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Talentime

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Talentime
Directed byYasmin Ahmad
Written byYasmin Ahmad
Produced byAhmad Puad Onah
StarringMahesh Jugal Kishor
Pamela Chong
Ida Nerina
Adibah Noor
Jaclyn Victor
CinematographyKeong Low
Edited byRaja Affandy
Affandi Jamaludin
Music byPete Teo
Production
company
Grand Brilliance
Distributed byCathay-Keris Films
Grand Brilliance
Release dates
Hong Kong March 25, 2009
Malaysia March 26, 2009
Thailand September 25, 2009
South Korea October 10, 2009
Japan October 17, 2009
Singapore October 22, 2009
Running time
120 minutes
CountryTemplate:FilmMalaysia
LanguagesEnglish, Malay, Cantonese, Mandarin, Tamil, Hindi

Talentime is a 2009 drama film directed and written by the late Yasmin Ahmad. Yasmin, in her blog, has described it as a story full of joy and pain, hope and despair, a host of beautifully-written songs, and rich, rich characters. A Hindu open cremation and a scene reminiscent of the Kampung Medan incident are included in the film.[1]

The film was released on March 26, 2009 in Malaysia and marks Yasmin's last feature film prior to her death on July 25, 2009.[2]

Plot

"A music teacher, who is herself a great performer is organising an inter-school talentime. Through the days of auditions, rehearsals and preparations, running up to the big day of the contest, the characters get embroiled in a world of heightened emotions - ambition, jealousy, human comedy, romance, heartbreak - all of which culminate in a day of great music and performances. Yasmin also mentioned that the idea behind Talentime was that as humans, we have to go through a lot of pain and some measure of suffering before we can reach greater heights.[3]

A talent search competition has matched two hearts - that of Melur, a Malay-mixed girl and an Indian male student, Mahesh. Melur, with her melodious voice, singing whilst playing the piano is one of the seven finalists of the Talentime competition of her school organised by Cikgu Adibah. Likewise Hafiz, enthralling with his vocalist talent while playing the guitar, dividing his time between school and mother, who is hospitalised for brain tumor.

It all started after Mahesh, amongst the students assigned to get the finalists to school for practice, delivered the notice of successful audition to Melur's house. His handsome looks attracted the girl. Early on of their relationship, tragedy struck Mahesh's family when his uncle Ganesh who had been the care-taker of the family since the loss of Mahesh's father, was stabbed to death on his wedding day. Melur thinking that Mahesh's silence was due to his grief over the tragedy became furious when she was continuously ignored. She regretted it however after Hafiz revealed Mahesh's situation.

That changed Melur's perception of Mahesh. Likewise Mahesh, who grew comfortable with the presence of the girl who often quotes beautiful poetry. Mahesh, realizing that the relationship will be opposed, kept it hidden from his mother, still grieving over the death of Ganesh. Alas, the secret was exposed and Mahesh was assaulted before Melur's very eyes. Just a day before the competition, is Melur resilient enough to sing the poetic lyrics of her song when her heart is tormented by the thoughts of Mahesh? What about Mahesh who has found his first love? On Talentime night, everything unfolds.

Cast

  • Pamela Chong as Melur: A Eurasian girl in the Talentime finals who sings and plays the piano.
  • Mahesh Jugal Kishor as Mahesh: A hearing impaired Indian boy who becomes Melur's love interest.
  • Mohd Syafie Naswip as Hafiz: A Malay boy in the Talentime finals who sings and plays the guitar.
  • Howard Hon Kahoe as Kahoe: A Chinese boy in the Talentime finals who plays the erhu and resents Hafiz.
  • Elza Irdalynna as Mawar: Melur's younger sister.
  • Azean Irdawaty as Embun: Hafiz's mother who is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.
  • Harith Iskander as Harith: Melur's comical father.
  • Jit Murad as Ismael: A patient who befriends Embun at the hospital during her final days.
  • Mislina Mustaffa as Melur's mother.
  • Tan Mei Ling as Mei Ling: A Chinese Muslim convert who works as a maid for Melur's family.
  • Ida Nerina as Datin Kalsom: A friend of Melur's mother who distrusts Mei Ling.
  • Adibah Noor as Cikgu Adibah: The teacher in charge of organizing the Talentime.
  • Sukania Venugopal as Mahesh's mother.
  • Jaclyn Victor as Bhavani: Mahesh's elder sister who has a penchant for picking on him.

Sharifah Amani was supposed to be cast as Melur in the film. However, due to clash of schedules, she was replaced by Pamela Chong.[4] She did, however, play a role as the 3rd Assistant Director for the film. This would probably mark the first time that Sharifah Amani has played a behind-the-scene role in Yasmin Ahmad's films.

Music

Film score by Pete Teo. Songs include:

  • O Re Piya [Artist: Rahat Fateh Ali Khan]
  • I Go [Artist: Aizat. Written & Produced by Pete Teo]
  • Just One Boy [Artist: Aizat. Written & Produced by Pete Teo]
  • Angel [Artist: Atilia. Written & Produced by Pete Teo]
  • Kasih Tak Kembali [Artist: Atilia. Written by Ahmad Hashim. Produced by Pete Teo]

Original soundtrack album released by Universal Music includes Malay language versions of many of the principal songs in the film including 'Pergi' [I Go], Angel and Itulah Dirimu [Just One Boy]. The song "Ore Piya" was taken from the Bollywood movie, Aaja Nachle. Available online and in shops all over Malaysia.

Screening

As in all of Yasmin's previous works, Talentime opens with the Islamic verse Bismillahirahmanirrahim (In the name of God, the most Gracious and most Merciful). Like Muallaf, the verse is displayed in a script different from Arabic in Talentime, i.e. in Tamil - பிஸ்மில்லாஹிர்ரஹ்மானிர்ரஹீம்

Awards and nominations

22nd Malaysian Film Festival
  • Best Director - Yasmin Ahmad
  • Best Actor - Mahesh (nominated)
  • Best Supporting Actor - Syafie (nominated)
  • Best Screenplay - Yasmin Ahmad
  • Best Original Story - Yasmin Ahmad (nominated)
  • Best Cinematography - Soon Keong (nominated)
  • Best Editing - Affandi Jamaludin (nominated)
  • Best Original Music Score - Pete Teo (nominated)
  • Art Direction - Nick (nominated)
  • Best Promising Actress - Jaclyn Victor
  • Special Jury Prize for Implementing Humanitarian Elements In A Motion Picture

References

  1. ^ Yasmin Ahmad (March 26, 2008). "So now they've met". The Storyteller.
  2. ^ Anwar Farinordin (August 5, 2009). "COVER STORY: TALENT TIME". NST Online.
  3. ^ Yasmin Ahmad (October 15, 2007). ""Talentime". My new film in the making". The Storyteller.
  4. ^ Yasmin Ahmad (June 15, 2008). "Who will play the lead girl in "Talentime"?". The Storyteller.
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