KUALA LUMPUR, JUNE 20 — Efforts to restore the glory of the Malaysian music industry to the international stage will be realised through the production of a biopic film about the legendary entertainer the late Datuk Sudirman Haji Arshad by 2028.
The late’s nephew, Razman Azrai Zainuddin or better known as Atai, said the film was not just about the story of Sudirman, but about the golden era of local music in the 1980s which once gained international recognition.
“We want today’s generation to rediscover the culture, unity and spirit of the Malaysian people at that time,” he told reporters after the Datuk Sudirman Arshad Legacy Appreciation Ceremony, here, yesterday.
Atai said the idea for the biopic production originated five years ago and is now entering the early development phase with support from the National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (Finas), particularly in the aspect of script development.
According to him, several potential directors have been identified and the production team is now actively seeking strategic collaborations and funding, in addition to holding auditions to find actors who can portray the versatile entertainer.
In a similar development, Atai, who represents the heirs of the late Sudirman, received royalty payments totaling more than RM360,000 from EMI Music Malaysia, one of the labels under the auspices of Universal Music Malaysia.
He said the payment covered the deceased’s works since the 1970s based on the agreement and copyright signed at that time.
According to Atai, the royalty claim and verification process took about two years because it involved an account audit process as well as detailed discussions between the heirs, family lawyers and the recording company to ensure the appointment of a legal administrator.
“Previously, royalty matters were quite difficult because no administrative mechanism was established immediately after the late King’s passing.
“After the old financial responsibilities were settled by his siblings, we established Sudirman Asset Management in 2015 to facilitate and coordinate all matters related to the late’s legacy, including applications for the use of his images, works and intellectual property rights,” he said.
Atai said the initiative also allows for the management of the late Sudirman’s copyright and royalties to be implemented in a more structured manner, thus making it easier for outside parties who wish to obtain permission regarding the use of Sudirman’s works and identity in the future.
Meanwhile, Universal Music Malaysia Managing Director, Kim Lim, said the process of auditing the accounts and coordinating the royalty statements took almost two years due to the ambiguity of several of the deceased’s old contracts when he was under the EMI Music Malaysia label.
“This royalty handover is not just fulfilling the company’s responsibility to the heirs, but is also a form of appreciation for the great contribution of the late Sudirman who has shaped the country’s musical landscape,” he said.
Kim said that following the expiration of the old contract, a new agreement was signed with the Sudirman family which included aspects of digitization, audio restoration, re-publication of iconic works including vinyl records, as well as payment of digital royalties in full.
According to him, Universal Music Malaysia is currently planning various commercial initiatives including digital campaigns through major streaming platforms as well as new souvenir items to reintroduce Sudirman’s song catalogue to the younger generation.
As part of this effort, Universal Music Malaysia and Sudi Production collaborated to hold the “Bintang Uni-verse Pencarian Sudirman 2.0” program at five selected public universities aimed at identifying new talents in the fields of singing and acting to support the production of the biopic film.
“We don’t want to find a replica or replace Sudirman because he cannot be replaced. We want to find young talent who are inspired by his art to present the work in a fresher and more relevant approach,” he said.
— BERNAMA
