This time, he is not just revisiting it but expanding it into what he calls the Jagat Multiverse, a three-film event that explores different paths of struggle, morality and identity, specifically the Tamil experience.
Macai explores the descent into crime, while Blues follows the pursuit of art and expression. Both expand upon the emotional and social core of Jagat, continuing its spirit while moving into new creative territory.
The idea for a multiverse came unexpectedly. Sun-J had been working on multiple scripts when a friend pointed out that the stories could exist within the same cinematic world. That suggestion became the foundation of what is now known as the Jagat Multiverse.
While Jagat drew heavily from his own childhood experiences, Macai reflects the community he grew up in. Blues, meanwhile, mirrors his personal challenges as a filmmaker navigating Malaysia’s film industry.
Macai tells the story of a drug pusher smuggling narcotics into Singapore from a neighbouring fictional country called Lingapura. The plot resonates with recent real-world headlines involving similar crimes.
In contrast, Blues explores themes of love, identity and freedom within the context of contemporary Malaysian Indian society. The film examines the dilemmas faced by a younger generation caught between cultural expectations, family pressures and the search for meaning in modern urban life. The story unfolds across six years, from 2004 to 2010, and required careful attention to continuity and character development.
Reflecting on that story, Sun-J said: “The films are about choices. They imagine what Appoy’s life might have looked like if he had taken different paths, whether a life of crime or one in pursuit of art, each shaped by circumstance and consequence.”
For Sun-J, telling stories rooted in Malaysian experiences remains essential in an age when global entertainment dominates screens.
His films focus on the Malaysian Indian Tamil community but reach far beyond it. Both Macai and Blues were screened at the Rotterdam Film Festival, where they received strong responses.
Growth through struggle
“Jagat was a struggle as the production took 10 years. It is easier now because investors trust me more,” Sun-J said.
“There are more opportunities for independent films now, but Tamil-language productions still face difficulty in getting support. Some projects receive generous fundings while others struggle, and Tamil films often fall into the latter group,” he said.
“It is hard to find actors in Malaysia who can deliver nuanced performances and not feel too Kollywood-like,” he said.
Sun-J’s creative influences are as diverse as his films. For Macai, he drew inspiration from noir and crime thrillers, citing filmmakers like Nicholas Winding Refn and Diao Yinan in shaping the gritty world of Lingapura. For Blues, he looked to the Polish master Krzysztof Kieslowski, whose work inspired the film’s introspective tone.
Despite the challenges of local censorship, he remains optimistic.
He quoted Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami, saying: “They do their work, we do our work.”
Sun-J believes that cinema halls are the best way to experience a film, though he laments the lack of variety in Malaysian cinemas. To fill the gap, he has set up his own projector and screen at home to watch lesser-known international films.
Returning to where it began
For Sun-J, the re-release is both a celebration and a second chance.
He views the Jagat Multiverse not as a conclusion but as a beginning.
Lasting legacy
“Find your own stories. They are out there. You just need to look for them. Most importantly, you have to be sensible,” he advised young filmmakers.
With the Jagat Multiverse, Sun-J is not only revisiting the past but also redefining the future of Malaysian storytelling. His world may have begun small, but it now carries the weight of a legacy still being written.
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