The Malay Conception of Heroism in Geran (2019) through the Lens of Syed Hussein Alatas

The hero concept explored in this article serves as a representation of Malay culture, which is vividly portrayed in the film Geran (2019). The film, also known as The Deed of Death for the international market, achieved a historic milestone when its Malaysian director was honored with the Daniel A. Craft Award for Excellence in Action Cinema at the 19th New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) in the United States in 2020. This Malay action drama effectively addresses the controversial issue of land, which has long been a distinguishing feature of Malay civilization. This research emphasises the significance of film as a cultural apparatus that showcases the concept of Malay hero in the film Geran (2019). Using textual analysis, the research attempts to explore the idea of the Malay hero in the film Geran (2019) and to connect with the concepts of Syed Hussein Alatas. The ideas of Syed Hussein Alatas emphasize that heroes are influenced by custom as a conventional Malay value system that underlines the importance of respect for life, integrity, and individual boundaries. Syed Hussein Alatas (1972) suggests three imperative components in the concept of hero specifically: the nobility and loftiness of the ideal towards which the particular actions of the hero are directed, the courage, dedication, ardour, and determination with which the deeds are accomplished, along with success and accomplishment. In this regard, this paper examines the relationship between the ideas of Syed Hussein Alatas (1972) and the notion of a Malay hero in Geran (2019), which exemplify Malay philosophy of life and culture.