Nepotism? But This Isn’t A Government Project – Malaysians Clash Over PGL The Musical’s Casting

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Malaysia’s legendary folk tale Puteri Gunung Ledang is making a musical comeback, and the cast is already out for the lead character from the story.

Actress Sharifah Aisha Retno Sayed Sipulijam, better known as Aisha Retno, was chosen for the role of Gusti Putri Raden Ajeng Retno Dumilah, the title’s lead character who coincidentally shares the same name as Aisha.

A second actress, Mila Mohsin, was also picked for the role of Gusti Putri.

Fun fact: Mila is the daughter of Puan Seri Tiara Jacquelina, the famous Malaysian actress who starred as Gusti Putri in the original Puteri Gunung Ledang The Musical (PGLM) from 2006 to 2009.

Why were two actresses cast for one lead role?

There are a number of reasons why the production team implemented a dual-casting structure for the restaging of PGLM.

They carefully chose both performers for their distinct qualities. Aisha Retno was selected for her emotionally rich vocals and powerful stage presence. Meanwhile, Mila brings a deep, lifelong personal connection to the lore of the musical thanks to her mother being the original Gusti Putri in PGLM’s 2006 production.

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In a dual-casting setup, only one actress plays Gusti Putri on stage at any given time. Instead of performing together in the same show, the two actors take turns playing the character across different dates of the musical’s run.

The production team creates a calendar that assigns specific show nights to specific actors. For example, Aisha might perform on Friday night, while Mila takes over for the Saturday matinee.

Tiara Jacquelina in Putri Gunung Ledang The Musical 2006. Image: Enfiniti | YouTube

Theater productions of this scale require extreme vocal and physical stamina. Sharing the principal role protects the performers’ health and guarantees top-tier performance quality for every staging.

Both actors learn identical choreography, lines, and musical numbers. The staging, costumes, and interactions with other characters (like Hang Tuah) remain exactly the same.

Even though the script is identical, each actor brings her own unique energy, vocal style, and emotional depth to the role, giving the audience a slightly different experience depending on which night they attend.

There was an audition for Gusti Putri’s role, and netizens called out the production for nepotism

The PGLM production team put out a call for online auditions from 19 to 27 April, to seek actors for the show.

After the auditions were closed, a few people questioned the PGLM management team’s decision to cast Mila as Gusti Putri next to Aisha, accusing them of nepotism.

However, PGLM did respond to the statement, stressing that there was no favoritism in the audition process.

“All participants were evaluated fairly by a professional jury based on various aspects.

“There is also a lot of hope and expectation placed on the many characters of PGL, which is why every decision is made with care and responsibility. We greatly value the efforts of each individual who came to the auditions,” PGL said in a response on Threads.

Puteri Gunung Ledang The Musical

Puteri Gunung Ledang The Musical is one of Malaysia’s most iconic theatre productions, adapted from the 2004 epic film Puteri Gunung Ledang starring Tiara Jacquelina. Inspired by the legendary Malay folklore surrounding the mystical princess of Gunung Ledang and the warrior Hang Tuah, the musical blends romance, history, mythology, and traditional Malay culture into a large-scale stage spectacle.

The production first premiered at Istana Budaya in 2006 under Enfiniti Productions. Directed by Zahim Albakri and co-written by Zahim, Adlin Aman Ramlie, and Saw Teong Hin, the musical featured music by Singaporean composer Dick Lee. It became a major success both critically and commercially, praised for its lavish costumes, powerful vocals, orchestral score, and ambitious staging.

Following its successful debut, the musical returned for multiple runs in 2006 and 2009, while also staging performances in Singapore. Over the years, it earned a reputation as one of Malaysia’s benchmark musical theatre productions and won several awards at the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards.

This year, the legendary production is making a highly anticipated comeback with a brand-new 2026 staging announced by Tiara Jacquelina. The upcoming revival will introduce a new generation of performers while honouring the original legacy of the show.

Among the newly announced cast members besides Aisha and Mila as dual-cast versions of Gusti Putri, are Aqasha as Hang Tuah.

Bayan, who is Gusti Putri’s loyal companion, also has two actresses; Malaysian singer Mimi Fly and Nadia Aqilah.

The production is expected to open in October 2026 and has already generated strong excitement among theatre fans and longtime followers of the franchise.

Follow the PGLM official instagram page to stay updated on the production.

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Nepotism? But This Isn’t A Government Project – Malaysians Clash Over PGL The Musical’s Casting