‘Pisang goreng’ by day, bank heist by night: M. Raihan Halim plots 2027 release for Malaysian action comedy ‘Goreng!’

Malaysian filmmaker M. Raihan Halim is set to release his new action-comedy heist film, 'Goreng!' in August 2027. The movie, which features a humble pisang goreng (banana fritters) stall as the unlikely cover for a bank heist, follows the story of Johari Hamzah who plans to rob a bank by renting a shop opposite it and digging a tunnel into its vault.

The film stars Sky Iskandar, Nadhir Nasar, Chech Harith, Tony Eusoff and Amelia Henderson, with additional cast members to be announced. Halim, known for his previous works 'La Luna' and 'Badak', drew inspiration from the entrepreneurial spirit of Kuala Lumpur's younger generation and the creative ways they are building businesses.

The film also pays homage to Malaysian comedies of the early 2000s, particularly the work of veteran actor and filmmaker Afdlin Shauki. Despite pisang goreng being a central element in the movie, Halim made sure that the cast was primarily focused on acting skills rather than culinary expertise. With filming currently underway in Kuala Lumpur, the film's poster and trailer are expected to be unveiled soon, and the release date is set for August 2027.