Legendary director Teguh karya passes away
Legendary director Teguh Karya, 66, died on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. due to complications from a stroke suffered in 1998. He died on the way to Mintohardjo Navy Hospital in Pejompongan, Central Jakarta.
His body was taken to the Teater Populer studio on Jl. Kebon Pala in Tanah Abang later on Tuesday. A mass prayer will take place on Wednesday at 7 p.m. and he is due to be cremated on Thursday at Cilincing crematorium.
His assistant Edi, who was with Teguh until his final moments, said the nine-time Citra award winner for best director could not sleep over the last two days and was unable to swallow food properly.
Teguh's younger sister, Lena, said her brother also had suffered from hypertension and diabetes.
Born Steve Liem Tjoan Hok in Pandeglang, West Java, on Sept. 22, 1935, Teguh made his name in directing Wajah Seorang Laki- laki in 1971. Since then he catapulted to success as the best director in the country by winning a total of 52 Citra awards for his 13 movies from 1971 to 1993.
His work on Doea Tanda Mata, starring Alex Komang, won the best film award at the Asia Pacific Film Festival in 1985. The same festival this year also awarded him a Lifetime Achievement Award. Teguh had to accept the award in a wheelchair at his home.
Teguh also directed several TV dramas for state-owned TVRI including his initial work Permainan Gelas, an adaptation of Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, one of his favorite playwrights, and his last Arak-arakan.
He was also known for his role in guiding the development of many young film directors and actors.
Some of Teguh's protegees, including Slamet Rahardjo Djarot, Christine Hakim, Hengky Solaiman, Dewi Matindas and Ayu Azhari, paid their respects at the hospital.
Slamet recalled that most of them jokingly called Teguh "Mr. Good Morning."
"He was very disciplined with us. Before starting the film production, we always had to rehearse from morning to morning. That's why we called him 'Mr. Good Morning'.
"He always told us that if we wanted something we had to struggle for it. He always disliked people who were indulgent or spoiled."
Slamet -- Citra winner for best actor in Teguh's Ranjang Pengantin in 1974 and Di Balik Kelambu in 1983 -- said many of Teguh's dreams for the Teater Populer Foundation had yet to materialize.
"It's very hard for me to fulfill all his ambitions. He wanted to have a regular performance at Kebon Pala, set up a library and have discussions. It is our duty to accomplish this."
In a 1998 interview with The Jakarta Post, an ailing Teguh said he hoped others would be inspired by his example in theater.
"I just hope that what I started in theater will be continued by others. Theater introduced me to a lot of issues. That is a good thing," he said.
"I guess I am like Tennessee Williams and other artists. I am always looking to do something new, something that others have not done."
Christine Hakim expressed her feelings about Teguh.
"I know it's God's will to make me what I am today through Teguh's hand. If not for him, perhaps I'd have ended up as a housewife. I wasn't interested in the arts when I was in high school. I started to love acting in my third movie Kawin Lari."
Christine, who won two Citra awards for best actress in Cinta Pertama and Di Balik Kelambu, recalled how Teguh still managed to criticize Slamet and N. Riantiarno's lack of preparation at a rehearsal for their Pemburu Perkasa performance last month.
"They both had only a day to rehearse and they practiced carrying the script in hand. Teguh simply said 'You still don't remember the dialog'."
"He really hated actors who carried the script onto the set."
Films: - Wajah Seorang Laki-laki (1971) - Cinta Pertama (1973) - Ranjang Pengantin (1974) - Kawin Lari (1975) - Perkawinan Dalam Semusim (1976) - Badai Pasti Berlalu (1977) - November 1828 (1979) - Usia 18 (1980) - Di Balik Kelambu (1982) - Secangkir Kopi Pahit (1984) - Doea Tanda Mata (1985) - Ibunda (1986) - Pacar Ketinggalan Kereta (1989)