'Keluarga Cemara' successfully shows slice of family life
'Keluarga Cemara' successfully shows slice of family life
By Lies Sartika
JAKARTA (JP): "Thank you, Emak (Mother), thank you, Abah
(Father)," says the theme song of popular TV serial Keluarga
Cemara (Cemara Family). The show, which airs at 12:30 p.m. from
Monday to Friday on private station RCTI, is a firm favorite
among both young and old viewers for its simple slice-of-life
tales.
The show, based on a series of novels by noted writer Arswendo
Atmowiloto, details the fortunes of a low-income family doing its
best to survive the trials of life.
Abah (Adi Kurdi) is an honest man who operates a becak
(pedicab) to support his wife Emak (singer Novia Kolopaking) and
their three daughters, Euis (Cherya Ade), Cemara (Anisa Fujianti)
and Agil (Puji Lestari). Life was not always as hard; in a
riches-to-rags story, Abah was once an affluent businessman in
Jakarta who lost all his money when he was cheated by a friend.
The family was forced to move to Sukabumi, a small town in
West Java. As they struggle to make a living, they come into
contact with an array of diverse and colorful characters. These
include Tante Pressier and her much-loved daughter Pipin
Pressier, Mang Jana, Bik Eha, Mang Wangsa and Ibu Lolo, the local
teacher.
The storylines are simple -- most often centering on the daily
struggle to make ends meet -- but they continually underline that
honesty is always the best policy. Throughout his troubles and
despite the loss of his fortune, Abah always makes the best of
what life has dealt him. It is the maxim he emphasizes to his
three daughters.
Directed by Dedi Setiadi, the show is in its fifth series on
RCTI. It made its debut in October 1996 with a series of 16
programs, followed by 14 shows in its second season, with the
three subsequent years each consisting of 26 episodes. The first
series was rerun three times, and the second and third series
also were rerun twice.
Monday's broadcast is the 84th episode in the series. There
have been some cast and crew changes over the years, including
the replacement of Lia Waroka, who played Emak in the first
series, and Eduard P. Sirait, who directed the debut series.
Except for Emak, the main actors have remained the same, with the
relatively young Novia, 28, successfully playing against type as
an older mother.
Arswendo's tales of the Cemara family were originally
published in serialization in youth magazine Hai (the stories
have been compiled and published in book form by PT Gramedia
Pustaka Utama). Arswendo is also the producer and writer for the
series.
The series has been praised for providing viewing which is of
great benefit to the entire family, especially children. It bears
both moral and educational messages. Using simple storylines
which are easily understood, the program conveys its intent.
In one episode, Abah helped a street child and invited the boy
to stay in his home. The decision was opposed by Ema, who was
afraid the boy would harm their daughters. She is ultimately won
over to her husband's choice when the boy becomes the best friend
of Agil. The little girl teaches manners to the boy, showing him
how to behave, even how to eat properly. Episodes like this touch
the hearts of viewers and keep them tuning in for more every day.
Unlike many locally produced television series which sell
impossible dreams of grand mansions and great riches, Keluarga
Cemara tells simple stories echoing the realities of life for
many Indonesians doing their best in hard times.