For Indonesian people and overseas fans, he is the King of Dangdut, whose songs that started an era of pop music in the 1970s remain the anthem of today.
His popularity led him to star in 29 films, some of which have been an endless source of memes using his characters’ dialog.
It is less known, however, that those films served as a form of catharsis to the suppression of missionary endeavors during the authoritarian regime of president Soeharto.
The films of Rhoma Irama will among those showcased at the 2020 Madani Film Festival, which runs from Nov. 20 to Dec. 4.
Living legend: Musician, actor and politician Rhoma Irama receives an award at the 2020 Indonesian Movie Actors Awards on July 25 for his dedication to the industry. (Courtesy Fimela.com/-)
The king himself will appear in a public discussion with filmmaker Garin Nugroho at the online festival, which is themed…
