Rano Karno's 'Si Doel' a popular show<\/p>\n
Text by T. Sima Gunawan, photos by Mulkan Salmona<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): One of Indonesia's best actors, Rano Karno,
\ndidn't run out of words during his hour-long conversation with
\nThe Jakarta Post last weekend, except when asked what he does in
\nhis spare time.<\/p>\n
\"Playing golf, isn't for me,\" said the 35-year-old who also
\ndirects and produces films.<\/p>\n
Rano had to be reminded by the Post of his thousands of laser
\ndiscs to get an answer.<\/p>\n
\"Oh yeah, I like watching movies. Every day I fall asleep at
\nthree or four in the morning after watching the movies,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Movies are his life. Everything he does has something to do
\nwith them. When he isn't busy making films, he pounds out scripts
\non his typewriter.<\/p>\n
Nominated seven times as best actor before winning the
\nprestigious Citra film award for his role in Taxi in 1990, Rano
\nhas recently shifted to TV miniseries.<\/p>\n
He produces, directs and stars in Si Doel Anak Sekolahan
\n(Doel, the Scholar) shown on RCTI every Friday evening. Rano
\nplays si Doel in the immensely popular show.<\/p>\n
It's not Rano's first time playing si Doel. Rano was young
\nDoel in Si Doel Anak Betawi (Doel, the Betawi Boy), a motion
\npicture produced in 1971.<\/p>\n
The movie was based on a book by H. Aman Datuk Majoinjo,
\npublished by the Balai Pustaka publishing house.<\/p>\n
Rano has played in dozens of successful films, but he likes
\nthree films the best: Si Doel Anak Betawi, Suci Sang Primadona
\n(Suci the Primadona) and Taxi.<\/p>\n
\"Si Doel Anak Betawi is the childhood film I like best. Before
\nthe film was made, I had read the book and I loved it. I used to
\nlive not far from Balai Pustaka, and my school was also in the
\nneighborhood. After school, I went there to read books because I
\ndidn't have any money to buy them,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He read not only children's books but works like Salah Asuhan
\n(Prodigal Son) by Abdoel Moeis and Layar Terkembang (Running
\nUnder Full Sail) by Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana.<\/p>\n
Rano liked doing the movie Suci because it was a challenge to
\nact like a 24-year-old while only being 17 years old. In Taxi, he
\nwas a kindhearted driver who cared for a baby an actress left in
\nhis cab.<\/p>\n
\"Gita Cinta Dari SMA (The Love Chimes from High School) was
\nvery popular, but I wasn't satisfied with it. I was a high school
\nstudent playing a high school student,\" he divulged.<\/p>\n
He also sings and has sold several albums. He admits he
\ndoesn't have a golden voice, but the songs were favorites among
\nhis teenage fans. One of his hits was Yang Sangat Kusayang (The
\nOne I Love Very Much).<\/p>\n
Social problems<\/p>\n
Rano left love themes and started to work on stories focusing
\non social problems and the facts of life.<\/p>\n
Si Doel Anak Sekolahan tells of the day-to-day problems faced
\nby si Doel, his family and the people around him. Doel has
\nmanaged to graduate from university, but can't find a suitable
\njob. His father, played by Betawi artist Benjamin, is an oplet
\n(Opel stationwagon used for public transportation) driver who was
\nforced to sell his land to finance Doel's studies.<\/p>\n
The script was written by Rano and Ida Farida, a film
\ndirector, when the two were making films in Malaysia eight years
\nago. They wrote it for the big-screen, but Indonesian film
\nproducers weren't interested. Rano then decided to produce at his
\nfamily's production house, Karno's Film.<\/p>\n
\"Filming Si Doel was an obsession. So, I sold everything, my
\nhouse, my car, to finance the production,\" said Rano, a son of
\nfilm director Soekarno M. Noor, who died in 1986.<\/p>\n
When Rano finished making six episodes, he offered them to
\nRCTI. He waited four months before he got the go ahead from the
\nprivate television station.<\/p>\n
It turned out that the miniseries, which started last year,
\nimmediately captured the hearts of viewers. Big companies raced
\nto place their commercials in the show's slot.<\/p>\n
Rano then made another 26 episodes, which got an equally warm
\nwelcome from the audience, so he followed up with a further 26
\nepisodes.<\/p>\n
\"Its an endless story because it is the life of Si Doel. It
\nwill stop when I am tired or when RCTI refuses to show it,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Si Doel is well-known not only in Indonesia, but also in
\nneighboring countries and even in the Middle East, where hundreds
\nof thousands of Indonesians work.<\/p>\n
Rano, who went on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia late last year,
\nwas surprised to find out how popular Si Doel was in that
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
\"I got special treatment at immigration and the airport. They
\neven upgraded my ticket, from economy to VIP,\" Rano said.<\/p>\n
Pirated tapes of Si Doel were circulating around the country.
