KUALA LUMPUR, April 25 — Malaysian dark comedy film Spilt Gravy on Rice will finally be screened in cinemas this June 9 more than a decade after it was first made.
The film is based on acclaimed homegrown playwright Jit Murad’s play of the same name.
The story revolves around an aging patriarch (played by screen veteran Datuk Rahim Razali) gathering his five estranged children to have dinner with him and resolve family conflict after he realises he doesn’t have much longer to live.
Director and actor Datuk Zahim Albakri began filming in June 2011 with a screenplay written by Murad, Zahim and FiveArts producer June Tan.
Alongside Rahim, the cast also features local stage and screen actors and comedians such as Harith Iskander, Sean Ghazi, Juliana Ibrahim, and Bernice Chauly.
The film was set to be released in 2013 but it was not approved by the Film Censorship Board (LPF) for screening due to the film addressing a slew of taboo topics.
Over the next seven years, Zahim and the team submitted various re-edits of the film to pass censorship but did not make progress until the latest version of the film was given a PG-13 rating in March 2020.
Due to the lockdowns with the start of the movement control order, the film's release was delayed even further.
Director Zahim told Malay Mail he was relieved to finally get the film released in cinemas in June after a decade of ‘remastering’ the film.
“I had it re-colour graded, the sound re-mixed and I even had the credit titles changed – because the film takes place over the course of one day I had the place and date, ‘Kuala Lumpur, 8 June 2011’ added to the beginning of the film,” Zahim said.
“We actually started the film shoot on June 7, 2011 so our premiere is the 11th anniversary of the start of the filming.” Zahim added.
“It will be a bittersweet celebration without Jit there though.”
Jit passed away from a heart attack on February 12. He was 62.
Zahim hopes that audiences will find the film entertaining and will be able to relate the story to their own lives.
He also hopes that the film will serve as a testament to Jit’s genius, hoping more Malaysians will see his stories.
Spilt Gravy on Rice hits local cinemas on June 9. More information is yet to be released.
