“Saazish”, which means “conspiracy” in the Punjabi language, is touted as the biggest Malaysian Punjabi action film, complete with layered and fascinating characters, intense shootouts, and dramatic explosions – in short, popcorn-worthy entertainment.
Presented by Sri Saheb Production, the cast includes Kulbeer Singh, Avinder Singh, Adi Putra, Navinder Kaur, Paul Masih, Balvinder Kaur and Prince Hans.
The plot unfolds with two parallel storylines: one follows the tender romance between Sandeep, a humble milkman, and Jasroop, heiress to a multimillion-ringgit fortune. The other delves into the gritty tale of a drug cartel led by Raveen, son of the infamous gangster Jeeta.
Viewers will be roped in from the very start: the movie opens with Jasroop crying out for help as she is abducted, setting the stage for a suspenseful tale that will have you wondering what could have transpired and why.
Obsessed with power and control, Raveen manipulates events, even attempting to woo Jasroop to advance his criminal ambitions, as the narrative escalates into a thrilling climax marked by massive explosions and bloodshed.
The film, which was mostly shot in Kuala Lumpur, Cyberjaya, and Gopeng, blends drama and action with moments of comedic brilliance skillfully delivered by the performers.
Speaking with FMT Lifestyle at its premiere last week, director Arjin – whose past credits include 2017’s “I’m Not a Terrorist” – noted that “Saazish” is the result of “a small team with a big vision”.
“This isn’t meant for the Punjabi or Indian audience alone,” he added. “It’s a Malaysian film.”
This is indeed true, as while the movie is in the Punjabi language, the cast is made up of racially diverse actors, including Mohamed Hadi Putera Halim aka Adi Putra, who plays Inspector Ray.
The ensemble cast delivers standout performances, with Avinder Singh in particular commanding the screen as the menacing antagonist, Raveen. His portrayal takes on an almost animalistic, psychotic personality, so much so that audiences will love to hate him.
For the relative newcomer, seeing himself on the big screen filled him with awe. “I’m literally speechless. I’ve dreamt of this moment, but experiencing it was mind-blowing,” he shared.
Actor Kulbeer Singh, who plays the leading man Sandeep, said this was a momentous occasion for the Punjabi community in Malaysia.
“We are just a small part of this beautiful country, but it’s a matter of representation. I’m hoping every Malaysian goes to the cinemas to watch this beautiful project of ours,” he said.
And actress Navinder Kaur, who also makes her big-screen debut as Jasroop, added: “This is my first action movie, and it was amazing to be behind the scenes, seeing how they film all the fights and explosions.”
Ultimately, the cast and crew hope audiences will have a great time watching “Saazish”. As Arjin put it: “We make up not even 1% of the population in Malaysia. The fact that we have our own film here, I see this as a big achievement.”
‘Saazish’ screens in selected cinemas nationwide from Thursday.