It is quite common to see popular local novels being adapted into films or dramas, but it is quite unusual for it to be the other way around. That is what happened to Osman Ali's latest romance film, "Langit Cinta" which will soon get its own novel adaptation. The well-known local director which is known for his tear-jerking works, particularly "Ombak Rindu", which became a phenomenon during its release in 2011, is proud to present another product of his which he hopes will surpass all other of his efforts. The film will be released nationwide on 7 January 2016, featuring a cast line-up of Keith Foo, Nur Fazura, Farid Kamil, Siti Saleha, Datuk Jalaluddin Hassan, Fauziah Ahmad Daud, Normah Damanhuri, Dian P Ramlee and others. At the recent gala premiere of the movie which took place at Cathay Cineplex eCurve, the director and the cast shared their stories behind the production of "Langit Cinta".
Can you give us a little bit of insight relating to "Langit Cinta"? Osman: This film is slightly different than all of my other films as it is told in a classical Malay storytelling style. Also, in "Langit Cinta", the antagonist this time is not just the people, but things like fate and destiny which can also serve as an obstacle of love. The cast featured in the film are a mixed of veteran and new cast. How do you control the emotions of each cast member considering that the subject of the film is quite heavy? Osman: To ensure that the message of my film is properly delivered to the audience, I made sure to take extra good care of the cast's emotions so that their momentum are the same. The film is full of melodramatic elements. If the emotional scene can make me cry, I'm sure that it will make the audience tear-up as well. Because if I can't feel the sorrow and sadness of the character, I'm sure that it won't reach the audience too. What are the challenges the cast had to overcome? Keith: It was quite challenging to work under the direction of Osman alongside the veteran local actors. Nevertheless, I learned a lot from the director as well as some senior cast like Kak Ogy. Personally, when I watched the film, I saw a lot of weakness in my acting which I think can be improved. Maybe it's because I worked too hard on the role to the point that I wasn't aware of how I was playing it out. But I am thankful to have a wonderful director like Osman who helped me shape and improve my acting. Fazura: I play the role of a country girl named Khadijah. I can say that this is probably my best interpretation of a film role so far. I gave it everything I got for the character because it was quite a big role and was slightly different than any other character that I have taken on before. Throughout the shooting of this film, it was like I was at war with myself because the emotions carried by Khadijah were just too heavy. Jalaluddin: It has always been my wish to act in a film directed by Osman Ali, so when I received the offer to act in "Langit Cinta", I immediately accepted it. Osman is a talented director who is able to explore and understand the role of each cast. The director also gave the actors the freedom to interpret and shape their characters but at the same time, he also helped create the right mood and emotion. Although I don't have a lot of scenes in this film, I am glad to be involved in this production. Kak Ogy: I was almost not cast in the film because my kid went to the hospital, but Osman was willing to wait for me. Osman is a brilliant director; he is probably the only one who uses metaphors to translate a story. I am grateful to be given the chance to work under such amazing director and also act alongside a line-up of committed cast.
What are the challenges you faced while shooting this film? Osman: The film was shot around Pulau Langkawi and weather was one of the major challenges that we faced. Due to the harsh weather, we had to delay the shooting a few times. That's why the film took more than 40 days to complete. Do you think that this film will be able to perform really well? Osman: Yes, I am confident that the film can go very far. I am grateful that the production company is willing to spend so much on the film and I also received strong support from the promotional and marketing team of Astro Shaw who had done a lot for the film including the music videos, roadshow tour, film trailers and more. "Langit Cinta" will hit cinemas nationwide on 7 January 2016.