Unhealthy Rants About (Soon to be filmed) 'Bumi Manusia'

This time, let’s talk about “Bumi Manusia”. One of the most important literary works ever published in Indonesia. It was written by Pramoedya Ananta Toer (I'll simply refer him as Pram for the rest of the article), the only Indonesian writer ever been nominated as a Nobel Prize winner in literature. He was so close to winning it, FYI. So yeah, he’s basically a legend in the literary world in Indonesia.

And then, suddenly, 

(image by: okezone.com)

There was an announcement said that this sacred work of Pram will soon to be adapted as a movie. It was a huge news for the entertainment business in Indonesia, even for me, I was so excited the first time I know that there will be a movie adaptation for this novel. 

My excitement didn't last so long, and it doesn't end so well for me.

---Now you are entering the not-so-kind part of the article---

---Not safe for all the lighthearted people---

It was revealed that Iqbaal Ramadhan, so called boybander-turned-actor was chosen as the main character in this movie. Yes, you heard it right. Minke will be played by this boy, OUT OF ALL PEOPLE in the world. 

Ok, lets make things straight, I'm not saying that he is a bad actor or anything. He maybe has the ability to play Minke, but to be honest, I feel like (and I know many of you feels the same) he is not the one that came out of my mind when I read about Minke. Not even in the slightest.

Here is little description about who is Minke in the books (Yes, books, because Bumi Manusia or 'This Earth of Mankind' is actually the first part of Buru Quartet by Pram) :

Minke, a Javanese minor royal who studies at a Hogere Burger School (HBS) in an era when only the descendants of the European colonizers can expect to attain this level of education. Minke is a talented young writer whose works are published in several Dutch-language journals and are widely admired. But as a "native", Minke is disliked by many of his fellow-students, who all claim some European descent. He is portrayed as being bold in opposing the injustices imposed upon his fellow Javanese as well as challenging aspects of his own culture. (Wikipedia)

First of all, I always imagined Minke as a native Javanese boy, brown-skinned, and with rather masculine looking. For real though, Minke is a badass character, not a random schoolboy in 1990 with cheesy personality. 

Some say that Minke was based on a man named 'Tirtho Adhi Soerjo' (an Indonesian journalist in the Dutch colonial era), here is how Mr. Tirtho looks like

(image by : astayoga.deviantart.com)

Even from the illustration, he somehow shows qualities of an intelligent man, an educated man, and the brave one. (I'm not saying that the other boy is uneducated tho, in fact he is very well educated). Things will get so much better if there was an open casting for a movie like this, so that we don't get the impression that Iqbaal was chosen only because of his popularity as a young actor. It's all about the money, people say.

And it's all just getting worse, the director, Hanung Bramantyo, made stupid statements in some interviews with local journalist.

(taken from cnnindonesia.com)

For those who don't understand, he basically said that this novel is actually about a love story between Minke and Annelies.

At the moment, for me, this movie is done for good. He (the director) got a huge backlash from the social media users all over the country. He kinda deserved it tho. He just insulted one of the most precious Indonesian literature of all time. He even dared to compare 'Bumi Manusia' to a generic romance novel (which is Ayat-ayat Cinta). 

Bumi manusia was once banned by Attorney General of Indonesia in 1981 because it was accused as a media to spread 'some radical' ideologies. It would've never been banned if it was indeed a generic love story novel. 

The love story is there, but it was never be the main point of the novel. It never was. Knowing how this movie would be focusing on based on that Interview, I am hugely disappointed (again). I do want to see this book to be represented as an audiovisual media, but honestly, after knowing all of these facts, I'd rather not having the movie version. 

---End of rants---

Some of you may say that I was a bit overreacting about this movie. Here is the thing, its like you've been waiting for something (or someone) for a long long time, just to get disappointed when 'that thing' is finally come closer to you. (I did overreacting tho, haha)