\nInstead of getting angry, Rano said he met the businessman who
\ncopied the show and offered to cooperate in producing the tapes.<\/p>\n
The mini-series includes about 60 people who are ready to play
\nat anytime, according to Rano, who treats them like family.<\/p>\n
\"He (Rano Karno) is very kind. I really enjoyed working on his
\nshow. As a director he was very patient,\" said Letty Latifah, one
\nof the crew.<\/p>\n
Si Doel is popular among people from all walks of life, the
\npoor and the rich.<\/p>\n
\"Rich people like it because they miss the natural life in Si
\nDoel. They want to be like the characters but they just can't,\"
\nRano said.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Governor Surjadi Soedirdja and Coordinating Minister
\nof Political Affairs Soesilo Soedarman gave the television
\nminiseries two thumbs up, applauding it for featuring local
\ncustoms.<\/p>\n
\"I'm not making a documentary on the Betawi. There is a Betawi
\natmosphere in it because si Doel is a Betawi, but the whole story
\nis about the universal problems of life. That's why it's accepted
\nfrom Sabang to Merauke,\" Rano said.<\/p>\n
Rano underlined the importance of a \"clear cultural basis\" for
\ncharacters in motion pictures to help actors to understand their
\nroles and play them convincingly.<\/p>\n
\"You might say I'm Indonesian. Yes, but from what part of
\nIndonesia?\"<\/p>\n
With a population of over 190 million, and 27 provinces, each
\nthere are a multitudes of cultures, customs, languages and
\ndialects.<\/p>\n
The booming television miniseries industry began a few years
\nago with the showing of Siti Nurbaya, followed by Salah Asuhan,
\nwhich also had a culture basis. Masih Ada Kapal ke Padang (There
\nis Still a Ship Sailing to Padang), is now shown on SCTV.<\/p>\n
Rano is in the process of shooting another television
\nminiseries entitled RT RW or Rumah Tangga Ruwet (Entangled
\nHousehold), a story about the problems of urbanization.<\/p>\n
The next television miniseries he will produce is SAR or
\nSarana Angkutan Kota (Public Transportation Means). It will
\nillustrate the life of a poor teacher who has to scramble to make
\na living by becoming a tukang ojek (a motorist offering a ride
\nfor some money).<\/p>\n
He and Basuki are writing the script. Basuki, one of the main
\nplayers in Si Doel, will play the teacher.<\/p>\n
Before writing the script, Rano researched the subject and
\ntalked to some teachers.<\/p>\n
\"It will be a show, but I want to make one I can account for,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Rano said that owing to the fact that Si Doel Anak Sekolahan
\nwas a big success on TV, film producers have requested to make it
\ninto a movie. He has refused.<\/p>\n
\"Si Doel isn't mine anymore. It has become the public's,\" he
\ninsisted.<\/p>\n
More promising<\/p>\n
At least until the end of the year, Rano will concentrate on
\nminiseries, which are more promising than films.<\/p>\n
Rano said problems in the Indonesian film industry were quite
\ncomplex. A lack of professionalism inside the industry, little
\nappreciation by the public and lack of government support are the
\nmain problems.<\/p>\n
The government hasn't seriously addressed the problem because
\n\"unlike garments, films don't provide any foreign exchange for
\nthe country,\" Rano explained, criticizing the government for
\nemphasizing business aspects when dealing with the arts.<\/p>\n
He also rebuked the ministry of information for issuing a
\ndecree stipulating that all national films must be processed in
\nthe country. This was a blow to film producers because Indonesia
\ndoesn't have a film laboratory that meets international
\nstandards, according to Rano.<\/p>\n
The national film industry has been in critical condition
\nsince the early 1990s. Only 20 to 30 films are produced a year,
\ncompared to annual production of 70 films in the preceding
\ndecade.<\/p>\n
\"Fortunately, as the film industry falters, TV give us the
\nopportunity to work,\" Rano said.<\/p>\n
Asked about his future plans, Rano said he would manage his
\nfamily's production house for the next five or six years.<\/p>\n
\"I have been working since I was nine years old. There were
\nparts of my private life that I had to give up, to sacrifice. In
\nsix years from now, I will take a rest. I don't know what I will
\ndo later,\" said Rano, who is opening a restaurant in Kemang,
\nSouth Jakarta, next month.<\/p>\n
Rano doesn't rest, even on weekends.<\/p>\n
\"My wife might be mad at me. But this is for my health. I will
\nget sick (if I don't work),\" he said.<\/p>\n
Rano is married to Dewi Indriati, his schoolmate, and has a
\nson. His first marriage with a national table tennis player ended
\nquickly.<\/p>\n
\"After more than eight years (since his second marriage) we
\nhave never fought,\" Rano said.<\/p>\n
Twenty years after Rano became famous as a movie star, his
\nstar is still shining brightly. He attributes it to always loving
\nhis work, continuing to learn and being a good Moslem.<\/p>\n
\"There are negatives to success, which can bring you down, if
\nyou can't handle them,\" he assured.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rano-karnos-si-doel-a-popular-show-1447893297",
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