Rano Karno's 'Si Doel' a popular show

Rano Karno's 'Si Doel' a popular show

Text by T. Sima Gunawan, photos by Mulkan Salmona

JAKARTA (JP): One of Indonesia's best actors, Rano Karno,
didn't run out of words during his hour-long conversation with
The Jakarta Post last weekend, except when asked what he does in
his spare time.

"Playing golf, isn't for me," said the 35-year-old who also
directs and produces films.

Rano had to be reminded by the Post of his thousands of laser
discs to get an answer.

"Oh yeah, I like watching movies. Every day I fall asleep at
three or four in the morning after watching the movies," he said.

Movies are his life. Everything he does has something to do
with them. When he isn't busy making films, he pounds out scripts
on his typewriter.

Nominated seven times as best actor before winning the
prestigious Citra film award for his role in Taxi in 1990, Rano
has recently shifted to TV miniseries.

He produces, directs and stars in Si Doel Anak Sekolahan
(Doel, the Scholar) shown on RCTI every Friday evening. Rano
plays si Doel in the immensely popular show.

It's not Rano's first time playing si Doel. Rano was young
Doel in Si Doel Anak Betawi (Doel, the Betawi Boy), a motion
picture produced in 1971.

The movie was based on a book by H. Aman Datuk Majoinjo,
published by the Balai Pustaka publishing house.

Rano has played in dozens of successful films, but he likes
three films the best: Si Doel Anak Betawi, Suci Sang Primadona
(Suci the Primadona) and Taxi.

"Si Doel Anak Betawi is the childhood film I like best. Before
the film was made, I had read the book and I loved it. I used to
live not far from Balai Pustaka, and my school was also in the
neighborhood. After school, I went there to read books because I
didn't have any money to buy them," he said.

He read not only children's books but works like Salah Asuhan
(Prodigal Son) by Abdoel Moeis and Layar Terkembang (Running
Under Full Sail) by Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana.

Rano liked doing the movie Suci because it was a challenge to
act like a 24-year-old while only being 17 years old. In Taxi, he
was a kindhearted driver who cared for a baby an actress left in
his cab.

"Gita Cinta Dari SMA (The Love Chimes from High School) was
very popular, but I wasn't satisfied with it. I was a high school
student playing a high school student," he divulged.

He also sings and has sold several albums. He admits he
doesn't have a golden voice, but the songs were favorites among
his teenage fans. One of his hits was Yang Sangat Kusayang (The
One I Love Very Much).

Social problems

Rano left love themes and started to work on stories focusing
on social problems and the facts of life.

Si Doel Anak Sekolahan tells of the day-to-day problems faced
by si Doel, his family and the people around him. Doel has
managed to graduate from university, but can't find a suitable
job. His father, played by Betawi artist Benjamin, is an oplet
(Opel stationwagon used for public transportation) driver who was
forced to sell his land to finance Doel's studies.

The script was written by Rano and Ida Farida, a film
director, when the two were making films in Malaysia eight years
ago. They wrote it for the big-screen, but Indonesian film
producers weren't interested. Rano then decided to produce at his
family's production house, Karno's Film.

"Filming Si Doel was an obsession. So, I sold everything, my
house, my car, to finance the production," said Rano, a son of
film director Soekarno M. Noor, who died in 1986.

When Rano finished making six episodes, he offered them to
RCTI. He waited four months before he got the go ahead from the
private television station.

It turned out that the miniseries, which started last year,
immediately captured the hearts of viewers. Big companies raced
to place their commercials in the show's slot.

Rano then made another 26 episodes, which got an equally warm
welcome from the audience, so he followed up with a further 26
episodes.

"Its an endless story because it is the life of Si Doel. It
will stop when I am tired or when RCTI refuses to show it," he
said.

Si Doel is well-known not only in Indonesia, but also in
neighboring countries and even in the Middle East, where hundreds
of thousands of Indonesians work.

Rano, who went on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia late last year,
was surprised to find out how popular Si Doel was in that
country.

"I got special treatment at immigration and the airport. They
even upgraded my ticket, from economy to VIP," Rano said.

