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Puteri Gunung Ledang (film)
Encyclopedia
Puteri Gunung Ledang is a 2004 Malaysian epic fantasy period film directed by Saw Teong Hin and based on the Legend of Puteri Gunung Ledang, a Indonesian
legend
about a Princess who lived on top of Gunung Ledang
and a Malaccan Sultan's effort to court her. The film stars Tiara Jacquelina
, M. Nasir
and Adlin Aman Ramlie, and is produced by Tiara Jacquelina
and Shazalli Ramly.
heard his story, she stopped him from pursuing the project, insisting that the story was "too good" for television. The story was eventually expanded into a film project.
nese kingdom of Majapahit, against a backdrop of war and mysticism
, the film is about the forbidden romance that blossomed between Gusti Putri, a Javanese Hindu
princess
, and Hang Tuah
, the famed Malay Muslim
warrior
from Melaka.
Gusti Putri Retno Dumillah (Tiara Jacquelina
), a princess of the Majapahit Kingdom, has fallen in love with one of Malaccan warrior Hang Tuah (M. Nasir
). The Princess leaves her assigned palace life without the consent of her king, travelling to Mount Ledang in the hopes of being reunited with her beloved.
Soon after the princess’ parting, Majapahit is attacked by the Sultanate of Demak
. Desperate to quell the invasion, Gusti Putri's brother and King, Gusti Adipati Handaya Ningrat (Alex Komang), offers his sister's hand in marriage to the Prince of Demak. Her absence renders this solution impossible. The King's only hope for security is to forge an alliance with the Malaccan Sultanate by offering his sister's hand in marriage to Sultan Mahmud Shah (Adlin Aman Ramlie) of Malacca.
Hang Tuah is ordered to head the royal delegation to present the royal proposal to Gusti Putri. The warrior leads the convoy
up Mount Ledang. Gusti Adipati is angry that Hang Tuah is getting in his way and invokes supernatural powers to combat him. Despite his supernatural prowess, he is defeated by Hang Tuah and his magical Taming Sari kris. The injured Gusti Adipati expresses that the fate of his country is more important than love, and Hang Tuah's meddling has destroyed his only hope of saving his people. The guilty Hang Tuah resigns from his post as Admiral and cast his Taming Sari kris into the river, never to be found again.
After a fleeting reunion, the Princess
is aware that her beloved's foremost duty is that of a warrior. Despite confessing his love for her, Hang Tuah will not forsake the Sultan's wishes. Brokenhearted, she agrees to marry the Sultan on the proviso that he is able to fulfill seven prohibitive conditions:
When the Sultan learns of the Princess' prohibitive conditions, he is more determined to marry her. But before he can draw blood from his son, a mental projection of Gusti Putri appears before him, explaining that her conditions were in fact an indirect refusal of his proposal. The angered Sultan plants a curse on her, stating that from next sunlight whomsoever sees the princess will die coughing blood.
Hang Tuah, having heard of the curse of the Sultan from the Bendahara, rushes to Mount Ledang to see her one last time. He only arrives after the sun has risen, but Gusti Putri reveals herself to him. It is unknown what their final fate will be.
, as well as the "Best Producer" award at the inaugural Asian Festival of First Films
in Singapore (2005).
This film was selected as Malaysia's official entry for the 2004 Academy Awards
, and was in the running for the Best Foreign Film Award.
is set during the rule of Sultan Mahmud
. At this time, Hang Tuah
was already an old man at the end of his career, for he had begun his royal service during the reign of
Sultan Mansur, who was Sultan Mahmud's grandfather. The film modifies this by making Hang Tuah
still a physically capable man.
The most notable change to the film is that the original legend does not feature any romantic relationship between Hang Tuah and the Princess of Gunung Ledang. In some versions of the tale, Hang Tuah did not even make it to the peak of Mount Ledang, for he was already ailing in health. The man who made it to the peak and presented the proposal in Hang Tuah's stead is a young warrior named Tun Mamat. The Puteri was also never subject to any curse from the Sultan, for she was the one who rejected him, not the other way round as depicted in the film.
Relatively minor changes are that the Princess is a Majapahit human princess with supernatural abilities, while in the legend she is not of this world.
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
legend
Legend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
about a Princess who lived on top of Gunung Ledang
Mount Ophir
Mount Ophir, or more commonly known by its Malay name, Gunung Ledang, is a mountain situated in the Gunung Ledang National Park located in Ledang District , Malaysia. The summit is located between the border of Muar and Malacca. Standing at 1,276 m , with a clear trail leading to the peak, the...
and a Malaccan Sultan's effort to court her. The film stars Tiara Jacquelina
Tiara Jacquelina
Tiara Jacquelina Eu Effendi is a Malaysian actress and film producer. She rose to fame in Puteri Gunung Ledang, the biggest budget movie in Malaysia to date, in which she played the lead role, and sang the theme song, "Asmaradana"...
