FOLLOWING the moderate success of the Astro Originals’ series Projek: Anchor SPM which aired in 2020, Astro produced another series from the “Projek” anthology. Known as Projek: High Council, the show has become a pop culture phenomenon among local viewers.
The Malaysian school television drama series – which debuted on Astro Ria, Astro OnDemand, and Astro Go in mid-January – ran for 10 episodes, airing its gut-wrenching finale on March 18.
The series was unique for featuring mostly newcomers, such as Mierul Aiman, Amir Ahnaf and Yusof Hashim, whose relatablity helped to boost the show’s popularity among youths.
Alongside them, the cast also featured Projek: Anchor SPM alums Nadhir Nasar and Daiyan Trisha, Naim Daniel, Hasnul Rahmat, Sazy Falak, and Azhar Sulaiman.
Co-directed by Anwari Ashraf and Zulaikha Zakaria, and produced by Pasal Productions, the series follows Fakhri (Mierul) who has been transferred to the highly prestigious all-male boarding school known as Kolej Ungku Deramat (KUDRAT), not knowing that his long-lost brother, Naim (Nadhir) also attends there and serves as its head prefect.
Freshman Fakhri, who joined his brother in the fourth grade, is then introduced to a tradition among students of the school that has existed for decades, namely the High Council hierarchy.
The High Council system has been in place since 1968 with the intention of regulating the behaviour of male students who began to form factions and who loved to brawl. But as time passed by, the system was corrupted in order to give more power to the “KAPLA” (leader of the High Council).
Dissatisfied over living under the dictatorship of current KAPLA Kahar (Amir), Fakhri and Naim participate in the hierarchy’s ‘secret elections’ in order to become the new KAPLA, in the hopes of changing the system.
Fresh narratives that address long-standing issue
In previous years, films like Lagenda Budak Setan (2010) and Juvana (2013) gained a lot of attention from audiences because they accurately depicted the situations of troubled youths in their daily lives or at school.
The Projek series follows in the same vein, highlighting serious issues such as bullying, sexual assault, corrupt school culture, hierarchies and internal politics in school. It sheds a light on some of the major problems that are taking place in our local educational institutions.
Add to that the fact that the Astro Original series is said to be based on a real-life incident that took place, and this encourages viewers’ to comprehend the consequences of such situations, and learn something from it. It could even spark a campaign to encourage people to respect one another and stop bullying.
A strong cast and outstanding acting performance
Projek: High Council’s main cast is its strongest aspect, and the casting director deserves praise for locating such talented actors who were relative unknowns previously.
Considering how Nadhir’s popularity grew through starring in both Projek: Anchor SPM, and Projek: High Council, it is highly likely that the director will bring them back for future instalments.
And when it comes to the ideal cast, Amir Ahnaf and 2021 Hero Remaja Champion, Mierul Aiman, are largely responsible for the rising interest in the series. They were both successful in creating a phenomenon through the drama series, becoming household names among their loyal fanbase.
But it’s not just the actors playing the students who drew attention. Veteran actor Azhar Sulaiman, who plays Firdaus, the troubled, soft-spoken father of both Fakhri and Naim, demonstrated that he is capable of acting through a variety of emotions.
An unexpected turn of events
Speaking with some of the High Council actors during a Raya-themed event last month, it appeared that they were taken aback by the series’ success. However, Fadhli Masoot (who plays Zaim) told theSun that he had a feeling that the series was going to be a phenomenon among audiences.
“We discussed this back then while [we were] shooting all together, because we already felt the hype around it at the time. Even though it [had not been] released yet, the hype was already there,” Fadhli said.
His comments were supported by co-star Hazeeq Dean (Aris), who stated that the marketing for the series was the result of a well-executed effort during the production process.
“Yes, we talked about the hype and everything, but this is beyond our expectations,” Hazeeq Dean continued. “All I can say is that this is all due to all the [right factors] there, from good casting, the team, chemistry, and the production.”
We asked actor Amir Ahnaf, who plays Kahar in the series, whether he had any memorable experiences on set.
“Yes, there were a lot of special moments, and there were also a few incidents during the fight scenes where I was present, which made them even more special, and it’s hard to forget all these great memories,” Amir said.
The Verdict
Overall, Projek: High Council is well worth watching and has definitely proven to be a hit among the younger generation. With a unique subject matter, so many fresh faces in the cast who come with charismatic personalities, it’s not surprising that this series deserves most of its hype.
Consideruing the storyline is set during the years 2006 and 2007, the showrunners did a great job with the script and cinematography to suit the era, and the characters’ attire and demeanour fit the mood perfectly.
Last but not least, the local entertainment industry should make more of these kinds of television shows and films. Their topics serve as a wake-up call for the general public, and also to viewers who were unaware of what was happening outside of their world.
Obviously, at the same time, it gives newcomers an opportunity to enter the industry and ensures the future of the film and drama industry is in good hands.
