KUALA LUMPUR: The biopic about Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim titled Anwar, The Untold Story will premiere in cinemas nationwide in the first or second week of May.
Its executive producer Zulkiflee Anwar Haque or Zunar said that the film charted the period from Anwar's appointment as Finance Minister in 1991 until his firing from the cabinet in 1998, as well as his Reformasi campaign which culminated in his jailing that year.
"The story is Anwar's version, rarely heard by Malaysians, for example his complete investigation report when he was jailed," said Zunar at the launch of the film at W Hotel yesterday.
The film is directed by Viva Westi of Indonesia and stars Farid Kamil as Anwar, Tanda Putera actor Hasnul Rahmat as former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Indonesian actress Acha Septriasa as Anwar's wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
"When Anwar launched Reformasi in 1998, I decided to make a movie about his struggle to reform the government and combat corruption. I have been chronicling his struggle since then, but I only got acquainted with Viva in 2021," said Zunar.
Viva said that she decided to make a film about Anwar as he was a well-known leader in Malaysia who was also admired by Indonesians.
"I decided to get in touch with Zunar and make this movie with him after reading an interview with him in a leading Indonesian magazine Tempo," she said.
Zunar said: "Whether Anwar became Prime Minister or not was something that did not arise when we were making the movie. We believed in making a historical movie about a Malaysian leader who fought abuse of power and whose story had to be told.
"However, we were lucky because as soon as it was completed, the political scenario changed and it was great news for us that we can finally screen it in cinemas."
Anwar, The Untold Story is produced by Bianglala Entertainment and distributed by Rakyat Media.