The director and stars of Sangkar speak about the challenges faced in filming the story of two MMA exponents
THE moment has finally arrived. Malaysia’s first mixed-martial arts (MMA) action film is ready for screening and will hit the cinemas next Thursday.
Sangkar, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Kabir Bhatia (Cinta, Nur Kasih and Juvana), stars two of the country’s top action heroes, Zul Ariffin and Remy Ishak. It also marks popular TV actress Mira Filzah’s first leading role on the big screen and her second film after Rise: Ini Kalilah last year.
Kabir said filming commenced in the Klang Valley and Kuala Lumpur on May 7, last year and wrapped up on June 11. The 100-minute film, produced by Infinitus Productions and Primeworks Studios, marks the first time Zul and Remy are working together. Remy and Mira, who are marking their second on-screen partnership after Rise, are a popular duo in TV dramas, for instance, Pujaan Hati Kanda and Lelaki Kiriman Tuhan.
Kabir described Sangkar as a “hard action” story of two ruthlessly competitive MMA fighters from impoverished families.
Initially, Adam (Zul) and Johan (Remy) hate each other but gradually become friends after tragedy befalls the latter. To make the fight scenes realistic, Kabir roped in real-life MMA exponent Saiful Reza, who had previously worked with Zul in J Revolusi. Saiful choreographed all the fight scenes with some of his MMA fighter friends.
British MMA star James McSweeney makes a cameo appearance and adds more alpha-masculinity to the mix. Besides Zul, Remy and Mira, Sangkar (which is scripted by Mira Mustaffa) also stars Niezam Zaidi, Adam Mika, Ray of Era FM, Arman Graseka and MMA fighter Terry Gallyot.
Below is a recent interview with Kabir, Zul, Remy and Mira.
KABIR BHATIA, ARE YOU A FAN OF MMA?
Kabir: I am not a fan of MMA. I saw my first live fight while preparing for this film. Almost halfway through the match, I knew how they played the game but I was not familiar with the MMA scene in KL. My first impression was that MMA fans just love the game and cheer the fighters all the way, as football fans do in stadiums.
I was lucky to get a crash course in MMA from the fighters when I met them after the match. And their crash course is just what I am going to show viewers in this film. It is important for me to capture their fighting spirit as accurately as possible, we owe it all to the fighters and their fans. As for my favourite sports, I like boxing, cricket and football.
WHO WAS THE FIRST MMA FIGHTER YOU MET?
Kabir: I’ve met a lot of professional fighters while working on the film but Saiful, my action director, choreographer and producer, was the first fighter I interacted with and I suppose that was a great way to start. He was with me all along, correcting my misconceptions and pointing me in the right direction. My job was to get him to understand the film process from an action point of view.
I suppose the big star I met was James McSweeney and what a great guy he was to work with. They are just gentle giants outside the cage.
WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THIS SPORT?
Kabir: The complete discipline of embracing various art forms — there is boxing, kickboxing and wrestling. It is a bit like cricket as opposed to baseball. You can be good at one of the three art forms and you need to use your head besides your skills and brute force. I’ve seen fighters put down bigger opponents within seconds, by sticking to their strengths.
I also like the attitude of the MMA fighters. I find it easy to converse with them.
WHAT WERE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES MAKING THIS MOVIE?
Kabir: Making sure no one got hurt. Sometimes I held back and did not push the actors or stuntmen. I don’t think any filmmaking is worth it if it injures the crew. I’ve heard it’s different in Hong Kong. But it’s the duty of the film industry to secure the safety of the talent involved.
Nevertheless, many of the actors, stuntmen and even MMA fighters went the extra mile. That’s what they do. Even Zul and Remy took a few hard ones but no one complained. They all trained well and while working with the MMA fighters a few hits were deemed “normal”. Actors get inspired and take up the challenge of playing the game. I also had the challenge of keeping the game as realistic as possible and the scenes engaging.
We looked at a lot of MMA fights and incorporated a few of the best moments we saw on the screen. We are lucky that we didn’t have any major accidents in the cage but there was one outside in a fight scene. One of the actors dislocated his knee ball yet he still carried on. It was heart-breaking to see that happen and at the same time, I felt a great deal of respect for the actor who was determined to finish the scene. I’m happy to say he is 100 per cent fit now. There are some exciting scenes outside the cage which are very relevant to the plot.
HOW DID YOU FEEL WORKING WITH ZUL FOR THE FIRST TIME?
Kabir: I had briefly worked with Zul for a day, way back when he was still a struggling new actor. I didn’t know him well then. But this time I got to interact with him and I’ve realised that he is a quiet guy who is intelligent and knowledgeable. I’ve greatly enjoyed our conversations on the set. He always gave me feedback since he is a staunch fan of MMA.
