IDN Pictures Announces the Casts of Its Initial Project, Balada Si Roy

After officially announcing its first project in early November, IDN Pictures now presents the casts of Balada Si Roy the movie on Wednesday, December 16, 2020, by holding a virtual press conference. Balada Si Roy is IDN Pictures' first movie which will be released in 2021. Adapted from the legendary novel by Gol A Gong, this film is to be produced by Susanti Dewi and directed by Fajar Nugros. Both are the Heads of IDN Pictures.

Salman Aristo, one of the best Indonesian scriptwriters, is involved in this initial project of IDN Pictures. Roy, Salam admitted, has always become his number one trendsetter since he was in high-school and college. "The story is, indeed, timeless. It’s because of Roy’s being anti-stagnant and it’s precisely what makes the story relevant because young people will remain that way,” he said.

The renowned music curator, Adib Hidayat, gives a little of his taste in music to support the movie’s audio quality. “The soundtrack will be rock, something rebellious. When I reread the novel as well as the script that Aris has prepared, I believe that reviving an Indonesian rock bandㅡthe one on the rise in the '80s to ‘90s eraㅡwill be kind of nailing it. For the theme song, I’ve decided to have a new, modern musician with us. There is going to be a mixture there,” Adib briefly explained at the Balada Si Roy press conference.

Taking place in some parts of Banten, like Serang and Rangkasbitung, Balada Si Roy the movie is now at its final stage of preparation, while the shooting will begin in early January. Involving several young actors and actresses, here are the casts who will play their roles in the upcoming Balada Si Roy.

1. Abidzar Al-Ghifari will play Roy, the main male character, described as a recalcitrant, yet protective and nurturing figure.

2. Febby Rastanty will play Ani, the main female character that Roy is really fond of.

3. Bio One will play Dullah, a young man who conquers Serang.

4. Fachri Muhammad will play Sodik, a member of Dullah's gang.

5. Dea Aditya will play Iwan, another friend of Dullah.

6. Sitha Marino will play Dewi, a tomboyish female who falls in love with Roy.

7. Zulfa Maharani will play Wiwik, an aggressive female who also admires Roy.

8. Jourdy Pranata will play Andi, Roy's best friend.

9. Omara will play Toni, Roy's best friend.

10. Yusuf Mahardika will play Edi, another best friend of Roy.

11. Maudy Koesnaedi as Roy's mother.

12. Kiki Narendra as Ani's father.

Winston Utomo, CEO of IDN Media - “IDN Pictures is a technology-based film company committed to making impactful films for Millennial and Gen Z in Indonesia. We’ve always believed that film is a very powerful medium. The plot, the moral value, the casts, and even the cinematography can really influence how the audience will feel. IDN Pictures wants to give the best out of it, so not only those who have read Balada Si Roy that find the premiere entertaining but those who haven’t read it will also find it so as well.”

William Utomo, COO of IDN Media - “Balada Si Roy has printed more than 300,000 copies. This is one of the bestselling books in Indonesian history. The plot, the characters, the problems faced, are all relevant to what most Indonesians face, especially Millennials and Gen Z. Rising a film as the medium, we hope that the audience can get the positive values in the story, such as friendship, problem-solving, and family. Everything is in accordance with IDN Media's vision, which is to democratize information."

Fajar Nugros, Head of IDN Pictures - “It is an honor for me to bring Balada Si Roy to the big screen. This is surely special, given that this film is also IDN Pictures' inaugural project. The story is about a young guy who is looking for an identity, he always goes beyond the mainstream. We hope, this first project of IDN Pictures can go beyond the mainstream, too, to improve the quality of the film industry in Indonesia." 

Susanti Dewi, Head of IDN Pictures - “Since two years ago, Nugros and I have intended to turn this novel into a big-screen project. I said to Nugros, Aris must be the scriptwriter, while Adib must be the one curating and identifying the music. When Nugros contacted them, they turned out to be asking exactly the same thing. It’s kind of odd that the process of making a film is like finding a mate: there is a tit for tat.”

Gol A Gong, Written by Balada Si Roy - “Fajar Nugros has enriched the values that I’ve poured down into the novel of Balada Si Roy. The relevance, no wonder, is increasing, too,  making Balada Si Roy the movie even more relatable to the lives of the young people today. For example, to enjoy your life to the fullest, to hang out with your friends, to put aside your gadgets when you meet up with your friends. Those seem to be very simple, but are very fundamental.”