Kata Hati Rekindles Love For Romantic Comedies
By Nurhafizah Tan
KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 (Bernama) -- After being overshadowed for years by the dominance of action and horror films, the romantic comedy genre is making a return to Malaysian cinemas through Kata Hati, which opens nationwide tomorrow with a fresh new appeal.
The latest production is expected to rekindle audiences' love for stories that celebrate everyday life and light-hearted romance, reminiscent of films that once became cultural phenomena such as Soal Hati, Gol & Gincu, and Istanbul Aku Datang.
However, reviving a genre that was once a crowd favourite was far from easy. The project, which began development in 2020, had to wait nearly six years before securing the support needed to move into production.
This was largely due to shifts in the local film industry, which has increasingly favoured action and horror films, leaving director Nadiah Hamzah facing numerous challenges in finding stakeholders who truly believed in the potential of a romantic comedy.
“Between 2020 and 2025, many people were not confident about stories in this genre. The lengthy process was really about finding producers who believed in the project and were willing to help bring it to life.
“The challenges continued until we met a producer at the end of 2024. The project was also supported by funding from FINAS (National Film Development Corporation Malaysia),” she said during Bernama Radio's Showbuzz programme today.
Nadiah, who won a Bronze Award in the Public Service Announcement category at the 2019 Cannes Lions Awards, said her decision to make a romantic comedy was not simply an attempt to stand out in a film landscape currently dominated by action and horror titles.
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Instead, the Penang-born director, who began her career in advertising before transitioning to filmmaking, said the idea for Kata Hati stemmed from her desire to explore a lighter genre following her debut feature film, Motif, which was heavily centred on thriller and mystery elements.
“I was determined to create something lighter. Coincidentally, with the film being released now, when the market is filled with action and horror movies, it naturally feels a little different,” she said.
Nadiah also does not view romantic comedy as an outdated genre. Instead, she believes every genre has its own audience, and what matters most is giving moviegoers a variety of stories to enjoy in cinemas.
“We all get tired from work, traffic jams and the many daily pressures of life. Sometimes, we simply want to sit back and enjoy something light-hearted. I hope there is still room for films like this, as well as many other genres,” said Nadiah, who cited the Hollywood film Notting Hill as one of her inspirations.
Featuring a mix of emerging and established actors including Nia Atasha, Yusuf Hashim, Faziq Muqris and Scha Al-Yahya, Kata Hati revolves around a love triangle involving a rising female actress (Nia) and an e-hailing driver.
With a balance of humour and emotional depth, Nadiah said special attention was given to casting for the film, produced by Wayangworks Sdn Bhd and Filmscape Sdn Bhd, to ensure the romantic comedy elements were conveyed effectively.
“For a romantic comedy, chemistry is extremely important. We want the relationships on screen to feel natural, not forced,” she said, adding that auditions were conducted to assess the compatibility between actors.
For Nia Atasha, the opportunity to star in Kata Hati was one she embraced immediately, as romantic comedy is a genre she has long wanted to explore.
“I've always wanted to play a lead role in a romantic comedy film. When I received the audition call, I immediately said I wanted to give it a try,” she said, noting that she underwent several chemistry-reading sessions with different male actors before being selected to portray Aira Natasha.
-- BERNAMA
