KUALA LUMPUR, April 29 — Host and former radio announcer Halim Othman shared his excitement at the chance to relive the nostalgia of his heyday from the late 1990s to early 2000s through the local superhero film Keluang Man, directed by Anwari Ashraf.
Although appearing only as a voice, the 61-year-old said he was deeply moved to be entrusted with the role of transporting audiences back to the era when he hosted the hit television show Roda Impian (Wheel of Fortune).
“Anwari told me about a superhero film with a character inspired by me, tied to the golden days of Roda Impian. I was touched by the director’s imagination in wanting to capture Malaysia’s memories from around 1998 to 2000,” he said at the film’s launch recently.
“This character exists in the hero’s mind. How could I turn it down? I’m truly honoured because it was created specifically for me — no one else could play it,” he added.
Despite playing a version of himself, Halim admitted that recreating his signature voice and intonation from the 1990s wasn’t easy.
“At first, I wasn’t sure if I could bring back that sound, but Alhamdulillah, after dozens of recording sessions from 8 pm to 1 am, I finally nailed it with the director’s guidance,” he said.
Halim believes Keluang Man has the potential to unite different generations, from Gen Z and millennials to adults who grew up with 90s Malaysian pop culture.
“This isn’t just a superhero film — it’s a creative journey connecting nostalgia with a new generation. I hope this film will introduce our local superhero to wider audiences and continue to grow,” he said.
Separately, Halim shared his foray into modern broadcasting through the TikTok platform, HO Radio, via his account @halimothman2024.
“In the past, radio was confined to a studio. Now, through HO Radio on TikTok, even on a small scale, I can move freely. I treat it as a mobile studio,” he said.
Recently, Halim returned to Terengganu to host ‘live’ broadcasts from various locations, including a keropok lekor production site, daun palas (palm leaf) processing centres, and beaches — fulfilling his long-time dream of taking radio beyond the studio.
Produced by Astro Shaw, Keluang Man also stars Nas Muammar Zar (Nas-T), Datuk Remy Ishak, Datuk Rosyam Nor, Anwaar Beg Moghal, and Shweta Sekhon, and is set to open in cinemas nationwide on May 29. — Bernama