Pirated tapes of Si Doel were circulating around the country.
Instead of getting angry, Rano said he met the businessman who
copied the show and offered to cooperate in producing the tapes.

The mini-series includes about 60 people who are ready to play
at anytime, according to Rano, who treats them like family.

"He (Rano Karno) is very kind. I really enjoyed working on his
show. As a director he was very patient," said Letty Latifah, one
of the crew.

Si Doel is popular among people from all walks of life, the
poor and the rich.

"Rich people like it because they miss the natural life in Si
Doel. They want to be like the characters but they just can't,"
Rano said.

Jakarta Governor Surjadi Soedirdja and Coordinating Minister
of Political Affairs Soesilo Soedarman gave the television
miniseries two thumbs up, applauding it for featuring local
customs.

"I'm not making a documentary on the Betawi. There is a Betawi
atmosphere in it because si Doel is a Betawi, but the whole story
is about the universal problems of life. That's why it's accepted
from Sabang to Merauke," Rano said.

Rano underlined the importance of a "clear cultural basis" for
characters in motion pictures to help actors to understand their
roles and play them convincingly.

"You might say I'm Indonesian. Yes, but from what part of
Indonesia?"

With a population of over 190 million, and 27 provinces, each
there are a multitudes of cultures, customs, languages and
dialects.

The booming television miniseries industry began a few years
ago with the showing of Siti Nurbaya, followed by Salah Asuhan,
which also had a culture basis. Masih Ada Kapal ke Padang (There
is Still a Ship Sailing to Padang), is now shown on SCTV.

Rano is in the process of shooting another television
miniseries entitled RT RW or Rumah Tangga Ruwet (Entangled
Household), a story about the problems of urbanization.

The next television miniseries he will produce is SAR or
Sarana Angkutan Kota (Public Transportation Means). It will
illustrate the life of a poor teacher who has to scramble to make
a living by becoming a tukang ojek (a motorist offering a ride
for some money).

He and Basuki are writing the script. Basuki, one of the main
players in Si Doel, will play the teacher.

Before writing the script, Rano researched the subject and
talked to some teachers.

"It will be a show, but I want to make one I can account for,"
he said.

Rano said that owing to the fact that Si Doel Anak Sekolahan
was a big success on TV, film producers have requested to make it
into a movie. He has refused.

"Si Doel isn't mine anymore. It has become the public's," he
insisted.

More promising

At least until the end of the year, Rano will concentrate on
miniseries, which are more promising than films.

Rano said problems in the Indonesian film industry were quite
complex. A lack of professionalism inside the industry, little
appreciation by the public and lack of government support are the
main problems.

The government hasn't seriously addressed the problem because
"unlike garments, films don't provide any foreign exchange for
the country," Rano explained, criticizing the government for
emphasizing business aspects when dealing with the arts.

He also rebuked the ministry of information for issuing a
decree stipulating that all national films must be processed in
the country. This was a blow to film producers because Indonesia
doesn't have a film laboratory that meets international
standards, according to Rano.

The national film industry has been in critical condition
since the early 1990s. Only 20 to 30 films are produced a year,
compared to annual production of 70 films in the preceding
decade.

"Fortunately, as the film industry falters, TV give us the
opportunity to work," Rano said.

Asked about his future plans, Rano said he would manage his
family's production house for the next five or six years.

"I have been working since I was nine years old. There were
parts of my private life that I had to give up, to sacrifice. In
six years from now, I will take a rest. I don't know what I will
do later," said Rano, who is opening a restaurant in Kemang,
South Jakarta, next month.

Rano doesn't rest, even on weekends.

"My wife might be mad at me. But this is for my health. I will
get sick (if I don't work)," he said.

Rano is married to Dewi Indriati, his schoolmate, and has a
son. His first marriage with a national table tennis player ended
quickly.

"After more than eight years (since his second marriage) we
have never fought," Rano said.

Twenty years after Rano became famous as a movie star, his
star is still shining brightly. He attributes it to always loving
his work, continuing to learn and being a good Moslem.

"There are negatives to success, which can bring you down, if
you can't handle them," he assured.