"If you resign and leave the country with your family, we will organise financial support for you," says Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to Anwar Ibrahim in a moving scene of the movie The Untold Story.
The film, set in 1993 and 1998, depicts Anwar's time as Malaysia's deputy prime minister and finance minister and his opposition to corruption and imprisonment.
Many moving scenes of Mahathir's inner circle (depicting Tun Daim Zainnuddin, Samy Vellu and others) discuss in the PM's office, calling on Mahathir to ask him to remove Anwar.
Scenes of Anwar being beaten, tortured, and served stale, rotten food, as described in a recent bestseller Anwar: Prison to Palace – PM for All, came alive. As described in the book, Anwar was also ridiculed, humiliated, and made to sleep on a cold, dirty concrete floor, which was visibly depicted in the movie.
The movie True to the Life of Anwar's Rise and Fall is portrayed dramatically, vividly and intensely by lead actor Farid Kamil Zahari, who portrays Prime Minister Anwar in the biopic film "Anwar: The Untold Story". Biopic means dramatising the life of a particular person, typically a leader.
A rather emotional scene was when Anwar was arrested on September 20 1998. His family followed him in the police van. Anwar and the family burst into tears as he was asked to change police vans to separate him from the family.
In one scene, Dr Mahathir requests Anwar to get funds from Petronas to bail out his son's ailing shipping company. "Tun," Anwar says politely. "There are many other companies that need to be bailed out. If we bail this company, we will be forced to bail out others," Anwar shouts back at Mahathir.
The movie is an inspiring and remarkable story of triumph against all odds and of the falling victim for fighting corruption, political backstabbing, conspiracies against him, as Dr Mahathir's cronies' plot to remove Anwar.
Scenes of Reformasi (Reformation) and being ill-treated, mentally and physically tortured, of being arrested were depicted clearly.
Most of all Anwar's fight against corruption, telling off his brothers in a family squabble not to tender for any government jobs after he is appointed a Finance Minister, was indeed moving as his brothers scold him, "What's wrong with you?"
In a retrospection scene of Anwar's younger days (about ten years old), stealing fruits from a Chinese neighbour was a bitter lesson of human values lesson for Anwar. "I got it from the Chinese neighbour's tree." His mother gives him a severe tongue lashing, "We must not steal from anyone whether they are Chinese, Indian or Malay. Go back and return it to the Chinese uncle," an obedient, frightened and sheepishly Anwar walks over in the middle of the night and returns the fruits to the Chinese neighbour.
Unfortunately, the details of his inhumane treatment while in prison are still shocking and disturbing.
Prime Minister Anwar was clearly touched after watching, a biopic showcasing his arduous political journey. He said the issues depicted in the film were based on actual incidents.
"I find it hard to comment as there are episodes I've tried hard to forget because of the hurt and sadness. Azizah has gone through a lot, as have my children and friends," he shared during a media conference after watching the film's premiere at Dadi Cinema, Pavillion, on Monday.
More than 250 guests comprising political figures, creative industry players, and famous local personalities, including Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza Taruddin, were also at the ceremony.
Anwar, The Untold Story is directed by Indonesian Viva Westi. The film's executive producer Zulkiflee Anwar Haque, better known as Zunar. Indonesian Acha Septriasa plays the role of Dr Wan Azizah.
The film will be released in all major cinemas beginning on May 18.
Movie trailer -- The Untold Story (1 minute). Credit: YouTube
Freelance Writer M. Krishnamoorthy (www.imkrishna.net) is a media coach, associate professor and undercover journalist. M. Krishnamoorthy is a media coach, associate professor, and journalist who worked and freelanced with Bernama, NST, The Star, and Malaysiakini. He also freelances as a fixer/coordinator for CNN, BBC, German and Australian Television networks and the New York Times. As an undercover journalist, he has highlighted society's concerns going undercover as a beggar, security guard, blind man, disabled salesman and Member of Parliament.
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