Introduction
Written and directed by Johan John, ‘Cahaya’ revolves around Salleh, a blind reflexologist who lives in his own dark world but believes in the light of life and Maria, an escort who lives in a world full of colour but sees only darkness.This heartfelt drama stars Khir Rahman and Elaine Daly, together with award winning
Singaporean actress Wahyu Rahman and a host of other local talents.
Set on the streets of KL, ‘Cahaya’ is sure to win audiences locally as well as abroad with its universal tale of love and tragedy in a world uniquely Malaysian in flavor.
The Idea
The idea for "Cahaya" came about after I finished my first feature "Andai". In that film,I had two different people with different lives falling in love with each other. A thief and an ordinary urban, working girl. The thought of pairing two characters with nothing in common physically, but everything in common emotionally, was just too hard to let go.
A prostitute, so numbed by life, tired of physical contact, but in so much need of emotional and mental love. A person who wants someone not to judge, but to except and not remind her of her past and present.
A blind man, whose lost everything including his passion. A person whose soul bares no life. Someone who lives without a care for anything, and where waking up and living feels like bad luck.
To watch and understand the life of a prostitute and a blind man. To see them as they are: at work, at home, eating, sleeping and falling in love. Having the audience peer into lives of two characters that are rarely known, understood or seen, is an undeniably intriguing cinematic experience.
The spiritual and reality based take on both these characters, comes from my early experiences in life. Being around and meeting people in different circles and personalities, helped shape the story and the screenplay for "Cahaya". And with visual cues and influences from films such as "In the Mood for love" and "Leaving Las Vegas", it was easy to imagine and set the mood or tone of the script.
- Johan John, Writer/Director
