauki has joined the hilarious cast as Aidil’s always-hungry younger brother Aidid. “Harun was supposed to return as Aidil, if not for his untimely death in 2015. Fortunately, our mutual friend Afdlin, my other “mahaguru” of comedy, has filled in his shoes beautifully.”
Afdlin said Harun, his partner in the Maharaja Lawak Mega duo Boboi, had wanted him to join Bikers Kental 2 in the event that he could not make it.
“It would be unfair for me to play Aidil, for it was Harun’s role alone. Nevertheless, I’m thankful that Helmi, our mutual friend, created Aidid for me.
“He may be Aidil’s brother, but he is vastly different, more laid-back, clumsier and hungrier, for food as well as love!”
Afdlin enjoyed watching the first movie. “Bikers Kental reminded me of Berani Punya Budak which I shot in Thailand with Awie the previous year. Bidin’s and Eddie’s first biking adventure had minimal fighting with the bad guys, but this time around, the three of us have more confrontations with the baddies.
“It’s a revisit of Berani Punya Budak, where we pulverise both Malaysian and Thai villains, with guns, fists and legs at the same time!”
THAI SPICE
Joining Zizan, Afdlin and Awie in Bikers Kental 2 is Thai actress Kaew Korravee who plays Cherry’s cousin and best friend Saiya. “I’m the new, transformed Saiya,” said Kaew, 26 who replaces Pornwipa Watcharakaroon from the first movie. “Pornwipa's Saiya was sweet and naive, mine has undergone plastic surgery and is more sophisticated and seductive. “Over the last three years, a lot has happened to Saiya. She has moved to Phuket from Hatyai and opened her own restaurant, which is a hit with tourists.
“Unfortunately, her unhappiness that Bidin had chosen Cherry over her has not subsided, and now that he has come to propose to Cherry, she plans to split them up.”
Bikers Kental 2 marks her first Malaysian film, and while she cannot speak Malay, Kaew had a great time with the main actors, who spoke to her in English. “I'm a rather serious person, but Zizan, Awie and Afdlin are full of jokes and they cheered me up throughout our month-long shoot. I'd love to appear in more Malaysian films next time.”
Helmi said he had always wanted to include Afdlin in the story, since he made superb “buddy movies” such as Cuci and Baik Punya Cilok. “Bikers Kental 2, like its predecessor, may be about Malaysian bikers and their lifestyle, but its main theme is friendship amongst Malaysians, and between Malaysians and their Asean neighbours, including Thailand,” he said.
Helmi added that he was impressed with the natural camaraderie between Zizan, Awie and Afdlin on the set, and their passion for biking. “All three were so at home with their big bikes, and actually rode them throughout their road trip from Kuala Lumpur to Phuket.”
Helmi also said they had roped in more Thai actors this time around, most of them playing relatives of Cherry (Meau Julallangtip) and henchmen of Albuquerque (Amerul Affendi). “The biggest name among them is male model and Muay Thai exponent Pont Cranium. He plays Ananda, who floors Bidin twice!”
Helmi, formerly a photography director, and has worked with directors Bade Azmi, Aziz M. Osman, Erma Fatima, Afdlin and Mamat Khalid since 1996, is known for his films as Histeria, Papadom, Misteri Jalan Lama, Papadom 2, Tolong! Awek Aku Pontianak, Bikers Kental and Bo-Peng.
BORN TO RIDE
Producer MRB Network managing director Kamal Akram Ibrahim said: “We want to generate interest, especially among bikers, in road trips around Thailand, which has world--class tourist facilities.
“And this heart-racing but warming tale of best friends Bidin, Aidid and Eddie exemplifies the spirit of comradeship amongst bikers that transcends boundaries. We want viewers to see a part of themselves in the main characters.”
He also said the film was shot with state-of-the-art equipment including an ARRI Alexa camera. “We hope Bikers Kental 2 will be a new trail-blazer which merges the biking lifestyle with southern Thailand’s most scenic tourist spots.”
A joint production between MRB Network, Califworks Studio and TGV Pictures, Bikers Kental 2 also stars Bront Palarae (who plays Pornthaliwat) and Ayie Hushairi Husain, who plays the mute mafia don Khunna.
Its eponymous theme song is written, composed and performed by Faizal Tahir and Akim Ahmad, and marks the singer-songwriters’ first collaboration.
Bikers Kental 2, which opened on March 14, has so far raked in RM3 million at the box office to date. Its predecessor collected RM3.3 million after a month of screening.
Deadly road trip a knock-out
NOW SHOWING
BIKERS KENTAL 2
DIRECTED BY Helmi Yusof
STARRING Zizan Razak, Datuk Awie, Datuk Afdlin Shauki, Amerul Affendi, Bront Palarae, Ayie Hushairi Husain, Meau Julallangtip, Kaew Korravee, Pont Cranium
DURATION 90 minutes
RATING PG13
THE bumbling, big-nosed biker Bidin Al-Zaifa (Zizan Razak) is back in action, six years down the road. This time around, he is confident travelling on his motorcycle alone to propose to his sweetheart Cherry (Meau Julallangtip) in the Land of Smiles.
