KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 — Astro Originals has set a new benchmark this year with an ambitious slate of series offering fresh perspectives and narrative depth — from the fight against cybercrime in One Cent Thief Season Two, to the bonds of friendship in The First Wives, high-stakes espionage in The Honey Trap, and the discipline and determination of a gymnast’s life in Generasi: Perfect 10.
Building on that momentum, Astro Originals is turning its attention to its next and final premium series of 2025, Bad Cop. Produced by Astro Shaw, the series is helmed by showrunner Kavivarmen Vigneswaran and directed by Jason Chong, continuing the brand’s focus on premium visual storytelling.
Bad Cop is adapted from the critically acclaimed 2017 German crime drama Bad Cop — Kriminell Gut, starring David Rott, which was later reworked into a Hindi version in 2024 featuring Gulshan Devaiah.
The project marks Astro Originals’ second international adaptation, following 2023’s Liar: Two Sides, One Truth, which was based on the British psychological thriller created by Harry and Jack Williams.
Aiman Hakim leads an ensemble cast
Viewers familiar with the German and Hindi versions will recognise the central premise: a protagonist leading a dual life as both police officer and criminal — a narrative the Malaysian adaptation retains.
The series follows Emir Khalid, played by Aiman Hakim — known for roles in television series such as 7 Suami (2014) and Haloba (2023). Emir is a criminal pursued by drug lord Tony Redza (Tony Eusoff). During a drug raid, he unexpectedly reunites with his estranged twin brother, Imar, triggering a tragic chain of events.
Emir is then forced to live a double life, torn between a fractured family and the pressure of serving under a strict Chief of Police — who is also his wife, Hana, played by Siti Saleha.
The cast also includes Harvinth Skin, Razib Salimin, Whulandary Herman, Melissa Campbell and Alvin Wong, with each episode featuring special appearances by popular stars.
“The strength of Bad Cop is the story, and I think the best part is that with every episode, the genre changes,” said Aiman.
“My hope is for the series to be a success.”
Why Bad Cop made sense for Astro Originals
Explaining the decision, Astro Shaw head Raja Jastina Raja Arshad said the project aligns closely with the vision behind Astro Originals.
Since its launch in 2020, the platform has aimed to elevate Malaysian drama while opening doors for young talents, including opportunities to take on showrunner roles.
“Bad Cop is basically following through on our objective,” she said.
“It is our second international adaptation after Liar, and through Bad Cop, what we are trying to do is introduce new concepts that Malaysian drama series have yet to explore.”
She added that the series features an overarching case unfolding across the season, alongside new cases introduced and resolved in each episode.
Grounded in Malaysian realities
Showrunner Kavivarmen said the Malaysian adaptation integrates local culture while leaning into darker tones and deeper emotional layers.
“When it comes to the Malaysian context, I think from the get-go, the main thing that we wanted to do was to integrate culture into it.
“I think we are in a very diverse country, and one big thing was having different cultures, and how each culture brings something unique to each episode,” he said.
Reflecting on the original German version, which he described as “such a fun watch” with strong comedic elements, Kavivarmen said the local adaptation aims to explore more layered character development.
“Each character has their own specialty.
“Each of them brings something so unique to the series,” he said, adding that viewers would likely find their own favourite characters.
“It’s a really fun ride; it has its own perks to it,” he concluded.
Building Malaysian stories with global potential
Malay Mail, which attended the gala premiere held yesterday at TGV Suria KLCC, observed clear Malaysian elements from the first episode, setting it apart from the German and Hindi versions and building anticipation for the remaining episodes.
Jastina added that the collaboration with international production house Fremantle gives the series potential for distribution beyond Malaysia.
“Bad Cop is our final Astro Originals series for 2025, and we hope to end the year on a high note and truly entertain everyone,” she said.
The first two episodes of Bad Cop will be released on December 192025, via OnDemand and Sooka. The series will air every Friday at midnight on OnDemand, at 9pm on Astro Citra (Channel 108), and every Saturday at 10.30pm on Astro Ria (Channel 104).
