Biopics mostly stand by themselves though often try to weave in historical events to stay relevant. And there are historical films too which throw light on some long-forgotten annals of the yore. Here we have a biography which is an integral part of Indonesia’s recent history.

“A Man Called Ahok” is screening at

Cinemasia Film Festival

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama whose Chinese name is Ahok narrates his story from prison. He was the son of the Tauke (Big boss) Kim Nam from the island of Belitung and ran a mining business. His father helped the poor and needy even when his own business was not doing well. Ahok’s early experiences are built from what he sees of his father and the expectation the father has from his son. After an unsuccessful stint at running the mining business, Ahok decides to be the man in power as it was the only way to make the rich sit up and listen. Thus began his eventful political life. He runs for various governmental offices and fights against corruption. His main agendas like affordable education and healthcare have roots in his father’s vision for the people around him. Just like his father, Ahok longs for the Chinese community to belong and be acknowledged as an integral part of the country. He seems to have gained quite a lot of what he started out looking for, as the closing sequences indicate.

The older dad played by Kin Wah Chew was the best in the acting department. Daniel Manata seems to have worked on capturing the mannerisms of the real-life Ahok.

Direction by Putrama Tuta has portrayed the progression of the years of Ahok and the surrounding family well. It was a good decision to cast two separate couples (one young and one old) as Ahok’s parents which easily helps register the passage of time. The role of the mother was an interesting one. There was one side of her which understood her husband’s passion to help the poor and another practical one which ensured that she setup a business to run the family. The mining business is talked about a lot and yet the script does not go deeper thus limiting our understanding to a rundown cabin and some dug-up landscape. Camera captures the bright small-town images with precision. The birds eye view of the seashore is picturesque to say the least.

One would want to read up and know more about Ahok, which is inevitable when glimpses of the real man are supplemented towards the end. Though the life of Ahok gets into more controversies later, the formative years had a decisive role to play in how he got moulded and what he fights for later on.