Hanung Bramantyo Had Doubts When Manoj Punjabi Offered to Direct 'CHILDREN OF HEAVEN'

Kapanlagi.com - Who would have thought, behind his enthusiasm, director Hanung Bramantyo had doubts when he was first offered to work on the remake of CHILDREN OF HEAVEN. The doubts arose not because of the quality of the film, but rather because of the genre and the person offering it, namely Manoj Punjabi, the "king of commercial films".

CHILDREN OF HEAVEN is a legendary film from Iran that is rich in neo-realism. This genre, according to Hanung, is very much at odds with the box office films usually produced by MD Pictures.

Access articles about Hanung Bramantyo at Liputan6.com.

1. Hanung Bramantyo Was Nervous

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"At that time, Mr. Manoj said, 'Do you want to make the film Children of Heaven?' I said, 'Huh? Which Children of Heaven?' I was already nervous," recalled Hanung when met at MD Place, Monday (06/10/2025).

2. This Film Was Once His Study Material

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The fact that this film was once his study material in college made Hanung feel a very heavy burden. He even questioned Manoj Punjabi's decision.

3. Making a Neo-Realist Film

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"Suddenly, Mr. Manoj, the king of commercial films in Indonesia, suddenly made a neo-realist film. I said, 'Are you sure, sir?'" he said while laughing.

4. A Big Challenge

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However, Hanung sees this as a big challenge that could change the face of Indonesian cinema. If a film with a neo-realism genre can achieve commercial success, it will be a breakthrough

5. Hanung's Hope

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"If films like this can become box office hits, it will truly change the face of Indonesian cinema," he stated with hope.

6. Manoj's Decision Based on Guidance

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On the other hand, Manoj Punjabi admitted that his decision was based on "guidance" after watching the original film with his family and feeling very moved.

"I see all this, if not planned, but it seems to start running that way," said Manoj.

7. Feeling a Path of Destiny

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He feels there is a path of destiny that leads him to produce films with themes of humanity and family.

"So I think this is a path that, what is it, I received guidance. I received guidance from God to do projects like this again," he concluded.

(kpl/aal/dyn)