ANN/THE STAR – Malbatt: Mission Bakara has undeniably struck a chord with viewers, raking in a remarkable MYR26 million in just 11 days at the box office across Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore.
For Somali American actor Musa Aden, being a part of this project is a source of immense pride.
Malbatt (Malaysian Battalion) portrays the experiences of Malaysian peacekeepers stationed in Mogadishu, Somalia, in 1993, as they embark on a mission to rescue American soldiers trapped deep within hostile territory.
The incident was the basis for the 2001 film Black Hawk Down, directed by Ridley Scott. However, in that film there was no mention of Malbatt.
Director Adrian Teh rectified that by telling the Black Hawk Down story from the point of view of the Malaysian soldiers who were there.
Aden plays an interpreter in Malbatt, working closely with the Malaysian soldiers in the field.
At a press meet in July, Teh mentioned that besides showcasing Malaysians’ bravery in carrying out the dangerous mission, he felt it was equally important to show that the real victims of the civil war in Somalia were the locals.
Many are innocent civilians caught in the crossfire of a war they didn’t want.
To emphasise this point, Teh reached out to Aden, who was born in Bakara, Somalia and is now an American.
He was five years old when his family managed to flee Somalia at the end of 1993 to Kenya.
They eventually reached the United States as refugees in 1999.
As Aden recalled, he was not spared from the horrors of war as a child.
“Yes we left, but we saw people getting killed all the time there. As a young kid, hearing gunshots became normal. When your house is hit by bullets, it’s normal.
“At the beginning, it’s scary, but after a while, you are grateful when you get to see another day.”
The 33-year-old actor added that he was immediately keen to be a part of Teh’s movie when he was contacted by Teh’s production company.
He shared, “I have played many roles, some as terrorists, but nobody has ever given me the role of a good person in Somalia.
“I came to Turkiye to shoot the film with Adrian and other cast members, and it was difficult because it was so hot. But working with (Shaheizy) Sam and all the other great actors helped with the difficulties.”
One of the standout scenes in the film involves Aden’s character just crumbling in the middle of a gunfight after his family is forced to flee from their home.
According to Aden, it was a challenging scene for him as it was an emotional moment for his character, and they had to shoot that scene multiple times.
He said, “We had to do the scene 12 times because we had to get the shot right. So, I had to cry 12 times. But Adrian always gave me time to get into my character’s head, which is very important.” – Mumtaj Begum
