FILMOGRAPHY

Films & Clips

P. Ramlee acted in 66 feature films and directed 33 between 1948 and 1973 — from the golden age of Malay Film Productions in Singapore to his later work at Merdeka Film Productions in Kuala Lumpur.

International Recognition

Asian Film Festival awards and the Berlinale screening, 1956–1964

HONG KONG19563rd AFFBest Musical ScoreHang Tuah

BERLIN19577th BerlinaleOfficial ScreeningHang Tuah† 1st Malay film

TOKYO19574th AFFBest Male ActorAnakku Sazali

KL19596th AFFBest ComedyPendekar Bujang Lapok

TOKYO19607th AFFBest ComedyNujum Pak Belalang

TOKYO196310th AFFMost Versatile TalentIbu Mertua-ku† prize for him

TAIPEI196411th AFFBest ComedyMadu Tiga

195519571959196119631965

Six AFF awards plus the Berlinale — across nine years, four cities, six films. The 1963 Most Versatile Talent prize was created specifically for him.

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As Actor

In addition to the 33 films he directed, P. Ramlee appeared as an actor in a further 33 films directed by others — including B.S. Rajhans, Phani Majumdar, S. Ramanathan, and B.N. Rao at Malay Film Productions. His debut was in Chinta (1948), directed by B.S. Rajhans, who discovered him at a singing competition in Penang.

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As Director

P. Ramlee directed 33 films between 1955 and 1972 — first at Malay Film Productions in Singapore, then at Merdeka Film Productions in Kuala Lumpur. His directorial range spans slapstick comedy, romantic melodrama, historical epic, and social satire. He was the first Malay filmmaker screened at the Berlin International Film Festival and the first to win at the Asian Film Festival as director and composer.

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