However, trouble is always close by, for the menacing young gangster Albuquerque (Amerul Affendi) is still going after him, and wants him to return every ringgit (or baht) which he has taken. Yes, Albuquerque and his elder brother Pornthaliwat (Bront Palarae) have not forgiven Bidin for spending all the money in the suitcase which they dumped in Kuala Lumpur.
To make matters worse, their crime lord Khunna (Ayie Hushairi Husain) has kidnapped Albuquerque’s wife and held her hostage, until he gets his share of the loot. Back at home, Bidin has been promoted to co-owner of his cousin Aidil’s motorcycle business. Aidil (the late Harun Salim Bachik) has migrated to the United States and sold his share of the company to his perpetually hungry younger brother Aidid (Datuk Afdlin Shauki).
Unlike the hot-tempered Aidil, Aidid is a nice guy and readily allows Bidin to go on leave in Thailand. Their mutual biker friend Eddie (Datuk Awie) is concerned about Bidin’s safety and decides to visit Bidin’s stops – Hatyai, Krabi and Phuket — with Aidid, lest something bad happens to the solo traveller.
Bidin is reunited with Cherry, and before he proposes to her, he realises that the ring is missing. Fortunately, Eddie and Aidid find it in his office, and now have every reason to go on their road trip.
One other obstacle suddenly stands in Bidin’s way – Cherry’s protective big brother Ananda (Pont Cranium), a Muay Thai champion who does not have a good impression of the clumsy Malaysian biker. Ananda, whom Aidid idolises, thinks Bidin is a “loser” who still loves Cherry’s cousin and best friend Saiya (Kaew Korravee). His suspicions are prompted by Saiya’s tendency to massage Bidin’s shoulders and hold his hand while they are in conversation.
Saiya has changed a lot over the last six years. From a sweet, girl-next-door waitress, she has become a sophisticated, sexily-dressed restaurant owner in Hatyai, and has even undergone plastic surgery to enhance her beauty.
Deep down, Saiya is unhappy that Bidin (whom she initially did not like) has chosen Cherry instead of her. She is quietly out to break them up, and the evil Khunna has made her his “informer”. It is always a joy to watch three talented comedians – Zizan, Awie and Afdlin - pull off a buddy adventure in picturesque southern Thailand. Their chemistry is natural and their jokes are spontaneous.
Zizan’s Bidin is more mature now and no longer talks before he thinks, except for one pivotal scene where he gets floored by Ananda for the mistake of assuming “big brother” is Cherry’s boyfriend. Gone are his clumsiness and gung-ho ways, and he has even learnt to string together decent sentences in Thai instead of the usual “sawadi kap”.
Eddie is his usual cool self, always ready to flex his muscles to protect his little buddy Bidin. As for Aidid, he is a gentle giant – his big tummy always rumbles, yet he never gives up shielding Bidin and Eddie from harm’s way.
He also has an uncanny habit of finding Miss Right by analysing the faces of strangers, and despite being a giant teddy bear, he shows Ananda that his command of Muay Thai is quite impressive. Aidid, Eddie and Bidin are at their best when they disguise themselves as caterers to ambush the bad guys led by Khunna. Their slick gunfights are convincingly good, reminiscent of Antonio Banderas in El Mariachi.
Amerul’s Albuquerque is lean and mean as ever, but a lot more human, now that his wife has joined the cast.
Behind the ruthless killer is a man who genuinely fears for her safety, and we also learn about a family tragedy that has turned him into a monster. Mafia boss Khunna is deaf and dumb, yet Polis Evo’s Ayie makes him crazily charismatic. With mere hand gestures, he gets his dirty work done, even if his henchmen are as two-dimensional as Dr Evil’s robots in the Austin Powers films.
As for the Thais, Cherry remains eye candy in the hands of Julallangtip, while Cranium is suave and packs a punch as Ananda.
Korravee is a complete vixen, making the new Saiya, the ultimate Siamese seductress. She suits Saiya perfectly, but the transformation of the once-wholesome girl played by Pornwipa Watcharakaroon in the first film is too drastic and unrealistic.
Like its predecessor, Bikers Kental 2 is all about friendship, amongst Malaysians, and, between Malaysians and their Asean neighbour Thailand.
Despite its drastic redrawing of Saiya and “wasting” of macho villain Pornthaliwat, it is non-stop comedy and excitement from the word “go”. One need not be a motorcycle enthusiast to enjoy this film. All that is required is to sit back, listen to the jokes, admire the food and scenery, and laugh out loud.
The official trailer of Bikers Kental 2