I’ve incorporated lots of his ideas into this film and to see him work on a daily basis has been a lot of fun. It is such a joy when you are well prepared for your role and take it to the next level. He truly sizzles on screen.
DID YOU LEARN ANYTHING NEW ABOUT MARTIAL ARTS?
Kabir: Yes, of course, but more than anything I learnt a little bit about the fighters themselves and I suppose their kindness towards others, especially their fans, has greatly impressed me. They look very ruthless and intimidating yet they are some of the nicest guys around. They are able to rough up their opponents physically in a matter of seconds yet they are kind and gentle towards newcomers learning about the sport, like me.
DO YOU HAVE PLANS TO MAKE MORE FILMS ABOUT EXTREME SPORTS OR MARTIAL ARTS?
Kabir: No, I don’t. As much as I get inspired by stories about extreme sports, I am more of a stickler for love, action, historical and horror stories. I devour all sorts of films and I want to do every genre as long as I understand and know that I can do justice to the genre. I want to do a film about sports later, not extreme sports, and I would do it in a heartbeat.
HOW IS IT LIKE WORKING WITH JAMES AND TERRY AND THE BIG MMA STARS OF THE WORLD?
Kabir: Terry is a lovely guy and because he has been around the world he understands the MMA process. He had a nice fight scene and gave a lot despite facing some discomfort. He never backed down.
As for James, I love the fact that he gently asked us whether he could bring in his own moves to enhance the scenes and that was great. He was very careful and patient with the actors he worked with. The man entered the cage at 8am and stepped out at 10pm. What a guy! Amazing stamina. I believe Zul and some of the actors went to Thailand to train with him after we wrapped up. Such was the hangover. They couldn’t let go.
DID ANYTHING ON THE SET CHALLENGE YOUR PERCEPTIONS OF THE SPORT?
Kabir: I don’t think it challenged my perception. It just educated me on the mindset we must have when our faces get pummelled or our bones get broken. It’s like hanging out with soldiers and warriors. The fearlessness, if anything, can now be brought into my filmmaking and life in general.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEXT PROJECT.
Kabir: I might be involved in a horror film. If my dates don’t clash, that is. And a lot of it depends on how well Sangkar does at the box office.
ZUL ARIFFIN and REMY ISHAK
REMY, IS THIS YOUR INTRODUCTION TO THE MMA?
Remy: Yes, and it’s interesting. I only know silat. I wasn’t into sports in school, just silat.
WHO WAS THE FIRST MMA FIGHTER YOU MET?
Remy: Fahim and Saiful, my trainers on the set.
ZUL, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THIS SPORT?
Zul: I’ve been watching MMA matches the last six years when the sport first became popular. I’ve been learning it for the last two or three years. It keeps me on the edge of my seat. I’m a staunch but not fanatical fan.
WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THIS SPORT?
Zul: I was always active in sports during my schooldays, particularly athletics and football. I enjoy the challenge of pushing my limits, both physically and mentally. MMA is the ideal challenge, because I have to be alert against my opponent’s moves every second, and do my best to outwit and floor him. It teaches you discipline and humility.
Remy: I love learning new things, especially when it is martial arts. I had to learn some MMA for this film, and along the way I enjoyed it, though I can’t say I’m a fan like Zul.
WHAT WERE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES YOU FACED MAKING THIS MOVIE?
Remy: Taking all those blows. It’s my most bruising film to date, getting beaten black and blue many times. I also needed to boost my stamina by jogging and going to the gym daily. I hurt my left toe, fortunately it healed quite fast.
Zul: The biggest challenge was not in the cage. Neither was it getting beaten and bruised, I had the usual cuts and bruises which healed fast.
It was the scenes in which my character breaks down. I’m quite a stoic person, so it’s not easy for me to break down.
WHAT IS IT LIKE WORKING WITH KABIR?
Remy: Kabir is one of my best friends and I’m always grateful to him for showing me the ropes as a movie actor. He is a generous, kind and understanding director who does a lot of research before every project and readily shares it with me.
Zul: When I was filming J Revolusi three years ago, Saiful who also choreographed the fight scenes, suggested that we do a MMA-themed film and Kabir instantly came to my mind as the ideal director. When I met Kabir and told him this, he was delighted and immediately said “yes” to directing it.
He liked my suggestion that we do a story about a MMA fighter who suffers defeat and loses his confidence but redeems himself by helping an opponent who is facing even bigger problems in life. That was also his idea of a good script, so we got down to work.
Kabir is a genius, because he quickly captures every scene we envision with great detail. He knows what he wants for every scene, and he is always open to feedback from Remy and myself. It is a godsend to work with Kabir. He is one of the most knowledgeable directors in town.