, M. Nasir
M. Nasir
Mohamad Nasir Mohamad or M. Nasir , is a Malaysian poet, singer-songwriter, composer, producer, actor and film director.-Career:...
and Adlin Aman Ramlie, and is produced by Tiara Jacquelina
Tiara Jacquelina
Tiara Jacquelina Eu Effendi is a Malaysian actress and film producer. She rose to fame in Puteri Gunung Ledang, the biggest budget movie in Malaysia to date, in which she played the lead role, and sang the theme song, "Asmaradana"...
and Shazalli Ramly.
Development
Mamat Khalid pitched the original idea of creating a love story between the Princess of Mount Ledang and legendary warrior Hang Tuah for a television series called Hikayat. When Tiara JacquelinaTiara Jacquelina
Tiara Jacquelina Eu Effendi is a Malaysian actress and film producer. She rose to fame in Puteri Gunung Ledang, the biggest budget movie in Malaysia to date, in which she played the lead role, and sang the theme song, "Asmaradana"...
heard his story, she stopped him from pursuing the project, insisting that the story was "too good" for television. The story was eventually expanded into a film project.
Plot
Set in the late 15th century Sultanate of Malacca and the JavaJava
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
nese kingdom of Majapahit, against a backdrop of war and mysticism
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
, the film is about the forbidden romance that blossomed between Gusti Putri, a Javanese Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
princess
Princess
Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
, and Hang Tuah
Hang Tuah
Hang Tuah is a legendary warrior/hero who lived during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah of the Sultanate of Malacca in the 15th century. He was the greatest of all the laksamana, or sultan's admirals, and was known to be a ferocious fighter...
, the famed Malay Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
warrior
Warrior
A warrior is a person skilled in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based society that recognizes a separate warrior class.-Warrior classes in tribal culture:...
from Melaka.
Gusti Putri Retno Dumillah (Tiara Jacquelina
Tiara Jacquelina
Tiara Jacquelina Eu Effendi is a Malaysian actress and film producer. She rose to fame in Puteri Gunung Ledang, the biggest budget movie in Malaysia to date, in which she played the lead role, and sang the theme song, "Asmaradana"...
), a princess of the Majapahit Kingdom, has fallen in love with one of Malaccan warrior Hang Tuah (M. Nasir
M. Nasir
Mohamad Nasir Mohamad or M. Nasir , is a Malaysian poet, singer-songwriter, composer, producer, actor and film director.-Career:...
). The Princess leaves her assigned palace life without the consent of her king, travelling to Mount Ledang in the hopes of being reunited with her beloved.
Soon after the princess’ parting, Majapahit is attacked by the Sultanate of Demak
Sultanate of Demak
The Sultanate of Demak was Javanese Muslim state located on Java's north coast in Indonesia, at the site of the present day city of Demak. A port fief to the Majapahit kingdom thought to have been founded in the last quarter of the 15th century, it was influenced by Islam brought by Arab and...
. Desperate to quell the invasion, Gusti Putri's brother and King, Gusti Adipati Handaya Ningrat (Alex Komang), offers his sister's hand in marriage to the Prince of Demak. Her absence renders this solution impossible. The King's only hope for security is to forge an alliance with the Malaccan Sultanate by offering his sister's hand in marriage to Sultan Mahmud Shah (Adlin Aman Ramlie) of Malacca.
Hang Tuah is ordered to head the royal delegation to present the royal proposal to Gusti Putri. The warrior leads the convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
up Mount Ledang. Gusti Adipati is angry that Hang Tuah is getting in his way and invokes supernatural powers to combat him. Despite his supernatural prowess, he is defeated by Hang Tuah and his magical Taming Sari kris. The injured Gusti Adipati expresses that the fate of his country is more important than love, and Hang Tuah's meddling has destroyed his only hope of saving his people. The guilty Hang Tuah resigns from his post as Admiral and cast his Taming Sari kris into the river, never to be found again.
