KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 — Viu’s Bidaah debuted last year to critical praise for its unflinching portrayal of a predatory cult leader, igniting heated regional debates on faith, power, and manipulation.

Despite generating some debate and controversy, the series quickly became one of South-east Asia’s most-watched dramas — particularly in Malaysia and Indonesia, where it surpassed 2.5 billion views.

Bidaah follows Baiduri (Riena Diana), a young woman who infiltrates a cult-like religious sect in a desperate attempt to save her mother.

What begins as an act of devotion soon turns into a dangerous awakening, as Baiduri uncovers the lies, coercion, and psychological control wielded by the sect’s charismatic yet sinister leader, Walid (Faizal Hussein).

The series also features strong supporting performances from Fattah Amin as Hambali, Marissa Yasmin as Ummi Hafizah, Vanidah Imran as Ummi Rabiatul, and Hasnul Rahmat as Abi Saifullah.

Now, anticipation is building for the sequel, retitled Walid, which will be a collaboration between Viu Malaysia and Viu Indonesia.

The sequel will pick up immediately after the events of the first season, following Walid as he escapes capture, retreats into the mountains, and begins rebuilding his influence while plotting a return to power.

The new season will introduce Habiburrahman (Aqasha), a charismatic preacher with dangerous ambitions of his own.

What begins as a strategic alliance soon develops into a tense, silent power struggle, as both men vie for control over faith, loyalty, and authority.

Marissa and Vanidah will reprise their roles, while Riena, Fattah and Hasnul are expected to return in smaller roles.

They are joined by new cast members including Datuk A. Tamimi Siregar as Ustaz Fateh and Indonesian star Olla Ramlan as Raras Kartika.

Faizal shared that filming season two presented a few challenges, with most difficulties stemming from location shoots in hilly areas and near waterfalls.

“Getting there was tough, but once filming started, everything was really enjoyable,” he said, adding that the scenery — especially the waterfall location — had a Cameron Highlands-like vibe.

“Overall filming for season two was really great, like season one,” he added.

Vanidah noted that her character, Ummi Rabiatul, will be less aggressive this time around, and with the introduction of new characters such as Raras, she hinted at elements of jealousy and shifting dynamics.

“It’s a different ball game compared to season one,” she said.

Why was the series retitled Walid?

Imillya Irwani Roslan, director of production at Viu Malaysia, explained that when Bidaah reached Indonesia, audiences tended to refer to the show as Walid, after its lead character, rather than by its original title.

“The word bidaah is specific to Malaysia and isn’t commonly used in Indonesia,” said Imillya.

“Even in Malaysia, when the series went viral, many people referred to it as Walid rather than Bidaah,” she added,

Because this is a collaboration with Viu Indonesia, it made sense to rename the series Walid instead of Bidaah Season 2 or Bidaah 2.

The title change does not indicate a shift in focus solely to Walid, and the story is a continuation of Bidaah.

“The new title is simply meant to make the series more relatable for Indonesian audiences,” she concluded.

Walid is set to premiere on Viu on February 26, with new episodes every Thursday and Friday. The original series is still available on Viu.