Bakti (English: Faithfullness) is 1950 Singaporean Malay-language black-and-white drama film directed and written by L. Krishnan and produced by Run Run Shaw. It was adapted by S. Ramanathan from Les Misérables. Music and songs were composed by Osman Ahmad. It starred P. Ramlee in his first leading role, Kasma Booty, S. Roomai Noor, and Siput Sarawak. The film launched Ramlee's career and imposed him as a leading figure in the Malay film industry for the following 20 years.
| Bakti | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | L. Krishnan |
| Screenplay by | L. Krishnan |
| Story by | S. Ramanathan |
| Based on | Les Misérables |
| Produced by | Run Run Shaw |
| Starring | P. Ramlee Kasma Booty S. Roomai Noor Siput Sarawak |
| Music by | Osman Ahmad |
Production companies | |
Release date |
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| Country | Malaysia |
| Language | Malay |
Plot
editA wealthy man, Ibrahim, adopts an impoverished orphan, Nasir. Ibrahim’s spoilt biological son Hassan objects, while the latter's daughter Sa’adiyah allies herself with the newcomer. After marrying a wife consumed by greed, Hassan turns to thieving to support their lifestyle. He is caught and imprisoned; upon his release, he steals from his adopted brother Nasir. However, Nasir saves him from the arm of the law by informing the police that the stolen items are actually gifts he planned to give Hassan. Hassan is thus released and comes to realise Nasir’s noble heart and kind intentions.
Cast
edit- P. Ramlee as Nasir
- Kasma Booty as Sa'adiyah
- S. Roomai Noor as Hassan
- Siput Sarawak as Edah
- Yusof Banjar as Orang Kaya Ibrahim
- Siti Zainab
Production
editBakti was directed and written by L. Krishnan in his directorial debut, and was produced by Run Run Shaw for Shaw Brothers Studio and Malay Film Productions.[1][2] It was adapted from Les Misérables with an original script by S. Ramanathan.[1] The film starred P. Ramlee, Kasma Booty, S. Roomai Noor, and Siput Sarawak in a leading role.[1][3] It featured Yusof Banjar and Siti Zainab in a supporting role.[3][4] The music and songs in the films, such as "Hidup Berdua", "Merpati Dua Sejoli", "Hidup Melarat", "Taman Puspawarna", "Sate", and "Sedang Bergaya" were composed and written by Osman Ahmad, who then released it into an album.[1]
Ramlee was cast by Krishnan in a leading role as Nasir after the latter saw the first's performance as a singing voice and bit parts in previous films.[1] In the films, he sung five songs along with Nona Asiah and Momo Latiff.[1] Kasma Booty was initially reluctant to act alongside Ramlee who was then an unknown.[1] However, after Krishnan convinced her, she agreed and appreciated how successful the film was because of Ramlee.[1]
Release and reception
editBakti was released on 1 April 1950 and remained at one of Shaw’s "Rex" cinemas[5] until 14 April.[1] The film later was screened in other cinemas in Malaysia, such as Lido in Penang, in May 1950, and the Atlantic in Johor Bahru between June and July in the same year.[1] It received a positive response, and was described as “skilfully directed and beautifully photographed”.[1] It was also praised for its clear storyline, to the point that some commentators indicated that even those who could not understand Malay did not have trouble following the plot.[1] The performance of the experienced and new comer child actors were also highly praised.[1]
After this film, P. Ramlee became a prominent figure in Malay film industry, while Shaw Brothers Studio hired more Indian directors with B. S. Rajhans being the most influential figure in the early development of Malay films.[6]
Legacy and status
editP. Ramlee gave his character's name to his son, Nasir P. Ramlee.[7]
With no known surviving copy, Bakti is now considered a lost film.[7]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Bakti launches the film careers of L. Krishnan and P. Ramlee". www.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
- ^ "NewspaperSG". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
- ^ a b "Filem Malaysia". www.filemkita.com. 2008-12-04. Archived from the original on 2008-12-04. Retrieved 2024-03-09 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Soelin, Emsjaf (1951-06-20). "ZAINAB, Bintang Harapan Panggung Sandiwara dari Ratu Asia". Aneka (in Indonesian). 2 (12).
- ^ "Shaw Theatres | About Shaw". shaw.sg. Retrieved 2024-04-07.
- ^ Fu 2008, p. 158.
- ^ a b Bakti - P.Ramlee (Filem P.Ramlee yg hilang / 4 April 1950) #6, 15 March 2023, retrieved 2024-03-09
Works cited
edit- Fu, Poshek (2008). China Forever: The Shaw Brothers and Diasporic Cinema. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 978-0-252-07500-1.