Banduan, a local adaptation of the Tamil blockbuster Kaithi, a 2019 Kollywood movie hailed for its gripping narrative and emotional depth, will make its way to Malaysian cinemas on November 6.
Produced by Malaysia’s Number Twenty One Media in association with Dream Warrior Pictures Sdn Bhd — whose parent company is India’s Dream Warrior Pictures — Banduan is the first official remake of a Kollywood (as India’s Tamil-language film industry is referred to) film in Malaysia, signalling stronger cross-cultural collaboration between the two film industries.
Kaithi, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and starring Karthi, was praised for its raw action and unconventional storytelling, with no songs or romantic subplots.
Its themes of redemption, fatherhood and survival have universal resonance, inspiring the Malaysian adaptation.
The producers said Banduan was carefully reshaped for Malaysian audiences without losing the essence of the original film.
“‘Banduan is not just a copy of Kaithi, but a retelling through Malaysian culture, language and setting. The action and emotions have been reimagined to reflect our society while giving local talents the platform to shine,” they said in a joint statement to Bernama.
Directed by Kroll Azry, the film’s cast includes Aaron Aziz, Rosyam Nor, Afdlin Shauki, Fadhli Masoot and Abi Madyan, with Astro Shaw as the official distributor.
