Yes, Cinta (2006), the latest Malay movie by the famous Kabir Bhatia. I was a bit sceptical to watch Malay movies especially in recent years, but this film suddenly inject a fresh air into my prespective on our local films as how i’ve rated highly on Sepet and Gubra. Why? Simply because it’s NOT a typical Malay movie, which is famous for its “lame” plot and clumsy lighting and cheap sets. So, what so special about Cinta (2006)? It’s a 5-in-1 love story. It’s about five modern-day love stories set in the busy city of Kuala Lumpur and its everyday people. While each story is independent, the characters are connected to one another, either by circumstances and coincidence. With love as its universal theme, the movie takes us through the lives of five couples who search, find and lost their love in the beautiful city. Through them, we experience five different facets of love: Well, one of the stories is closely related to mine. That goes to show how close Malaysians share the common “Love” stories.   

Of course, this is not a Hollywood big budget competitor, with no fancy special effects and exagerated storylines. But it’s in simplicity that makes it so beautiful. Being a local film, i would say it’s a really good one with high quality cinematography and cast performance. Those who have watched this movie would of course remember Cikgu Elyas (played by veteran actor Dato’ Rahim Razali), an ex-school teacher who suffers from Alzheimer’s, when he uttered the line “Isteri bukanlah hak milik, tapi anugerah.”

Well, this movie is highly recommended not only for lovers but for all Malaysians. It’s not a Malay movie, it’s a Malaysian movie. See how appropriately some issues of Malaysian’s bad habits are also inserted in between the love stories. More info: http://cintathemovie.com/

P/s: “Sometimes, people tend to forget the one thing that could bring happiness in life” .  Oh yeah, did i mention i cried buckets watching this movie? Haha. By the way, those who have watched LOVE ACTUALLY, can sense the similarities but with a different spice.