ACADEMICIAN and film-maker Prof Datuk Dr A. Razak Mohaideen is a household name when it comes to Hari Raya Aidilfitri comedies, and this year, he is once again marrying horror with humour in Sumpahan Malam Raya.
Sumpahan Malam Raya, which opened in cinemas nationwide on April 22, is a first for Sabahan funnyman Kunal Doli or Atu Zero as well as KRU actor-director Datuk Yusry Abdul Halim.
For Atu, 30, he is playing the male protagonist for the first time, even though he did play one of three protagonists with his elder brothers Syaiful and Sharif Doli in Razak's Syif Malam Raya two years ago.
For Yusry, 50, he is taking up his first antagonist role, as a bumbling gangster in hot pursuit of Atu's character whom he blames for "cheating" him when a health food he purchases from the hero "distorts" his good looks.
WIFE ON BOARD
Sumpahan Malam Raya is produced by Veedu Production Sdn Bhd and MGE Production Sdn Bhd, with Denes Kumar and Dr Vimala Perumal as producers and Razak as director and screenwriter.
Besides Atu and Yusry, it also stars Reen Rahim, Nora Danish, Danial Zaini, Vanidah Imran, Yusry's wife Datin Lisa Surihani, Megat Terawis, Saiful Apek, Yassin Yahya and Rita Rudaini.
HAUNTED HOTEL
The 100-minute film tells the story of Syawal (Atu), his wife Tania (Reen), and hotel managers Adam (Danial) and his younger sister Misha (Nora), who manage a stylish, but haunted hotel in a rural setting.
Their guests, who are mainly city slickers, end up dead each time they check in. Syawal and Tania suspect that there is a "ghost in the building" and are soon proven right when the hungry and vicious female culprit appears before their eyes.
FLEEING FROM CRIMINAL
At a press preview of the film in GSC Nu Sentral, Brickfields, recently, Razak said: "Syawal and Tania fled from Kuala Lumpur to Pulau Carey in Kuala Langat, fearing for their lives. They were pursued by crime lord Malik and his younger brother Amir.
"Both criminals blamed Syawal and Tania for 'cheating' them by selling health products that did not work."
INHERITED PROPERTY
Razak added that Syawal and Tania escaped to a hotel, which was his inheritance, and it was managed by their old friends Adam and Misha, the latter being Syawal's former girlfriend, who still had feelings for him.
A.R. RAHMAN'S STUDIO
The film is Razak's 47th and was filmed in Pulau Carey and Kuala Lumpur in August 2022. Its sound effects were recorded in acclaimed Indian composer A.R. Rahman's studio in Chennai, India.
The production crew involved Razak's 15 fellow film lecturers and 20 students from Universiti Teknologi Mara in Shah Alam.
NOT A SEQUEL
Razak said that the RM2 million Sumpahan Malam Raya was not a sequel to Syif Malam Raya despite the near-similarities of their titles.
"My team and I got the script ready in six months, before shooting it in two months," he said, adding that the film would be shown in 82 cinemas.
SENARIO HEYDAYS
"It's got lots of gags and quotes that are call-backs to the comedies and comedians of the last two decades.
"Not many young viewers are familiar with Senario's early films. That's why I've decided to reintroduce elements from those films in Sumpahan Malam Raya. It will give young viewers a peek into what their parents enjoyed back then."
GIRL NEXT DOOR
Nora said that she was playing an over-the-top character for the first time, a far cry from the "sweet, girl next door" she often portrayed.
"It is good to play someone annoying for a change."
CHILD-LIKE HUSBAND
Atu said that Reen's Tania was the real hero of the story, even though Syawal was the central character.
"It is good to team up with Reen after Syif Malam Raya. She is a versatile actress and the real hero of the story. She is a street-smart wife, and he is a naive and child-like husband. Most of the time, she and Misha save him."