Hanung Bramantyo Reveals Humanitarian Mission Behind the Salim Kamil Mosque in Jagakarsa

Jagakarsa, South Jakarta – not merely a structure of cement and bricks, but a product of the restlessness of a filmmaker. Director Hanung Bramantyo, after two decades behind the camera, has found a ‘masterpiece’ that makes him feel truly complete. It is not a festival-winning film, but a house of worship built together with his wife, Zaskia Adya Mecca, and donors: Masjid Salim Kamil.

The building stands as a visual representation of the spiritual and social journey of the celebrity couple, who have long been known more for television and cinema than for community structures. Hanung said the construction took about two years.

As a director known for perfectionism, he did not allow a single detail to be off. His discipline on set carried over to every corner of the construction. To him, every pillar, the curve of walls, and lighting arrangement are part of a larger frame that must convey a message to anyone who comes.

Often, he would perform ‘editing’ on site if the structure did not align with the mood he desired. To him, a building must have a soul, just as a screenplay must breathe in the hands of its cast.

“Because I am a very detail-oriented person, building a house is like making a film. If there is something that needs editing, I edit it. So I also ‘jump-cut’ the workers, right? If it does not match the details of the construction I want, I replace it, I replace the workers,” he said in Jakarta on Wednesday (4 March 2026).

Masjid Salim Kamil is not merely an aesthetic project to satisfy architectural ego. Hanung and Zaskia are carrying a deeper mission than the physical grandeur. They want to change the paradigm of how mosques function in a modern society that is often individualistic.

Until now, there have been mosques that only function as places for formal rituals locked away from prayer time. But for this family, Ramadan and Eid this year are an emotional moment because this work connects worldly affairs with heavenly hopes. It is a ‘legacy’ they are preparing not just for the public but as an example for their children about the meaning of giving back to the community.

“This is our Eid and fasting moment that makes the family proud, for me, for the children, for us all, because we can create together and it’s not merely worldly but heavenly,” Hanung said.