Family, boxing and brotherhood: Inside Malaysia’s arguably first boxing film, ‘The Furious: Pertaruhan Maruah

“KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 — Malaysia’s film industry continues to grow stronger, and producing successful sports dramas has been part of that growth. The boxing genre has long been a popular subject in Hollywood, with iconic films such as Rocky, The Fighter , and more recent Creed movies capturing audiences worldwide. It was only a matter of time before the local industry embraced the sport and translated it to the big screen — a genre that has rarely been explored in Malaysian cinema — and now comes The Furious: Pertaruhan Maruah . The project marks the directorial debut of newcomer Heng Aik Siong, who previously served as assistant director to filmmaker Adrian Teh on numerous local productions. While 2019’s Sangkar incorporated elements of MMA and the recent Tarung: Unforgiven focused on underground cage-fighting, several other local films have featured minor boxing elements. However, as a full-fledged boxing feature, The Furious — not to be confused with the upcoming Hollywood film of the same name — is arguably Malaysia’s first true boxing movie. ‘The Furious: Pertaruhan Maruah’ story and Cast The story centres on two brothers who reunite after their family’s honour is tarnished when their late father’s name is publicly insulted, setting them on a tense journey driven by dignity, revenge, and family loyalty. The film blends realistic boxing action with heartfelt family drama and emotionally charged storytelling, resulting in a grounded and intense sports drama. The cast is led by Zul Ariffin as Firdaus, Sky Iskandar as Hakim, Ikmal Amry as Danial, Sandra Lim as Lydia, Zamarul Hisham as Emmet, and Marisa Yasmin as Mastura. Zul Ariffin as Firdaus, the lead in the upcoming ‘The Furious: Pertaruhan Maruah’. — Picture courtesy of GSC Cinemas Speaking to the media during yesterday’s press conference at GSC Mid Valley, Zul shared that being part of a boxing film had long been a personal goal and a bucket-list achievement in his acting career. “If I could turn back time to when I was 20, I would have gone into boxing professionally. “Boxing is a sport I have loved since I was young, and I have always dreamed of playing the role of a boxer,” he said. “Even a long time ago, I used to tell myself it would be nice to star in a boxing film,” he added, fulfilling a dream that has now come true. The preparation went far beyond physical training, involving major weight changes and strict dietary discipline. “I want my resume and my life to reflect that I’ve done a boxing film. “This is a story that, in ten years’ time, I can look back on and smile.” Sky, Ikmal, and the rest of the cast also underwent intense training for the project, a commitment that clearly paid off, as evident during Malay Mail’s attendance at yesterday’s gala premiere. Sky added, “I am very proud of what we’ve achieved and what has been shown, and the amount of hard work, training, dedication, and fire we all put in during training. “This is something to be proud of,” he added. Director Heng Aik Siong with the cast of ‘The Furious: Pertaruhan Maruah’ pose at yesterday’s gala premiere held at GSC Mid Valley. —Picture courtesy of GSC Cinemas Is it really Malaysia’s first boxing film? In an interview with Malay Mail, Heng said The Furious is the “first boxing film” that offers an in-depth exploration of a boxer’s life. He acknowledged that 2020’s Fight Lah ! Kopitiam contains elements of boxing, but it is primarily a comedy centred on saving a kopitiam. “For us, The Furious is something that is a family drama that happens within a boxing family. “That’s what we really looked into to become and to mention it as really one of the first boxing movies in Malaysia.” The idea for this film came about in 2022, as both the director and Teh are fans of pure boxing. “We know there have been MMA and other martial arts movies, but to us, boxing is something really pure and organic to bring to the audience.” He added that together with Teh, they have worked on many action features and wanted to try something unique and different. A shared passion for boxing has now led to the creation of The Furious: Pertaruhan Maruah . The takeaway beyond the boxing Despite the hard-hitting action, Heng wants audiences to take away the film’s themes of brotherhood and parental love. “I’m a father of two sons. “I know how parents feel when they plan the future of their children.” “I hope audiences can truly appreciate and love their families — their brothers, sisters, and parents — even when they seem harsh towards you. “They still love you, and I hope audiences can appreciate that families will always love you, even when sometimes they do things that may hurt you.” The Furious: Pertaruhan Maruah is set to take the stage on May 28 across cinemas nationwide.

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