Written By : Imran Razib
PETALING JAYA, Aug 20 ― Astro turns 25 years this year and to celebrate its milestone and the upcoming National Day celebrations, it is bringing customers over 150 specially curated content.
Viewers will have no shortage of Malaysian and Asian programmes to binge on when they tune into Astro 25 on Channel 100 that boasts an array of premieres, blockbuster hits and documentaries.
The theme for Astro’s National Day campaign is #KitaTeguhBersama to encourage all Malaysians to come together to stay strong.
“It’s a very special Merdeka and National Day for us this year, and our theme, #KitaTeguhBersama means we’re stronger and better together,” said Astro group chief executive officer Henry Tan at the virtual launch event earlier this week.
“(The theme) reflects the best of what we have seen in Malaysians and continues to be the common value we need for us to unite, recover and grow through these times.
“Astro is 25 years young this year and we will continue to provide the best mix of content.
“We will also raise the bar for local original content, and live signatures to further delight Malaysians.”
New and exciting premiering titles await Astro customers on Astro 25 on Channel 100 from now until October 3.
The broadcaster has even commissioned two special documentaries that capture what it means to be Malaysian.
Tanah Tumpahnya Darah Kita pays homage to the country’s veterans that begins with the story of one man who detailed his sacrifice in the army through letters to his wife and young family which grew to include the stories of other veterans whose valour in defending our country transcended race, creed, language and culture.
t took years for Naga DDB Tribal chief creative officer Alvin Teoh to make the documentary a reality and not even a pandemic could stop him from telling this all-important story.
“I was inspired by stories from my father, an artillery officer, who served side by side with soldiers of all creeds and colours during the Darurat and Konfrontasi periods of our history,” said Teoh.
“I am indebted to all involved for bringing to life these personal stories of a remarkable group of men and women from every ethnicity who came together as ‘kita’ to win us the freedom we enjoy today.”
The stories of the country’s heroes are told from the viewpoint of young Malaysian artists including Daniyal Radzi and Red Hong Yi.
Kota Kinabalu-born Hong Yi created artworks for the documentary using 10 kilogrammes of soil sourced from all over Malaysia including the battlegrounds in East Malaysia that were featured in the film.
“Tanah Tumpahnya Darah Kita is significant for me because I realise how little I knew about the veterans before this,” Hong Yi said.
“Through meeting the veterans, I learned how Malaysia was fought for by people of all kinds of backgrounds who love the country.
“I hope my artworks will tell the story of the veterans – they deserve much more recognition, honour and respect for the sacrifices they have made for the country.”
From the beloved director who brought us films such as Ola Bola and The Journey, Chiu Keng Guan helped conceptualised We Are No Different, a documentary about Malaysian families who adopt children from other races.
It is the first-ever documentary about interracial adoption in Malaysia.
The film sheds light on acceptance and the bonds of love that go beyond blood ties through four individuals, Hiro, Sarah, Lavaniya and Kamala.
“When I was growing up, I saw a lot of families with adopted children,” Chiu said.
“Their relationships really touched me because they are not tied by blood but are bound by a love that conquers all differences.
“I hope viewers feel touched when they watch the documentary and realise that all human beings are related through our emotions, sympathy, regardless of race and culture.”
Chiu’s debut film in China, On Your Mark, which tells the story of a father who helps his physically challenged son to run a marathon will also premiere in Malaysia on Astro First (Channel 480) on August 26.
Given that Astro has produced a slew of homegrown talents through its many programmes, Journey To Stardom looks at the lives of much-loved local celebrities realising their dreams.
Apart from new titles, Malaysians can look forward to Malaysian box office hits including Ola Bola, The Journey, Paskal, Polis Evo and Hantu Kak Limah.
Find out more about Astro’s 25th anniversary offerings and its #KitaTeguhBersama campaign, at www.astro.com.my/bettertogether.
