Director Chiu’s New Film Revisits Malaysia’s Racing Legend Chen Ze Yao Laments Not Being Able to Race

Following "Ola Bola," Malaysian director Chiu Keng Guan (Director Chiu) once again takes on the challenge of adapting a true story with his new work "Terbang." He said: “Filming racing is harder than filming football!” Meanwhile, Chen Ze Yao (Ah Zhe) plays the co-driver in the film and couldn’t actually drive, prompting him to laugh and say: “I feel a bit unwilling!”

The inspiration for "Terbang" comes from Malaysia's legendary rally driver Karamjit Singh, recreating the historic moments when Malaysia’s racing team brought glory to the nation on the international stage. Director Chiu revealed that the film is set in 2002, meaning not only did the set design have to convey the era, but actors also had to personally take on challenging race scenes. The race spans locations such as New Zealand and deserts, with difficulties surpassing those of "Ola Bola" a decade ago. He admitted, the most touching part is that Karamjit didn't just serve as a consultant, but also personally acted in the film and drove the actual race car from back then, “it was like bringing his real experiences back to the big screen.”

Ah Zhe plays the co-driver in the film, and although he’s in a racing movie, he never had the chance to drive himself. He laughed, “I have a racing license, but I could only sit in the passenger seat, read the notes, and endure dizziness and intense heat — it was quite a challenge.” To overcome motion sickness, he even practiced reading his phone or books in the car during his spare time. It was his first collaboration with Director Chiu, whom he highly praised for his boundless positive energy: “No matter how tired, I never saw him discouraged. Whenever issues cropped up, he’d say, ‘The earlier we find problems, the better.’ I really admire that.”

The film also stars Iqram Zani, Zizan Razak, and others, and will go on to shoot in Perlis, Jakarta, and New Zealand. #