Ooi said the audition process held in October involved more than 300 candidates, with national badminton legends Rashid Sidek and Cheah Soon Kit, present to help assess their badminton playing abilities, particularly in terms of their basic movements on the court.
“The selection was based on their acting first. Only the suitable ones were tested on badminton skills by Rashid and Cheah,” he said after a press conference here on Wednesday to announce the cast and official sponsors of the film.
Being his first Malay film project, Ooi said the biggest challenge was finding new talents who could portray the former national players with authenticity.
“For this film, we weren’t just looking for actors – we needed actual badminton players. Their body movements had to be precise and they truly needed to know how to play,” he said.
According to Ooi, one of the most difficult roles to cast was left-handed national badminton ace Soo Beng Kiang. The role eventually went to actor Liang Chia, who fit the criteria, including resembling the player’s physique.
The cast includes Kim Azzim as Rashid Sidek, Sam Liew (Cheah Soon Kit), Ahmad Syafiq Khairul Anuar (Razif Sidek), Ahmad Syahir Mohd Syafe’in (Jalani Sidek), Azim Yusof (Rahman Sidek), Hon Kahoe (Foo Kok Keong), S Jay (Kuan Yoke Ming) and Henry Ong (Wong Ewee Mun).
Ooi said the cast will undergo about three weeks of intensive training with Rashid and Cheah to ensure their movements on court mirrored the actual playing styles.
He added that the production team will also use archival footage obtained from the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia as a reference to study the real players’ styles, key points and iconic match moments.
With over 30 years’ experience in the Chinese-language entertainment industry, Ooi said “Sentuhan Wira” is more than just a sports film – it also carries the message of racial unity, echoing the spirit of the 1992 Malaysian Thomas Cup team.
“In 1992, we had Malay, Chinese and Indian players in one team. We want the younger generation to remember this historic moment and see how sports can unite Malaysia,” he said, adding that filming will begin in April next year.
Rashid described the making of “Sentuhan Wira” as a meaningful tribute to the sacrifices of players who once brought Malaysia pride on the international stage.
He said the film, produced by Victory Pictures, brought back the reality of their struggles, and that he hoped the younger generation would better appreciate what it took to gain victory then for the country.
“I’m very proud that our sacrifices are being recognised and immortalised on the big screen. It remains a very meaningful memory for us,” he said.
Ahmad Syafiq, who plays Razif Sidek, said he referred to the animated series “Anak-Anak Sidek” to better understand his role, in addition to reviewing old footage and historical material about the legendary Sidek family.
“This is the research phase. Much of ‘Anak-Anak Sidek’ is based on true events, and I’ve also been asking Datuk Rashid many questions to better understand the spirit and playing style of the character (I play),” he said.