DID YOU LEARN ANYTHING NEW ABOUT EXTREME SPORTS?
Remy: Johan introduced MMA to me. At first I thought it was something like Thai boxing, but it is really a combination of boxing and self-defence.
Zul: MMA is enjoyable but tough and tiring. My trainers and I had two to three sessions a week for a month, and they stretched each session to more than half a day. After every session, I was so tired I just fell asleep upon reaching home. MMA is very fast and power-packed. Every training session was bruising but not to the extent of getting injured. I’m fortunate that I learnt fast because of my athletic nature.
ZUL, TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE “FIGHTING” WITH REMY.
Zul: We didn’t fight much but we had to appear to hate each other, and look very intense. Remy and I punched and kicked each other in those few scenes and got black and blue in the process. We also threw each other around in the fighting cage and I think we were “even” here. At the end of the day, we were both full of bruises but felt great and laughed a lot.
ANY PLANS TO ENTER MMA MATCHES SOMEDAY?
Remy: No, I can only watch these matches as a spectator. I don’t think I am interested enough to follow Zul’s footsteps into the cage.
Zul: I’m already participating in MMA matches, but I am not into competitions or winning medals for now, since acting is my No. 1 love.
HOW WAS IT LIKE WORKING WITH JAMES AND TERRY AND THE BIG MMA STARS OF THE WORLD?
Remy: They are gentle giants. They are very humble. It was an honour to get to know them and chat with them, even for a brief while.
Zul: Painful, but great. Fighters may be mean and ruthless but deep down, they are as soft and vulnerable like everyone else. And true fighters respect their opponents.
DID THE FIGHTERS YOU HAD TO FIGHT LOOK LIKE GIANTS YOU COULD NOT DEFEAT?
Remy: The punches and kicks were “brutal”. That intimidated me in the beginning. James looked like a Viking warrior who seemed undefeatable. But speaking to him, he revealed himself to be a gentleman, polite, courteous and with a good sense of humour.
Zul: James, of course. Just look at how menacing he is! He has a fierce look and he is a lot bigger than me. When I first met him, he looked like a Marvel superhero, or supervillain to me and I was humbled. He bashed me in our brief match but when it was over, he apologised and we had a wonderful conversation after that.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR FUTURE PROJECTS.
Remy: I’d love to star in more action films, but not MMA ones. I’d prefer those involving police, armed forces or even navy seals.
Zul: Yes, I have a few more. My Special Forces hero Jay will be back in J Retribusi early next year. If there’s one action film I’d love to explore, I’d say it’s about a triathlete. It’s the ultimate sporting challenge.
MIRA FILZAH
MIRA, WHO DO YOU PLAY IN SANGKAR?
Mira: I am Lea, sister to Johan. She is a nurse and the family is poor with Johan as the sole breadwinner. She looks after her younger brother who has a heart condition. She is the only woman in the film.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER?
Mira: Lea is honest and forthright. She is very compassionate and cares for Johan, after he becomes seriously injured in an accident and is bedridden. She and Adam are attracted to each other, and she is determined to make Adam realise that life is not all about fighting and winning but being kind to others.
WHAT WERE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES?
Mira: Only one, I had to slap Zul in one scene and I was reluctant since I respect him as my senior in the entertainment industry, and furthermore he is always nice to me. Kabir, Remy and Zul “commanded” me to do it, and when they shouted “do it” I slapped Zul hard. He did not say “ouch” as I expected, in fact he said “well done”. Kabir, Remy and Zul made me repeat this feat six times! And at the end of the day, I felt more “hurt” than Zul for hitting him. I felt like such a “bad girl”.
HOW IS IT LIKE WORKING WITH KABIR?
Mira: Kabir is a friendly and great director who knows what he wants and gives clear and precise instructions. Sangkar is different, very dark, very gritty, that is why I chose to star in it.
HOW DO YOU LIKE WORKING WITH ZUL AND REMY?
Mira: They are very nice men with good humour. They were a bit shy when I first got to know them, but I slowly “broke the ice”.
ARE YOU GAME FOR MORE ACTION FILMS?
Mira: The schedule was hectic, I filmed 14 hours and rested for two hours. I don’t think I’m ready for action roles yet. But this is a good introduction for me to the film scene after Rise: Ini Kalilah.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR UPCOMING PROJECTS.
Mira: My next film will be out next year, but that’s still a secret for now. On TV, I’ll continue to star in dramas, with or without Remy (laughs). And I am still hosting Nona, something I like a lot. It’s my third year in this women’s talk show.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR IDEAL FILM CHARACTER.
Mira: I’d love to play a long-suffering woman who lives through wars and hardship, and triumphs, a bit like Nur in Nur Kasih, whom I greatly admire. My favourite films are those which talk about family values and friendship.