Malaysian horror flick 'Waruga' is inspired by ancient beliefs of Indonesia's Minahasa people
A deep passion for traditional and Nusantara music elements, particularly, the gamelan musical instruments, was the driving factor for actor Zahiril Adzim to accept the offer to act in the horror flick, Waruga: Kutukan Ilmu Hitam (Waruga: Curse of Black Magic).

Such melodies were very familiar to him due to the interest he had cultivated while studying at the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (Aswara) more than 15 years ago.

"Although the film Waruga does not use gamelan music, it still incorporates traditional music elements. This made me interested in being part of the film, especially since I have not worked on a project which uses such Nusantara elements in a long time," he said when met at the film's premiere gala night.

Released in theatres starting Feb 15, the film also features other popular actors such as Elvina Mohamad, Eriza Allya, Sahronizam Noor, Izzue Islam, Ruminah Sidek, Nizam Kama, Adik Putri Amirah Maisara, and Adik Syed Irfan.

Shot in the Klang Valley for 20 days with a production cost of RM1.8mil, director Azaromi Ghozali said the film's storyline was inspired by an ancient belief.

"The word 'waruga' may be somewhat unfamiliar among Malaysians, but it refers to the burial place or tomb among the Minahasa people in Indonesia.

He said that based on the Minahasa beliefs and practices, instead of burying their dead, the bodies were placed in Waruga, akin to the position of a fetus in the womb, as it is believed that they will be reborn.

Azaromi explained that the title Waruga was chosen symbolically because the film depicts black magic and worship aimed at resurrecting the dead.

According to Azaromi, Waruga is not just a horror script; it tells the story of human relationships, strengthened by elements of horror.

"Nevertheless, I trust that viewers will interpret the film's message positively, especially those who may still be susceptible to the deceit of malevolent forces and engage in misguided or sacrilegious actions against their faith,” he remarked.

Several scenes depicted in the film have also been adapted to comply with the guidelines set by the Film Censorship Board to safeguard societal sensitivities but this does not affect the storyline.

Meanwhile, the producer of D’ Ayu Pictures, Datuk Rosmarayu Mokhtar, said that they were interested in producing horror films because they are favoured by local audiences and often receive positive responses.

"As a producer, I certainly hope that this film will receive a warm reception from the audience. If the box office results are promising, perhaps there will be a sequel to this film or the production of other horror films," she said.

According to Rosmarayu, they have been contacted by three distribution companies from Indonesia to arrange simultaneous screenings there.

Waruga, which will also be screened in other Asean countries such as Vietnam, Myanmar, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines, tells the story of a traditional medical student, Rewan, who cannot accept his wife's death and asks his teacher, Mbah Usu Lijah, to resurrect the body using the ancestral book of the Minahasa people.

However, conflict arises when Rewan murders his teacher (Mbah Usu Lijah) and seizes the book to perform black magic to fulfil his wish. – Bernama
The film stars Zahiril Adzim and it opened at cinemas nationwide on Feb 15.