After a fleeting reunion, the Princess
Princess
Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
is aware that her beloved's foremost duty is that of a warrior. Despite confessing his love for her, Hang Tuah will not forsake the Sultan's wishes. Brokenhearted, she agrees to marry the Sultan on the proviso that he is able to fulfill seven prohibitive conditions:
- A bridge made of pure gold from Malacca to Mount Ledang;
- Another bridge made of pure silver from Mount Ledang to Malacca;
- Seven trays (dulang) of the hearts of mosquitoes;
- Seven trays (dulang) of the hearts of the germs;
- Seven jars (tempayan) of the juice of young betel nutBetel nutThe Areca nut is the seed of the Areca palm , which grows in much of the tropical Pacific, Asia, and parts of east Africa. It is commonly referred to as "betel nut" as it is often chewed wrapped in betel leaves.-Description:...
s (Note: Young betel nuts do not have juice); - Seven jars (tempayan) of the tears of the virgins
- One bowl of blood from his fondest and only son, Sultan Ahmad.
When the Sultan learns of the Princess' prohibitive conditions, he is more determined to marry her. But before he can draw blood from his son, a mental projection of Gusti Putri appears before him, explaining that her conditions were in fact an indirect refusal of his proposal. The angered Sultan plants a curse on her, stating that from next sunlight whomsoever sees the princess will die coughing blood.
Hang Tuah, having heard of the curse of the Sultan from the Bendahara, rushes to Mount Ledang to see her one last time. He only arrives after the sun has risen, but Gusti Putri reveals herself to him. It is unknown what their final fate will be.
Awards
Tiara Jacquelina won the "Best Actress" category at the 50th Asia Pacific Film FestivalAsia Pacific Film Festival
The Asia Pacific Film Festival, first held in 1954, is film festival held annually in an Asian country designated by the Board of Directors of the Federation of Motion Picture Producers in Asia-Pacific.Awards are handed out for:*Best Film*Best Director...
, as well as the "Best Producer" award at the inaugural Asian Festival of First Films
Asian Festival of First Films
The Asian Festival of First Films is an annual festival that celebrates first-time film- and documentary-makers and provides a platform for budding film talent....
in Singapore (2005).
This film was selected as Malaysia's official entry for the 2004 Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
, and was in the running for the Best Foreign Film Award.
Adaptation
The Legend of Gunung LedangLegend of Gunung Ledang
Also see : Location Gunung Ledang, theater Puteri Gunung Ledang , 2004's Puteri Gunung Ledang , 1961's Puteri Gunung Ledang...
is set during the rule of Sultan Mahmud
Mahmud Shah (Sultan of Malacca)
Sultan Mahmud Shah ruled Malacca from 1488 to 1528. He was the son of Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah.Upon his father's premature death, he was installed at a very young age. The regent at that time was the prime minister Tun Perak. During his initial years as a young adult, the sultan was known to...
. At this time, Hang Tuah
Hang Tuah
Hang Tuah is a legendary warrior/hero who lived during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah of the Sultanate of Malacca in the 15th century. He was the greatest of all the laksamana, or sultan's admirals, and was known to be a ferocious fighter...
was already an old man at the end of his career, for he had begun his royal service during the reign of
Sultan Mansur, who was Sultan Mahmud's grandfather. The film modifies this by making Hang Tuah
Hang Tuah
Hang Tuah is a legendary warrior/hero who lived during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah of the Sultanate of Malacca in the 15th century. He was the greatest of all the laksamana, or sultan's admirals, and was known to be a ferocious fighter...
still a physically capable man.
The most notable change to the film is that the original legend does not feature any romantic relationship between Hang Tuah and the Princess of Gunung Ledang. In some versions of the tale, Hang Tuah did not even make it to the peak of Mount Ledang, for he was already ailing in health. The man who made it to the peak and presented the proposal in Hang Tuah's stead is a young warrior named Tun Mamat. The Puteri was also never subject to any curse from the Sultan, for she was the one who rejected him, not the other way round as depicted in the film.
Relatively minor changes are that the Princess is a Majapahit human princess with supernatural abilities, while in the legend she is not of this world.
See also
- Puteri Gunung Ledang (musical)Puteri Gunung Ledang (musical)Puteri Gunung Ledang is a Malaysian musical directed by Zahim Albakri, co-directed by Adlin Aman Ramlie, book by Saw Teong Hin and music composed by Dick Lee. The musical is based on the 2004 Puteri Gunung Ledang film. The original production was staged at the Istana Budaya in February 2006, this...
- Puteri Gunong Ledang (film)
- Legend of Puteri Gunung Ledang
- Gunung Ledang
- Hikayat Hang TuahHikayat Hang TuahHikayat Hang Tuah is a Malay work of literature that tells the tale of the legendary Malay Muslim warrior Hang Tuah and his four warrior friends - Hang Jebat, Hang Kasturi, Hang Lekir and Hang Lekiu - who lived during the height of the Sultanate of Malacca in the 15th century.The most memorable...
External links
- Puteri Gunung Ledang at Sinema Malaysia