After more than a decade and a half, local Tamil filmmaker Viknes Perrabu is finally making his directorial debut in a Malay-language feature with ‘The Keris’. This will be an action film that celebrates the heritage of the keris, the ancient Malay martial art silat and the legendary warrior Hang Tuah.
For 38-year-old Viknes Perrabu, ‘The Keris’ is not simply an attempt to break into a new market, but it is also the culmination of his ambition to create a film that resonates with audiences from all walks of life while introducing Malaysia’s history and cultural heritage to a wider audience.
The filmmaker mentioned that his passion for history was a key inspiration in fueling this project.
“I’ve loved history since my school days. It was always one of my favourite subjects and that passion has been reflected in many of my previous Tamil films,” he said in an interview recently.
Although initially Viknes had planned a film centred on silambam, the traditional Tamil martial art, he shifted his focus to silat after evaluating market trends with his producer Dr N. Matheyalagan.
“Silat also carries a rich historical legacy. That’s when the idea of elevating Hang Tuah as the core of the story emerged,” he said.
Viknes, whose Tamil productions include Sathuriyan, Paramapatham, Agrinai and Veera Karrupu, admitted that developing a film surrounding Malay history and culture required meticulous research and careful attention to detail. The filmmaker hailing from Kedah also stressed that the decision to direct a Malay-language film was not about moving away from Tamil cinema but rather an effort to reach a wider range of audiences, demonstrating that local stories can be presented on a larger scale.
Viknes noted that the development of ‘The Keris’ took nearly two years, on account of historical research, script development, casting and pre-production. Filming took place in Kedah, Penang, Perlis, Perak and Thailand.
Beyond celebrating Malay heritage, Viknes said the film also carries a message of national unity by featuring a multiracial cast, alongside an international actor in a key role, making it a film intended for all Malaysians.
Moving forward, Matheyalagan added that discussions are underway with Netflix to bring The Keris to the international streaming platform, allowing the film to reach a global audience after its theatrical run.
The Keris is now showing at cinemas nationwide.
Source: The Star
