'Spilt Gravy On Rice' released after long delay and wins awards, late playwright Jit Murad remembered
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 — At the recent 32nd Malaysian Film Festival (FFM32), Spilt Gravy On Rice made waves by sweeping seven awards including Best Film.
The 2012 dark comedy also won Best Costume Design, Best Art Direction, Best Editing, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress (Juliana Ibrahim). Its director Datuk Zahim Albakri Ikmal bagged the Most Promising Director award.
The film’s long journey to becoming Best Film at FFM32 started over a decade ago.
The late Jit Murad (right) and Harith Iskandar are two visitors from the other realm who visit Bapak in the film. — Picture via SpiltGravy.com
An adaptation of the play of the same name by the late Jit Murad, the film was plagued by decade-long negotiations with Malaysian censorship board Lembaga Penapis Filem (LPF).
The film was initially submitted to LPF to get its public approval for screening back in 2012. Although it was finally granted approval in March 2020, the screening had to be delayed yet again due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This was after Zahim had several meetings with LPF and having to make changes to scenes deemed not suitable for public viewing.
At long last, the film debuted in June last year — although Jit died in February without seeing his play come to life on the big screen. On December 1 last year, Spilt Gravy On Rice was added to popular streaming service Netflix.
Alternate ending
The film focuses on Bapak (played by veteran star Datuk Rahim Razali), a retired journalist who realises he has little time to live after being visited by two other-worldly visitors.
He immediately invites his five children from five different women to dinner so they could settle some unresolved family matters,.
To fit LPF’s guidelines, Zahim had to come out with an alternate ending .
There are two endings for 'Spilt Gravy On Rice', with the original version being the one showing on Netflix. — Picture via spiltgravy.com
“The cinema ending was (spoiler alert) Bapak didn’t die and it was all a dream in the end,” explained Zahim.
“We added footage at the end of him waking up and praying. I like that ending as well as we got to use unused footage.
“The cinema version is more of a cautionary tale, the dream was the thing that sort of pushed Bapak,” said Zahim, adding that the original ending is the one shown on Netflix.
Although they had to go back and forth with LPF, Zahim said the board officers were keen on getting the film approved as they continuously helped him to navigate the board’s guidelines.
A winning adaptation
The 2002 play has been staged at the former The Actors Studio in Bangsar Shopping Centre twice and also travelled to Singapore’s DBS Arts Centre in 2003.
The play won the 2002 Cameronian Arts Awards for best director (Zahim Albakri) and best original script (Jit Murad).
“Felt lucky that he trusted me with his writings. You met geniuses very rarely and he definitely was one. His wit is extraordinary,” Zahim said of Jit.
Members of Instant Cafe Theatre, which was formed in 1989 by Jo Kukathas, Andrew Leci, Zahim Albakri and Jit Murad.— Picture courtesy of Jo Kukathas
Jit was one of the founders of Instant Cafe Theatre (ICT), which was formed in 1989 alongside a group of friends including Zahim, Andrew Leci and Jo Kukathas.
According to theatre doyenne Jo, ICT was formed through their friendships which blossomed while they were rehearsing for a Romeo and Juliet play commissioned by the Liberal Arts Society from May to June in 1989.
Leci was later offered a space with a stage above Bon Ton restaurant in KL and after agreeing on forming a theatre company, the rest is history.
The ICT troupe was one of the pioneers of political satire in Malaysia at that time. They would come up with new material at almost every show on weekends, based on the current happenings in the country.
According to Jo, the idea behind ICT was to encourage people to speak their minds, following Operation Lalang in October 1987.
Ops Lalang was invoked by the then government which saw over 100 people including NGO activists, artists, politicians and media reporters getting arrested without trial.
A few friends of Jo and Jit were arrested during the sweep, and it was one of the reasons for them to form the theatre company.
Most of the plays were created by Jit, who is described as a genius and ‘a very thoughtful storyteller’ by Jo.
“Of course, we are all very sad that he was not here to see the film become a success,” Jo mused.
“I’m just not happy that Rahim Razali didn’t win Best Actor because I think he was so amazing in it. He captured the spirit of Malaysia that Jit wants us to think about through the character.
“Because he’s not paternalistic, in a way we think of Malaysia. It’s somebody who loves all his children differently, equally. but sees them for who they are. He was promiscuous as well, which gave him a very human outlook,” Jo added.
* A previous version of this story contained an error which has since been corrected.
