SINCE making waves in the Malaysian cinemas with his debut film Jagat a decade ago, director Shanjhey Kumar Perumal, better known as Sun-J Perumal, is returning to the world that had shaped his career.
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.
The multiverse introduces two new films – Macai releasing Nov 13 and Blues on Dec 4, both described as spiritual successors to Jagat (2015). Rather than direct sequels, they serve as thematic reflections of the same world and struggle seen through different lenses.
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.
From one story to many
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.
“All three movies have very morally grey characters. They are not just black and white. With varying nuance, each one highlights the Indian struggle in Malaysia,” Sun-J told theSun.
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.
Real struggles, real stories
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.
“We are not trying to glorify drugs. It is a serious and relevant issue,” Sun-J said.
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.
In Jagat, Sun-J introduced audiences to Appoy, a young boy growing up in the 1990s who struggles to find his place between family expectations and the harsh realities of his environment.
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.”
Beyond surface understanding
For Sun-J, telling stories rooted in Malaysian experiences remains essential in an age when global entertainment dominates screens.
“Most people know each other by race only on a surface level. It is important to go deeper into each other’s struggles. Understanding one another is something sacred.”
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.
Sun-J recalled an encounter there with an Indian woman who grew up in the Caribbean who said she related deeply to the circumstances in Macai. Another viewer, a recovering alcoholic, praised Blues for its realistic portrayal of addiction.
Growth through struggle
The journey from Jagat to Macai and Blues reflects the evolution of both a filmmaker and an industry.
“Jagat was a struggle as the production took 10 years. It is easier now because investors trust me more,” Sun-J said.
Blues was completed in 2022 with a budget of RM650,000 funded by My Creative Ventures, while Macai was shot in 2023 with RM600,000 from a Finas Digital Content Fund grant. Although securing funds has become more feasible in recent years, Sun-J said the process remains uneven.
“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.
Casting was another challenge. The lead role in both Macai and Blues are played by Karnan G. Crack, but finding the right supporting actors required patience.
“It is hard to find actors in Malaysia who can deliver nuanced performances and not feel too Kollywood-like,” he said.
Art, influence and control
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.
Though Sun-J admits he rarely watches romantic films, the director spent a year studying the genre to understand its rhythm and emotional technique.
Despite the challenges of local censorship, he remains optimistic.
“Some kissing and violent scenes were censored, but nothing too serious. Censorship does not limit my creativity. It forces me to think of more creative approaches.”
He quoted Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami, saying: “They do their work, we do our work.”
Passion for cinema
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.
His passion for storytelling is rooted in his childhood. He grew up listening to his grandmother recount Indian folklore and his father sharing local Malaysian tales. These early experiences shaped his belief that some stories like Jagat deserve to be retold for new generations.
Returning to where it began
Jagat was re-released in Malaysian cinemas on Oct 3, after nearly 10 years. The original 2015 film did not perform well at the box office due to high competition from Star Wars and major Bollywood titles, but its influence grew over time through word of mouth and critical acclaim, and has since become a staple in the Malaysian Tamil cinema.
For Sun-J, the re-release is both a celebration and a second chance.
“There are timeless stories that deserve to be retold. Some films speak to their time, but others grow more relevant as years pass,” he said.
He views the Jagat Multiverse not as a conclusion but as a beginning.
“I see it as more of an opening. I already have a few scripts in the pipeline, including Jagat 2 and Jagat 3,” he said.
Lasting legacy
What began as a personal story about an Indian boy in the 1990s has grown into a cinematic universe about identity, morality and resilience. Through Macai and Blues, Sun-J continues to explore how the individual choices of ordinary people shape larger truths about community and belonging.
“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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