Egyptian stars bring ‘Mr VIP’ to Malaysian shores
KUALA LUMPUR
The production stars popular Egyptian actors Karim Abdel Aziz and Yasmine Sabri as a married couple, alongside actor-comedian Mostafa Khater.
Directed by Moataaz El Tony, the film is scheduled to premiere in Egypt by the end of the year before being released in cinemas across much of the Arab world.
The film is a collaboration between Malaysian company Infinity Films
About 45% of its scenes were filmed in Malaysia, according to Infinity Films executive producer Abdulrahman Suud.
“Most of the filming in Malaysia took place in the Klang Valley, with several scenes shot in Genting Highlands,” he told Bernama. “Malaysians were polite and respectful throughout the filming. The crew felt safe and at home while they were here.”
The tightly controlled production reportedly involved about 220 local crew members and 33 cast and crew from Egypt, while post-production work is also expected to be carried out here.
Karim is among Egypt’s most prominent and commercially successful actors, while Yasmine has built a sizeable following through her film and television roles.
Their presence could help introduce Malaysian locations to viewers in Egypt and other Arab markets, Abdulrahman said, while demonstrating the country’s potential as a destination for major foreign productions.
Abdulrahman, an Egyptian-born former actor who has lived in Malaysia for 30 years, hopes the project will encourage other production companies from the region to consider filming here.
“The Egyptian entertainment industry is vast and is often regarded as the Hollywood of the Arab world,” he said, noting that Malaysia’s locations, infrastructure and production talent could make it attractive to filmmakers seeking settings beyond the Middle East.
He added that discussions were under way to introduce more Malaysian films in Egypt and vice-versa, which could help strengthen cultural ties between the two countries .
For the moment, little has been revealed about the plot of “Mr VIP”. But when it reaches theatres, Malaysian audiences may find themselves recognising familiar city streets and highland scenery in an otherwise distinctly Egyptian “social comedy”.