Monday, April 05, 2010

"... Dalam Botol"


THE movie is only 70% complete, yet "... Dalam Botol", producer Raja Azmi Raja Sulaiman's latest film, is already courting controversy with its daring plot line which touches on homosexuality and transsexualism. TheSun managed to get exclusive access to scenes from the movie which is slated for a July opening, barring any intervention from the censors.
Director, Khir Rahman, on the set of the film

The RM700,000 budget "... Dalam Botol" is actor Khir Rahman's directorial debut, and stars Arja Lee, Wan Raja and Diana Danielle. Arja and Ghaus play gay lovers Rubidin and Ghaus, respectively, whose relationship is tested when the former decides to undergo a sex-change operation. But Ghaus is unable to accept "Ruby" and walks out of the relationship. Sometime later, Ruby decides that a woman's life is not for him, and decides to stop taking the female hormone injections. Now back to the masculine Rubidin - minus a few parts - he falls in love with Dina (Diana Danielle) and they decide to marry. But can she ever accept his past? Can Rubidin make her happy? Though ... Dalam Botol's plotline may seem far fetched, producer Raja Azmi swears it is based on a friend's experience. "I am not making a judgmental movie. I am just telling a story based on one of my friend’ true experience. In his case, he regrets going for a sex change operation. "I have no right to judge anyone. I am no angel. I have my sins too," she told theSun in an exclusive interview.
Rubidin cannot believe his decision to undergo a sex-change operation would have dire consequences
Raja Azmi bristles when asked if "... Dalam Botol" is an anti-gay movie. "It is just a simple love story between a man and a man, and a woman and a man," she said. Considering the subject matter, is she worried about the Censorship Board's reception to the film? After all, she had already changed the title of the film slightly from "Anu Dalam Botol" on the advice of the board. Surprisingly, Raja Azmi believes she will not face any problems in this department, despite butting heads with the board over the many cuts to "Black Widow Wajah Ayu", her first film back in 1994. Though there was an earlier ruling banning movies showing men wearing women's clothes, Raja Azmi says the Censorship Board has recently come up with more relax rules and regulations. "They are more matured and brave now. They understand the filmmakers predicament." That said, does the 51-year-old go looking for controversy? After all, her books-turned-movies such as "Cinta 200 Ela" and "Black Widow Wajah Ayu" have touched on sexual matters. But she claims she does not look for controversy. "Controversy comes looking for me. I cannot understand why can’t we discuss these topics in our films. We can discuss about God and devils. But we cannot discuss gays and transsexualism. "We should not sweep issues under the carpet any more. We must learn to face them. We must to learn to discuss them rationally."
Producer Raja Azmi says, ... Dalam Botol is " a simple love story between a man with a man and a woman with a man"

>> Raja Azmi's other credits:
1) Black Widow Wajah Ayu (1994)
2) Cinta 200 Ela ( 2002)
3) Haru Biru ( 2007)


Rubidin(left, played by Arja Lee) and Ghaus(Wan Raja) are gay lovers in "... Dalam Botol"

Ghaus and Rubidin share and intimate moment during a camping trip

The gay couple face problems in their relationship after the latter under goes a sex-change operation

Rubidin tries to convince Ghaus not to leave him, but to no avail

Rubidin's decision to opt for sex-change operation infuriates his father, played by Jalil Hamid

Diana Danielle plays Dina, who steals Rubidin's heart

Rubidin and Dina falls in love. Will this love story have a happy ending?

From left, Diana Danielle as Dina, Fauziah Ahmad Daud who plays Dina's mother and Normah Damanhuri who plays Rubidin's mother in the movie.

8 comments:

  1. hello fellow malaysian.. It is time to move on!!! it is only a movie. If a chinese director MR ANG LEE can do it in BROKE BACK MOUNTAIN why cannot here Malaysia.. If Malaysia wants to be a modern country so the country has to accept the new modern lives like other modern countries like in europe. If not dont declare malaysia a modern country. It is a choice of the people who want to watch the movie!!! if u dont like it. so dont go watch the movie!!!
    And everybody knows that there are lot of gays and lesbian in Malaysia.. no one can deny it.
    If the people want to ban the movie.. ban the internet and european films coming to Malaysia.
    We not living in the communist anymore.. People are educated now.. we can make our own decision if the film bad or not. So wake up!!!!
    Enough with all these controls of people mind..
    Thank you and regards..

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  2. no ah anonymous,i am ok with the movie..i am not opposing...

    ReplyDelete
  3. this film is so annoying...
    modern country is not based on film but the way how they think, their moral...
    this film give more disadvantages than advantages..
    Remember every step or job that we have done will be count..
    please consider..this not the right way to give a lesson..

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  4. anonymous,

    Have you watched the movie? what's the disadvantages of this film? did you know that the main hero(?)ine, Rubi has to leave his wife to be ( Diana Danielle) on the wedding because he has cut of his manhood? Oh, please, there is nothing glorifying about homosexuality in this film. Just because your a homophobic, that is not an excuse for you to give annoying, unintellectual comment.

    ok, let's watch teletubbies.it's higly entertaining.

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  5. how stupid of you anon, by have that kind of life style doesn't mean that we are modern. further more Malaysia is a Malay country and all the non Malay should and must respect Malay custom

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  6. kaki botol, anu masih adaApril 4, 2011 at 10:27 AM

    film director sucess is based on the connection between his audiance and his film... so this box -office show the story does touch people's feelings. be it like,angry, sympthy or ampthy, love it or hate it never exist.. it has delivered the story well.
    Malaysia must not be streotype by certain parties. we must be able to judge for ourselves in stead of leting others to decide what can we have, think or even what to see...!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. "kaki botol, anu masih ada"

    respect your idea...!

    ReplyDelete

thanks.