Instead of announcing that you are miraculously ‘with child’, they tell you it’s your last day on earth. What on earth do you do then?

Most reasonable people will spring into action settling their earthly affairs and ensuring their loved ones are left behind in good shape.

And that’s exactly how Zahim Albakri’s latest film, “Spilt Gravy”, goes, with a father of five having to endow one final lesson to his children before departing this world.

The film’s title refers to the Malay proverb, “ke mana tumpahnya kuah kalau tidak ke nasi.” Like parent, like child.

The film is a theatrical play adapted for the screen, the first local play to receive a full-scale cinematic release.

Unfortunately, the playwright behind “Spilt Gravy”, Jit Murad, passed away just this year.

In addition to being a family drama, the story behind this film was a drama in itself, with its release delayed for ten long years.

Apparently, Zahim and the Malaysian Censorship Board locked horns over the content, and it took several revisions before the film was finally approved for release in 2020.

But then the Covid-19 pandemic struck, putting the brakes on the film’s release for a further two years. Now, the question that remains to be answered is whether the film was worth the wait.

Most Malaysians have little love for the local film industry, believing that the golden age of cinema has long passed. However, this film may be a timely reminder that creativity is still alive and well in Malaysia.

In a time when Hollywood CGI blockbusters with budgets bigger than a country’s GDP dominate, a simple homemade tale like ‘Spilt Gravy’ is a welcomed change of pace.

At the centre of this tale is Bapak, an elderly gentleman played by Rahim Razali, a thespian whom local drama enthusiasts will recognise and rightly respect.

After receiving the aforementioned divine visit, Bapak summons his five children to one last dinner before his time is up.

However, this proves a little more difficult than he initially thought, as his kids, all by different mothers, are grappling with their own problematic lives.

The eldest, Zakaria, played by the director Zahim himself, is the black sheep of the family, drifting aimlessly through life.

Kalsom (Bernice Chauly), his eldest daughter, is an opinionated playwright, frustrated by a public who is unreceptive to her work.

On the other hand, Darwis (Na’a Murad), the middle child, seems like the perfect son, taking his familial responsibilities more seriously than the rest.

The youngest son, Husni (Sean Ghazi), is considered the most handsome, but he too has some skeletons best left in a closet.

Last but not least is the chirpy Zaitun (Juliana Ibrahim), who hides her insecurities behind her bright smile and glitzy lifestyle.

It is quite an array of characters, and it must have been quite challenging according to each adequate screen time for character development.

Yet, director Zahim somehow strikes a balance, ensuring that the audience gets to know each character enough to appreciate their plight and aspirations.

At its heart, “Spilt Gravy” is a down-to-earth tale and if you belong to a big family, you will likely identify with one or more of the siblings.

Also, it is impossible to properly discuss this film without going over the plot points that ruffled some feathers in the censorship board.

The film touches on LGBTQ themes, with one of Bapak’s sons a closeted homosexual, who tries to “stop” being gay so he won’t disappoint his father even if he believes, like Kalsom, that sexual orientation cannot be flipped on and off like a light switch.

In Malaysian media, LGBTQ characters are usually portrayed in unsavoury ways, often subjected to ridicule and discrimination. Hence, it is refreshing that Zahim addresses this topic with a great deal of nuance, keeping in mind local sensibilities while addressing the nature of life.

It is deep dives into themes like this that make “Spilt Gravy” worth a watch; it’s certainly more deserving than the soulless stuff big-name studios release nowadays anyway.

“Spilt Gravy” will be released on June 9 in selected theatres nationwide.