Dead Time: Kala (also known as Kala, Dead Time, or The Secret) is a 2007 Indonesian neo-noir thriller film written and directed by Joko Anwar. The film stars an ensemble cast led by Fachri Albar, Ario Bayu, Shanty, and Fahrani.
At the 27th Citra Awards, the film won 3 out of its 7 nominations. Sight & Sound selected the film as one of the best films of 2007 and named Anwar one of the smartest filmmakers in Asia.
Plot
Police officers Eros and Hendro are investigating a case where five men were burned alive by a mob. Meanwhile, narcoleptic journalist Janus hides a tape recorder to interview the pregnant wife of one of the victims, Asih, whom he later witnesses walking into traffic and dies. At dinner with his friend Soebandi, Janus plays back the tape, where Asih declares unprompted in Javanese, "It is on Bendonowongso Hill, in front of the Seven Stair Temple". Soebandi gets stalked by a white-skinned creature and mutilated. Janus is taken in for questioning by Eros and Resort Chief Bambang.
Janus learns that Asih, her husband, and her father Ronggoweni, died within the week, leaving only Asih's sister Ranti, who tells him that if he reveals Asih's message, then either he or the person who hears it must die. Janus gets kidnapped by the Minister of Tourism and Culture, Haryo Wibowo, who, after inquiring where "the place" is, immolates him. Meanwhile, Eros learns that the mob attacked the five men after hearing a woman accuse them of being thieves. Hendro reveals to Eros that Ronggoweni was an adjutant to the First President, who was fabled to have hidden glorious treasure. The white-skinned creature tells Eros to "accept [his] destiny".
Waking up unscathed, Janus goes home and finds his wife Sari, who expresses remorse over their divorcing. After Janus tells her everything, Sari delivers Asih's message to Haryo, who kills her after being told Janus is dead. Haryo learns that Janus is still alive, gets stalked by the white-skinned creature, and beheaded offscreen. Janus attempts suicide but is rescued by the creature, who is revealed to have been keeping him from harm. He gets kidnapped by Bambang's men as Eros and Hendro find Ranti, who confesses that Ronggoweni was the secret keeper of the location of the First President's treasure. Since only one person can know, he killed himself after his son-in-law forced him to reveal it. His son-in-law told Asih and four friends, forcing Ranti to get the men lynched to protect her pregnant sister. Eros tracks down Bambang while Hendro takes Ranti to the library, suspecting a connection to the prophecy of the Kediri King Jayabaya, who foretold the rise of a messianic Ratu Adil.
Hendro learns that the treasure was bestowed to the First President by the former kings of Nusantara. He instructed his adjutants to hide it and kill each other until one remained. The white-skinned creature, Pindoro, is a supernatural guardian of the treasure that cannot harm humans. Hendro finds in the prophecy that a "sleeper", who is Janus, shall rise as the trustworthy keeper of the treasure's location and have a protector, who is Ranti after inheriting the role from Ronggoweni. Bambang and a group of Ministers arrive with Janus at the Seven Stair Temple and Eros gets shot in the scuffle. Ranti appears, murders Bambang and the Ministers, then kneels before Eros, who is the prophesied Ratu Adil. Hendro reads the rest of Jayabaya's prophecy, which foretells that their meeting will usher in an era of national prosperity as well as a great struggle. Janus, Eros, and Ranti depart from Bendonowongso Hill with Pindoro.
Cast
Fachri Albar as Janus
Ario Bayu as Eros
Fahrani as Ranti
Shanty as Sari
August Melasz as Hendro Waluyo
Arswendi Nasution as Haryo Wibowo
Sujiwo Tejo as Ronggoweni
Frans Tumbuan as Bambang Sutrisno
Tipi Jabrik as Bandi
José Rizal Manua as Pindoro
Agung Udijana as Bimo
Production
In an interview with CineCrib in 2019, Anwar said that he was approached by MD Pictures executive Manoj Punjabi who wanted him to direct the film adaptation of the best-selling book Ayat-Ayat Cinta. However, he declined the offer as he did not feel like he was the right person to direct a religious film. Instead, he told Punjabi and his team the idea he had at the time for Dead Time: Kala and reached a deal immediately. This was notable as MD Pictures was then known only as a soap opera production studio. The film was shot in 28 days.