Sandokan

Did You Know?

• Sandokan's character was inspired by Spanish naval captain Carlos Cuarteroni Fernández and Sabahan rajah Sharif Uthman.
• The 1976 miniseries theme song 'Sandokan' was composed by Oliver Onions.

Novels

Additional adventures were written by Luigi Motta, Emilio Fancelli, and Salgari's son Omar. Paco Ignacio Taibo II published a recent novel titled The Return of the Tigers of Malaysia. Gianni Padoan edited a sci-fi reinterpretation series including I misteri della stella nera (1978), I pirati della galassia (1978), Le tigri di Moonpracer (1979), and Alla conquista di Rigel (1980).

Fictional biography

Sandokan is the son of Kaigadan, the last Prince of Borneo, whose parents were killed by the East India Company. He gathers rebels and pirates called the Tigers of Mompracem to regain his princedom, adopting the nickname 'Tiger of Malaysia'. Stranded in Labuan, he recovers in the house of Lord James Guillonk, where he meets Marianna, the 'Pearl of Labuan', and later marries her. After defeat, he frees his men and escapes to Java with his wife.

He and his friend Yanez De Gomera continue to fight James Brooke, the White Rajah of Sarawak, and later help Tremal-Naik against Thugs commanded by Suyodhana. Sandokan eventually defeats his enemies and retires as rajah of Kini Balù, while Yanez becomes rajah of Assam. The character is inspired by Carlos Cuarteroni Fernández and Sharif Uthman, and is depicted as tall, charming, muscular, with black eyes, wearing fine red silk clothes and a turban. He is brave, ruthless with enemies, and kind to friends.

In popular media

The first Sandokan films were made in 1941 in Italy with Luigi Pavese as Sandokan, including Pirates of Malaya and The Two Tigers. A 1964 series of Italian-made films with American leads included Sandokan the Great starring Steve Reeves, Pirates of Malaysia, Sandokan to the Rescue starring Ray Danton, and Sandokan Against the Leopard of Sarawak. A 1970 Italian-Spanish film The Tigers of Mompracem starred Ivan Rassimov. Temple of the White Elephant featured a character named 'Sandok', and The Mountain of Light was retitled 'Sandok' in some territories.

In 1976, Kabir Bedi played the lead in a six-part miniseries Sandokan directed by Sergio Sollima, with Carole André as Lady Marianna Guillonk, Philippe Leroy as Yanez De Gomera, and Adolfo Celi as James Brooke. Bedi reprised the role in the 1977 film La tigre è ancora viva. The theme song by Oliver Onions charted in many European countries. A 2004 documentary Sandokan's Adventure covered the series.

Two further television series, The Return of Sandokan (1996) and The Son of Sandokan (1998), again starred Kabir Bedi. In 2025, Lux Vide and Rai Fiction produced a new adaptation starring Can Yaman, Alanah Bloor, and Ed Westwick.