Talentime
Talentime is a 2009 Malaysian Malay-language romantic drama film written and directed by Yasmin Ahmad. Yasmin, in her blog, has described it "as a story full of joy and pain, hope and despair, a host of beautifully-written songs, and rich characters". A Hindu open cremation and a scene reminiscent of the 2001 Kampung Medan riots are included in the film.
The film was released on 26 March 2009 in Malaysia and marks Yasmin's last feature film prior to her death on 25 July 2009.
Plot
In a secondary school at Kuala Lumpur, Teacher Adibah plans to organise a talent show titled Talentime with a final prize of, holding a ballot to decide the participating teachers. Another teacher, Tan, is roped into joining the ballot by fellow teacher Anuar. The group decide to have seven teachers judging the show, with seven students who would pick up seven respective finalists. Melur, a Malay-Eurasian mixed girl, requests her mother to teach her to dance to attend the school's audition show.Ganesh discusses plans with his sister Vimala to financially support his nephew, Mahesh, one of the students chosen to fetch the finalists. Mahesh is assigned by his mother to accompany Ganesh's bathing ceremony, overseen by Mahesh's sister Bhavani.
At the Talentime auditions, the students engage in various performances including pianist Melur, erhuist Kahoe and guitarist Hafiz, who sings an original song. Hafiz divides his time between school and his mother Embun, who is hospitalised for a brain tumour. Mahesh gathers at the school with the finalist fetchers waiting for Adibah to assign them. That evening, Mahesh arrives to deliver a letter to Melur, now crowned one of the seven finalists, and begins a relationship with her.
Mahesh returns one night to witness Ganesh fatally stabbed on his wedding day. The next day, Tan and Anuar pick up Melur, informing that Ganesh was murdered by a neighbouring family in mourning, uncomfortable with Mahesh's family celebration. Mahesh visits Melur afterschool, interested in her piano skills and voice. Mahesh takes Melur to her house, where her family disparage his silence at the situation.
Hafiz is accused of cheating by Kahoe for using a makeshift dice despite only getting the questions right by chance and knowledge. Tan confronts Kahoe and proves Hafiz's fair-play by giving him 25 extra questions, where he gained complete marks. Kahoe tells Tan he would be abused by his father for not reaching first place, leading him to accuse Hafiz for cheating. At the hospital, Hafiz shows Embun his test results, impressing her and nurse Vimala, Mahesh's aunt.
Melur snaps at Mahesh after being continuously ignored, thinking that Mahesh's silence was due to his grief over the tragedy. However, Hafiz reveals that Mahesh is deaf, leading Melur to make amends. Melur invites Mahesh to her house again, where she is chastised by her family for their previous encounter. Embun worries about Hafiz neglecting studies for his talent show, but ultimately declares she is happy for him. That night, Mahesh informs Bhavani of his relationship with Melur and Ganesh's email he wrote a day before his death.
Next morning, Melur misses out on rehearsals to have a date with Mahesh, and Hafiz chooses to stand in her place. Melur's family travel to Cameron Highlands, and Bhavani reveals to her mother that Ganesh had been in a relationship with a girl from an Indian Muslim family of grocers whose members murdered him that night. Upon returning, Melur invites Mahesh to sleep over at her house.
On the day of the final rehearsal, Mahesh is forced to disclose his relationship with Melur to his family. They nearly assault him as Melur's family pass by, but are stopped by Bhavani. Kahoe is informed by Hafiz of Embun's passing, and Mahesh reads Ganesh's email, revealing that Ganesh's childhood crush married a man against her parents' wishes. Ganesh had waited for her return, only to find out she died the previous year. At the Talentime finals, Melur forfeits her performance out of embarrassment. She runs into Mahesh who follows her out of the hall, calling him out for "talking too much." The film ends with Hafiz's performance, which Kahoe later joins in ensemble.
Cast
- Mahesh Jugal Kishor as Mahesh, a deaf Indian boy who later falls in love.
- Pamela Chong as Melur, a Malay-Eurasian Talentime finalist who sings and plays the piano.
- Syafie Naswip as Hafiz, a Malay Talentime finalist who sings and plays the guitar.
- Jaclyn Victor as Bhavani, Mahesh's considerate elder sister whose mother favors in comparison to Mahesh.
- Howard Hon Kahoe as Kahoe, a Malaysian Chinese Talentime finalist who plays the erhu and resents Hafiz.
- Amelia Henderson as Melati, Melur's younger sister.
- Adibah Noor as Cikgu Adibah, the teacher in charge of organising the Talentime.
- Azean Irdawaty as Embun, Hafiz's mother who is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.
- Harith Iskander as Harith, Melur's comical father.
- Sukania Venugopal as Mahesh's mother.
- Jit Murad as Ismael, A patient who befriends Embun at the hospital during her final days.
- Mislina Mustaffa as Melur's mother.
- Tan Mei Ling as Mei Ling, a Chinese Muslim convert who works as a maid for Melur's family.
- Ida Nerina as Datin Kalsom, a friend of Melur's mother who distrusts Mei Ling.
Music
The film score was composed by Pete Teo. Songs include:O Re Piya by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, taken from the Bollywood movie, Aaja NachleI Go by Aizat Amdan.Just One Boy by Aizat Amdan.Angel by Atilia.Kasih Tak Kembali by Atilia.All songs were written and produced by Teo himself, except Kasih Tak Kembali which was written by Ahmad Hashim.
The original soundtrack album was released by Universal Music, which also includes Malay language versions of many of the principal songs in the film. This includes I Go, Angel, and Just One Boy.