Ola Bola (Malaysian; 2016)Two weeks into its release, the theatres are still packed. Audiences of various ethnicity and ages still throng to give a glimpse at this film that dwells on nostalgia that most of us who grew up in the 70s still vividly remember. Yes, the time when we were a football force to be reckoned with. We were at par with present day doyens like Japan and South Korea.
It rekindles the time when we had to reproduce and visualise in our minds the football actions that took place on the field with the help of the radio commentator and the transistor radio. Despite not being in the thick of the action, we still had the dry sensation at the back of our throats as the time ticked and attempts at the opponent's goalmouth proved futile. We still missed that heartbeat when our strikers hit the ball on the goal post. And the unison cry of victory when Super Mokh scored that winning goal. When television became available and live telecast of matches became the norm, the whole neighbourhood tuned-in to them. There are all but memories of a bygone era.
It was the watershed moment in the history of Malaysian football. With ageing players and the absence of plans for future, pundits already saw it coming. The late 70s, the Malaysian football scene heard a swan song before their demise with its scandals of bribery, mismanagement and political interference. The movie tries to re-create that aura. It re-creates that time in our nation’s history when we united and football was the cement.
The last biggest event that football fans remember is their sad attempt at the 1980 Summer Olympics. It was a victorious journey but was cut short by our country’s boycott of the games as the host had invaded Afghanistan back then.
Marianne, a journalist, is disgruntled with life. Her work is going nowhere, and she decides to migrate to the UK. Before that, she makes her last cover story. It proved to be a turning point. After interviewing a former national footballer from Sabah, Eric, (an obvious reference to James Wong), she stays back.
Eric recalls his playing days as he narrates the high and low moments as he and his teammates prepared as a team. Starting as individuals with self-interests and each carrying their own baggage, they eventually came together to play as a team as one with the nation being the unifying factor.
Tauke ( an apparent reference to Soh Chin Aun) is struggling to juggle between his cash-strapped rubber tapping younger sister who gave up her studies to help the family and a doting girlfriend who takes two jobs to support him. Tauke is ridiculed for playing football, a leisurely activity, rather than support the family financially. Then there is Muthu ( a reference to R Arumugam) who pursues his passion despite his father’s disapproval who struggles with a shortage of helping hand in his small coconut plantation. With a new coach, Harry (re: Karl Weigang), the team has a new zest to succeed.
It is not all doom and gloom in this feel-good movie. Comic relief is infused through Muthu’s three brothers and a struggling radio commentator, Rahman. I am sure his role must be based on Hasbullah Awang as he is known to use unusual and unorthodox terms in his commentaries! The legendary sports commentator par excellence, Rahim Razali, makes a special appearance here too.
Even though the main spoken language is Mandarin in most parts, Hokkein, Cantonese, Tamil, Malay and English is used without any awkwardness to enrich this truly Malaysian movie. We mostly take our outdoors for granted. Its scenic cinematography reminds us, yet once again, that we live a beautiful country. We, as its occupants, have a moral duty to keep it that way, away from the pilferage of self-interested bigots and greedy entrepreneurs who fan the amber of nationalism with ulterior motives to guide the country to total anarchy.
Comments
Post a Comment