KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 — The story of a mother’s unwavering sacrifice and determination to protect her children was the key reason Indonesian actress Aghniny Haque agreed to star in the Malaysian psychological horror film Khadam.
Aghniny said the film’s central themes of maternal love and sacrifice resonated deeply with her and struck an emotional chord.
The story also reminded her of her own mother’s sacrifices while raising her.
As such, she did not hesitate to accept the role, viewing it as a tribute to the most important person in her life.
Making her Malaysian film debut, Aghniny said Khadam’s exploration of motherhood closely reflects her own upbringing by a single mother.
“I see Khadam as a different kind of horror film. It is not a horror movie that relies solely on jump scares, but one that is driven by a strong storyline touching on motherhood,” she told Bernama after a special media screening of the film here recently.
Elaborating on her role, Aghniny said portraying Melor, a mute mother of two, allowed her to explore new dimensions in her acting career.
“This character means a great deal to me because I learned and grew so much through the experience. It felt like a master class in acting because I had to convey emotions without relying on dialogue. This role really taught me so many things,” she said.
To prepare for the role, Aghniny underwent a month of intensive training in Indonesia, including learning a specially developed sign language created for the film. She later joined rehearsals and script-reading sessions with the production team in Malaysia.
The actress, who has previously appeared in Indonesian horror films, described working with a Malaysian production as a unique experience, noting that the longer filming schedule gave actors more time to immerse themselves in their characters.
Set in the 1950s, Khadam tells the story of Melor as she struggles to protect her family from a hereditary saka — a supernatural ancestral curse — that gradually begins to consume their lives.
Produced by Red Communications and Komet Productions, the film also stars Datuk Remy Ishak, Siti Khadijah Halim, Zarra Zhaff, Karl El and Jun Lojong. It is set to open in cinemas nationwide tomorrow.
Meanwhile, director Shamyl Othman said the idea for the film originated from screenwriter Fariza Azlina Isahak, who wanted to explore Malay beliefs and folklore surrounding saka through a perspective that feels more relatable to everyday life.
“The writer conducted extensive research, speaking with villagers and religious scholars about saka before developing the script. We wanted to portray what our ancestors went through when faced with the burden of inheriting such a curse,” he said.
Shamyl added that Khadam goes beyond the conventional horror film, immersing the audience into the characters’ emotions and the choices they make. — Bernama
