KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 — Malaysian talents have increasingly broken into international cinema, particularly India’s vibrant Kollywood and Bollywood industries.
From Datuk Rosyam Nor’s appearance as the villain’s right-hand man in the Tamil blockbuster Kabali (2016) opposite Rajinikanth, to Irfan Zaini’s role as an Indian Embassy officer in The Greatest of All Time (2024) alongside Vijay, Malaysian representation continues to grow. Datuk Adi Putra also secured a supporting role in the Bollywood hit Don 2 (2011).
A major milestone was recently achieved with the release of the Bollywood film 120 Bahadur, which features two Malaysian actors — Fred Chan and Seng Soo Ming — who have become the first Malaysians to be cast as leading antagonists in a Bollywood production.
Chan plays the principal antagonist, Captain Aimer, delivering a notable performance despite limited screen time, estimated at seven scenes with minimal dialogue. Seng appears as Major Memeti, with around five scenes and similarly sparse dialogue, but still contributes to the film’s emotional tone.
Seng is a seasoned theatre actor and director who also serves as Chan’s acting teacher.
Chan, who made his acting debut in 2019, went on to perform in several stage productions in 2021 before taking on the lead role in the crowdfunded film Pendatang in 2023. He has also appeared in another Bollywood film, Jigra (2024), and in Singaporean productions such as Titoudao and Emerald Hill – The Little Nyonya Story.
Speaking to Malay Mail, Chan said the role in 120 Bahadur came through Seng.
“Someone approached him (Seng), asking for recommendations for Chinese actors.
“He told me about the opportunity, so I sent in my casting video.
“After the selection process, they finalised the cast and chose me as one of the actors, one of the antagonists in the movie,” he said.
Farhan Akhtar as Major Shaitan Singh Bhati in the film 120 Bahadur. — Picture via Excel Movies
Chan said there were several challenges in portraying Captain Aimer.
“First, the character is a Chinaman, so I’m Malaysian, and there are accents that I need to learn,” he said.
He added that playing a soldier required him to study how soldiers behave and give commands. While he had been part of a uniformed group in school, the commands there were in Malay or English, making this experience different.
“I also had to use a rifle during filming.
“I’d used a pistol before, but this was my first time handling a rifle,” he said.
When asked about his interest in Bollywood films, Chan said that while he has watched some titles, his viewing interests span a wide range of cinema from countries such as Iran, Italy and France.
“Bollywood is one of the industries I enjoy, but I’m not specifically very into just Bollywood alone,” he said.
On why audiences should watch the film, Chan said it extends beyond a typical Bollywood production due to its international elements.
“For example, the snow team from the UK, the same team behind Harry Potter and X-Men, worked on it, so the scenes look very realistic and beautiful.
“The action team is from Czechoslovakia, the same group that worked on Dune, and the director of photography is a Japanese cinematographer based in France.
“There are a lot of things we can appreciate about the movie in addition to the strong performances from the Bollywood cast,” he said.
Directed by Razneesh “Razy” Ghai and produced by Excel Entertainment and Trigger Happy Studio, the film stars Farhan Akhtar as Major Shaitan Singh Bhati. It is based on true events surrounding the Battle of Rezang La, one of the major confrontations of the Sino-Indian War fought on November 18, 1962.
The battle saw 120 soldiers of Charlie Company, 13 Kumaon Regiment, composed entirely of Ahirs, defend their post against a 3,000-strong Chinese force, reportedly inflicting more than 1,300 casualties.
120 Bahadur is now screening in cinemas nationwide.
