S'kali: An Introduction

This interview took place between Keith Leong (Q) and Arivind Abraham (A), the director and writer of S'kali.

Q: Let’s start with how it all began. What inspired you to write and direct S’kali?

A; It all began when I was about 15. I wanted to write a story about friends. A story about growing up and how that plays into the way friendships can be made or broken.

Q: Tell us about how the movie came to be called “S’kali”? What does it mean?

A: The title “S’kali” was actually conceived by the marketing team which is headed up by Elena Harith. She thought the word reflected the “togetherness” that was being portrayed within the movie and it ties in also with the image of the one sheet poster.

Q: There’s a very personal feel to the story and its characters. Just how ‘autobiographical’ (if we can call it that) is it?

A: The characters are using situations that at times are based on events that have happened and the characters themselves are amalgamations of some very close friends of mine but during the rewrites they have become entities on their own in a way.

Q: I think the first reaction people will have to this movie is, “Oh no, not another Sepet!” How would you respond to such comparisons? What makes S’kali different from Yasmin Ahmad's Sepet?

A: S’kali is very different from Sepet. Sepet was a love story at heart; this one is a story about friendship. It’s an ensemble piece and I am aware that everyone is going to be comparing but really that would be like comparing apples to oranges.

Q: Do you think that there is, or even can be a distinctive Malaysian style of filmmaking?

A; There is and never will be such a thing as the “quintessential Malaysian movie”. I think when it comes to Malaysian cinema it is about telling ones individual interpretation of the Malaysian experience because that is how varied the country actually is.

Q: What direction do you think the Malaysian film industry will take in the long run? Can you see yourself still having the dedication and perseverance to still be making movies here or about Malaysian subjects in say ten, or even twenty years down the line?
A: No comment really. I just know that in setting up Perantauan the aim is to develop movies over here with a Malaysian flavour and I see that as a long term thing.