Datuk Rosyam Nor plays a teacher who has no regard for his profession. Photos: Handout
“It’s not often I see my own performance and I cry,” said Datuk Rosyam Nor after watching Memoir Seorang Guru for the first time at a gala premiere in Kuala Lumpur recently, attended by Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
The 57-year-old actor plays the lead role in the movie which is an adaptation of the novel by Azizi Abdullah, a former teacher-turned-writer who received the South-East Asian Writers Award in 1988.
It centres around Cikgu Sunan, an urban teacher who is transferred to a rural area where he is assigned to a class comprising the worst students in school.
But due to his short temper and prejudiced view of his poor students, Sunan is not able to relate to the 12-year-olds who’ve taken a dislike to him.
Months in, Sunan has a breakthrough with one student.
But when a tragedy strikes, it leaves him a broken man who has no regard for his profession.
It is only years later that he learns the true worth of being a teacher.
According to director Kyoll Hamzah, Datuk Rosyam Nor was crucial in bringing the story to life not only as an actor but also as a producer.
According to Rosyam, he felt it was a big responsibility to portray a teacher.
“Teachers are real-life superheroes. I truly think the spirits of teachers everywhere lent themselves to my performance. I feel proud to have played the role of Cikgu Sunan in this movie.
“Furthermore, the original material of the film is just so good that it would be foolish to miss this opportunity,” said the actor who is better known for his action roles in films like KL Menjerit (2002), Gangster (2005), Castello (2006) and KL Special Force (2018).
According to director Kyoll Hamzah, he cast Rosyam in this role as he thought the actor best fit the character of Sunan.
“We had a few candidates for the role, but I was adamant to get Rosyam.
“Also, Rosyam has never played such a role in any film. This will definitely be highly anticipated by the audience,” added Kyoll, who had worked with the revered actor on several TV dramas before.
The students have a tough time in school thanks to their new class teacher.
Memoir Seorang Guru is Kyoll’s first feature film, and it turned out to be an arduous shoot just because unexpected problems kept cropping up.
“There were a lot of challenges making this movie. Some days I wanted to cry; and some days I didn’t know whether to cry or to laugh,” Kyoll said during the press meet after the premiere.
He added he was truly grateful to the cast and crew for pushing ahead through production despite the multiple hurdles.
To start with, the film had a minuscule budget.
Then, the weather wreaked havoc at the location they had scouted.
The cast and crew had to move the shoot from Pahang to Perlis and Perak at the very last minute.
But Rosyam, who has been in the industry for more than three decades now, said many miracles happened that allowed them to continue with the shoot although faced with various problems.
“I think because we were truly sincere in wanting to bring this wonderful story to life that we could find a solution at every turn,” Rosyam said.
“We had no location, but found a place to shoot in Kuala Kangsar that had this beautiful and almost untouched lake we could use for a scene.
“We had an underwater scene, but we had nowhere we could shoot and, by that time, we had run out of money.
“But somehow, we found a pool at somebody’s house.
“And it was perfect because it hadn’t been cleaned for some time so it could double for the abandoned mine pit in the script.”
“These truly were miracles.”
The actors, including the children who play the students, reunite at the gala screening held in Kuala Lumpur.
Kyoll admitted that Rosyam’s presence on the set definitely put everyone at ease as he took the lead in helping both the cast and crew during production.
Rosyam agreed that it was hard work to shoulder the lead role as well as some responsibilities behind-the-scene.
“It was a lot of work, I do admit that. But I take it as my duty as I am the first person on the call sheet,” Rosyam told the media.
“But the best part is everyone became like a family at the end of the day which was really rewarding.”
Taking a step further, Rosyam adapted “method acting” with the young actors who play students in the movie which include Danish Zamri, Baqir Jamalullail, Hafiy Al Tamis, Dhiyaa Raidah and Kiky Hannah.
“I had to maintain an angry persona with them throughout the shoot so that they’d be afraid of me all the time.
“Thus, today, I would like to apologise to all of you for being unfriendly on set,” he told his younger co-stars who were also present during the press conference.
Meanwhile, actress Trisha Ooi, 23, who makes a brief appearance in the movie, attested that she wanted to be part of Memoir Seorang Guru as it would allow her to work with top actors in the country including Rosyam, Ellie Suriaty and Nabila Huda.
“Although my scene is small, it was a huge opportunity to be working alongside these actors whom I respect,” said Ooi, who made her film debut in the 2019 movie Wira.
Another reason Ooi signed on the project was because she has great respect for teachers.
She named her science teacher in primary school as the person who played a big role in shaping the person she is today.
“Cikgu Syahirah taught me a lot about life and she was the one who encouraged me to realise my dream.
“I still remember her telling me, ‘If you want something that much, just go for it’,” shared Ooi, adding that she is still in touch with her teacher to this day.
Likewise, Rosyam said he also owed a lot to his teacher, Cikgu Halimah – who was among his invitees at the gala premiere – for putting him on the path he is now.
“She is the one who advised me to become an actor if I didn’t want to study. It is thanks to her words and prayers that I am here. Thank you, Cikgu,” Rosyam said.
Memoir Seorang Guru opened at cinemas nationwide since May 30, 2024.
