Revenge of the Pontianak
A Pontianak terrorizes a village in 1965 Malaysia.
Set in a 1965 Malaysian village, *Revenge of the Pontianak* (also titled *Dendam Pontianak*) is a 2019 Singaporean-Malaysian romantic horror film in the Malay language. Directed by Glen Goei and Gavin Yap, it features Nur Fazura and Remy Ishak. The story follows a couple, Khalid and Siti, whose wedding preparations are disrupted when a beautiful Pontianak—a female vampire ghost from Southeast Asian folklore, born from a woman who died in pregnancy or childbirth—begins terrorising the village. The ghost seeks revenge on Khalid, whom she loves eternally, causing a series of horrific deaths and supernatural events that spread fear and paranoia among the villagers. The film was released on 29 August 2019 in Singapore, and on 12 September 2019 in Malaysia and Brunei. The cast includes Nur Fazura as Mina, Remy Ishak as Khalid, Hisyam Hamid as Reza, Shenty Feliziana as Siti, along with Namron, Tony Eusoff, Nadiah M. Din, Nadia Aqilah, Nik Harraz Danish, Idris Mat Diah, Hasnah Hashim, Haslinna Jaaman, and Wan Hanafi Su.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Glen Goei / Gavin Yap
- Starring
- Nur Fazura / Remy Ishak / Hisyam Hamid
- Distributor
- Golden Village Pictures / Primeworks Studiosd
- Studio
- Tiger Tiger Pictures / 13 Little Pictures / Primeworks Studios
- Released
- 29 August 2019 · Singapore · 2019 · 09 · 12 · Malaysia
- Runtime
- 92 minutes
- Country
- Singapore / Malaysia
- Language
- Malay
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The film is set in 1965 in a village in Malaysia. Khalid and Siti, a couple, are preparing for their wedding day with help from the villagers. Soon after, the village suffers horrific deaths and supernatural happenings, causing fear and paranoia. This is because a female ghost, the beautiful Pontianak, has arrived and is terrorizing the village, taking revenge on Khalid. A Pontianak is a female vampire ghost of a woman who died during pregnancy or childbirth in Southeast Asian folklore.
Reader's Guide
Revenge of the Pontianak is significant as a Singaporean-Malaysian co-production that blends romantic horror with Southeast Asian folklore, specifically the Pontianak legend. Released in 2019, it features a cast including Nur Fazura as Mina and Remy Ishak as Khalid, with Hisyam Hamid, Shenty Feliziana, and others. The film's narrative, set in 1965, explores themes of revenge and supernatural terror. Its legacy lies in its contribution to the regional horror genre and its use of a traditional folkloric figure, the Pontianak, to drive a story of love and vengeance. The film was released in Singapore on 29 August 2019 and in Malaysia and Brunei on 12 September 2019.
The 1965 Village and the Wedding That Never Was
The narrative of Revenge of the Pontianak is anchored in a specific historical moment: 1965, in a Malaysian village. The story opens with a sense of communal joy as the villagers gather to help a young couple, Khalid and Siti, prepare for their wedding day. This idyllic beginning is shattered when a wave of horrific deaths and unexplained supernatural occurrences sweeps through the community, plunging the villagers into deep fear and paranoia. The source of the terror is revealed to be a Pontianak — a beautiful female ghost who has come with a singular, obsessive purpose: to exact revenge on Khalid, a man she has loved forever. The film's central tension revolves around this impossible triangle of love, death, and vengeance, asking how the couple's story will ultimately resolve against the backdrop of a village consumed by dread and the inescapable presence of a spirit that refuses to let go.
Roots in Southeast Asian Folklore
The Pontianak occupies a deeply entrenched place in Southeast Asian supernatural tradition, and Revenge of the Pontianak draws directly from that rich mythological well. In the folklore the film adapts, a Pontianak is specifically the vengeful spirit of a woman who died during pregnancy or childbirth — a female vampire ghost whose tragic death at the moment of creation transforms her into an eternal predator. The film leans into this particular origin, giving the ghost a deeply personal and emotional motivation rather than a generic desire for blood. She is not merely a monster; she is a woman bound by an undying love for a man she can never have in life, and her revenge is an expression of that frozen, eternal longing. By describing the Pontianak as beautiful, the production also taps into the folklore's emphasis on the ghost's alluring appearance, making the horror more unsettling because the threat is wrapped in grace rather than grotesquerie.
A Singaporean-Malaysian Co-Production
Revenge of the Pontianak is a Malay-language romantic horror film born from a cross-border collaboration between Singapore and Malaysia. The project was helmed by directors Glen Goei and Gavin Yap, who brought their vision to life with a cast headlined by two prominent regional stars: Nur Fazura, who takes on the role of Mina, and Remy Ishak, who plays Khalid. The supporting ensemble includes Hisyam Hamid as Reza, Shenty Feliziana as Siti, and Tony Eusoff as Rais, alongside a roster of additional performers including Namron, Nadiah M. Din, Nadia Aqilah, Nik Harraz Danish, Idris Mat Diah, Hasnah Hashim, Haslinna Jaaman, and Wan Hanafi Su. The decision to produce the film in Malay rather than English or Mandarin reflects a deliberate commitment to serving the linguistic and cultural heartland of the Pontianak legend, ensuring the story resonates with audiences for whom this particular ghost story is woven into the fabric of everyday folklore.
Release Across the Straits
The theatrical rollout of Revenge of the Pontianak followed a staggered pattern that mirrored the film's dual national identity. Singapore audiences were the first to see the film, with its opening on 29 August 2019. Just two weeks later, on 12 September 2019, the picture hit screens in both Malaysia and Brunei, extending its reach across the broader Malay-speaking region. This sequencing is notable because it positions Singapore as the primary launch market despite the story being set in a Malaysian village, a detail that underscores the fluid, shared cultural space in which the Pontianak legend lives. The inclusion of Brunei in the same release window as Malaysia further highlights the film's ambition to speak to the entire Malay-speaking world, treating the Pontianak not as a single country's folklore but as a regional inheritance. The relatively short gap between the two release dates also suggests a coordinated distribution strategy designed to maintain momentum and word-of-mouth buzz across borders.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Revenge of the Pontianak?
It is a 2019 romantic horror film co-produced by Singapore and Malaysia, telling the story of a supernatural love triangle in a small Malaysian village. The movie was directed by Glen Goei and Gavin Yap and is performed entirely in Malay.
Who are the main characters in Revenge of the Pontianak?
The human leads are Khalid and Siti, a couple in the middle of wedding preparations, portrayed by Remy Ishak and Nur Fazura. The central antagonist is a Pontianak, a vengeful female ghost who is consumed by an eternal, obsessive love for Khalid.
What is a Pontianak in the film?
In this story the Pontianak is a female vampire ghost drawn from Southeast Asian folklore, specifically a woman who died during pregnancy or childbirth. She haunts the village and kills its residents as an act of bloody retribution against the man she loved in life.
Where and when is Revenge of the Pontianak set?
The entire narrative unfolds in a rural Malaysian village in the year 1965. The film was released in Singapore on 29 August 2019 and in Malaysia and Brunei on 12 September 2019.
Who directed Revenge of the Pontianak and what is its genre?
Glen Goei and Gavin Yap co-directed the picture, which blends romantic drama with supernatural horror rooted in regional ghost folklore. It is classified as a romantic horror film and was produced as a joint Singaporean-Malaysian project.
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