#SHOWBIZ: A drug addict's struggle to save his wife and baby

AFTER completing 2021's 'Dukun Diva' and 'One Cent Thief', director Ariff Zulkarnain has embarked on a passion project set in his hometown of Kuala Terengganu.

Last year, he returned home to shoot 'Baga: Esok Untuk Siapa' ('Tomorrow Belongs To No One'), a film he wrote that examines two pressing issues in the state — the longstanding drug crisis and the decline of traditional livelihoods, such as bot penambang (river ferries).

Self-financed by Ariff and co-produced with 'One Cent Thief' actor Syafiq Kyle alongside 'Blood Brothers' filmmaker Syafiq Yusof, Baga means "paranoid" in the Terengganu Malay dialect.

GRITTY REALISM IN TERENGGANU

The film follows Jani (played by Amir Ahnaf of 'Kahar: Kapla High Council' fame), a drug addict and small-time pusher living in an urban slum in Kuala Terengganu.

He also works part-time for Awang (Wan Hanafi Su), an ageing boatman whose trade ferrying passengers across Sungai Terengganu is rapidly vanishing.

Awang sees Jani as his successor and hopes to pass on his craft. Alas, Jani plans to leave it all behind and move to the Klang Valley with his girlfriend, Melur (Amirah Razak).

However, Jani's world unravels when Melur, a sexually harassed batik factory worker, reveals she is pregnant with their child.

Terrified of local gossip and the threat of her ruthless father, Jani desperately tries to raise money for Melur to get an abortion in Kuala Lumpur.

His solution is to ask his supplier, Cech (Ilham Maulana), for a larger drug stash to sell. But after being pressured to smoke the product by his housemate and best pal Ajih (Cech Adrea), Jani loses the entire batch.

Worse still, he lands himself on the police radar and narrowly escapes with his life.

Determined to portray Jani's life as authentically as possible, Ariff not only cast actors from Terengganu, but also included scenes depicting explicit drug use.

Although the Film Censorship Board initially wanted the drug scenes removed — as has been standard practice for years — production house Indigo Pictures successfully appealed to keep some of them in.

The director included these moments to show the stark reality of how drugs destroy lives.

Having seen firsthand how addiction tears apart both users and their families, Ariff insisted that the scenes remain in the final cut.

RAW AND POWERFUL LEAD

Amir is fantastic as Jani. As one of Malaysia's most promising new actors, he plays intense and tormented characters with total conviction, earning him the title of the nation's new "prince of anti-heroes".

His portrayal of Jani is as raw as it gets, with almost every scene placing us close-up to observe his frantic, worried expressions.

To play a believable drug addict, he lost a significant amount of weight and practised "pill-popping and smoking".

Amirah, a seasoned theatre actress who starred in the historical play 'Opu Raja Siti', is equally impressive.

Her Melur is gritty yet naturally beautiful. Though she hails from Johor rather than Terengganu, she speaks the local dialect flawlessly.

Amirah's Melur often appears broken, morose, and terrified for good reason.

Although she is in a relationship with Jani, it is strongly opposed by her abusive father, played by former comedian Mat Over (Sulaiman Yassin), with a menacing, cold demeanour.

STELLAR SUPPORTING CAST

Wan Hanafi, the go-to elder in Malay cinema over the last decade, fits Awang beautifully.

A true son of Terengganu, he speaks with a natural local accent and looks every bit the real boatman, complete with unkempt hair and a bristly chin.

He acts as the only father figure Jani truly has. While fully aware of his protégé's addiction, Awang never loses his temper; instead, he subtly encourages him to break free.

In one touching scene, Awang catches Jani stealing money from his drawer. After a brief flash of anger, he quickly relents, allowing the young man to do whatever it takes to save his girlfriend's life.

Among the supporting cast, Ilham is brilliant as Cech, the drug pusher who drives Jani into a spiral of paranoia and danger.

He fluidly switches from "best friend" to ruthless bully in a split second, making every confrontation with Jani feel realistically bloody and brutal.

Cech Adrea also delivers a standout performance as Jani's buddy Ajih, a "long-suffering pushover" whom our protagonist uses to cover his own flaws.

He is thoroughly believable as the housemate who makes far too many sacrifices to keep his friend afloat, only to receive little credit or help when things go wrong.

STRIKING VISUALS AND REDEMPTION

The cinematography is superb throughout, even though everything was filmed around the state capital.

Viewers are treated to striking shots of Sungai Terengganu, the majestic Kuala Terengganu Drawbridge, and the scenic beaches bordering the city.

While Jani is a decent man at heart, viewers may struggle to sympathise with him in the first half of the film as his addiction pulls him deeper into trouble.

Fortunately, he steps up with bold, admirable choices in the second half, redeeming himself for the sake of his girlfriend and the child he may never get to see.

Ultimately, 'Baga' is a poignant tale about people on the margins of society and those who "do themselves in" by choosing drugs over health.

We learn that these two groups are often one and the same, and that not everyone is helplessly driving down their "road to perdition".

Jani is one such person, and he is fortunate that those around him — Melur, Awang, and Ajih — are 100 per cent behind him.

dchua@nst.com.my

OPENS TODAY

BAGA: ESOK UNTUK SIAPA (TOMORROW BELONGS TO NO ONE)

Directed by: Ariff Zulkarnain

Starring: Amir Ahnaf, Amirah Razak, Wan Hanafi Su, Ilham Maulana, Fad Anuar, Cech Adrea, Asrulfaizal Kamaruzaman, Mat Over, Zalif Sidek, Juhara Ayub