A 14-minute rollercoaster ride of propaganda featuring a slew of Myanmar celebrities and the attempted assassination of Aung San Suu Kyi has gone viral, leading to many, many questions.
The political drama-cum-music video-cum violent thriller-cum Yangon-has-a-subway has been ridiculed on Facebook for its cheesiness and arguably not Suu Kyi doppelganger played by Myanmar academy award winner Moe Moe Myint Aung, among several other curiosities.
One of its stars, R&B singer Chan Chan, even told celebrity news website Cele Zone just after the video was released yesterday that she was duped into appearing in the feature.
She claimed that she was unaware director Yone Lay would add the attempted assassination scene.
“He approached me, telling me it wasn't biased towards any party but just something that will instill some sort of unity in the people and make them feel like their votes will make a change,” said Chan Chan.
People taking the clip seriously have questions about how the unity message sits with the lack of ethnic minorities. But fear not folks, we are here to clear the fog and guide you through the flag-waving bonanza.
When the investor sits down with the politician, who brings a tone of constipation to the meeting, the answer finally arrives: no! He seemingly goes on to explain why but the audio cuts off at this point and the mood shifts from sanguine to apocalyptic, as the camera focuses on crestfallen businessmen lowering their head in front of a black backdrop. A man is holding a baby. What will happen to our friend in Bulgogi Brothers now? And the politician, will he bear witness to a frenzy of violence that will bring the whole country together? Yes. Yes, he will.
Cue a crew of rappers and singers, including big names Chan Chan, Cobra, and Myanmar Idol winner Phyo Myat Aung. They offer impassioned performances about uniting people and creating a better nation. They are dressed in white, some are draped with the Myanmar flag, and a particular shoutout goes to Htoo El Lynn, a bull-necked veteran rocker who goes topless for his country in the video.
This is a good time to tell you a little bit about the director Yone Lay or “Little Rabbit,” who is also a singer, rapper and actor. Since the days of his movie Original Gangster (2015), Yone Lay has lived out fantasies of forming his own crew, which mostly comprises celebrities who share his vision of producing the crème de la crème of Myanmar paw kar or silly movies. Though perhaps the crew thinks they’re the bomb. Watch Lu Gyan Ta Yout Yae Diary (A Thug’s Diary) (2018), Original Gangster 2 (2017) and Original Gangster 3 (2020) to decide for yourself.
Okay, back to the video. And if you think it has been surreal so far, strap yourself in.
The Suu Kyi character is speaking English on the phone, refusing to accept an offer of some kind. “My country is my life,” she says, away from the camera, in a Google translate robotic English accent. (Goose pimples!)
The sinister voice on the other end doesn’t like that. There is no one to protect you, he says, apparently unaware he is talking to the leader of a nation.
Suddenly Suu Kyi’s accent switches to Cockney. “Had I given into threats, I would not be standing in front of you today,” she says, despite the fact she is not standing in front of anyone.
The State Counsellor then joins a heated meeting between (presumably) parliamentarians dressed in tike pone and paso. A drumbeat builds the suspense as a tactile group of assassins raid the building and gun down the police guard outside. Suddenly they barge into the meeting in a scene about as tasteful as 10-day-old nan gyi thoke and that oddly echoes the real-life assassination of Suu Kyi’s father Aung San and his fellow independence leaders in 1947.
Politicians cower and pray for their lives, while an all-female security detail surrounds the State Counsellor.
Enter the Tatmadaw troops, who send the assassins to hell in a hail of fire and save the day. The army chief then walks in and joins hands with the civilian leader. See people, everything will be okay. Think positive.
The soldiers and politicians kowtow to images of the real life leaders Suu Kyi, army chief Min Aung Hlaing and chairperson of the military-aligned United Solidarity and Development Party, Than Htay. The video ends with a transition into a CGI subway station and upwards to what looks like a futuristic Yangon.
After the credits, Yone Lay writes: “We hope all the leaders and citizens would appreciate the reason behind this video and if something were to happen, it would be my fault.”
He signs off with: “Everyone, Peace.”
Who bankrolled the video—which was probably not cheap to produce considering its star power and cutting edge CGI subway—is so far a mystery. But it does come amid a build-up to the general election on November 8.
With hundreds of thousands of shares on various accounts, probably millions of people have seen the video by now. The reception has been, uh, critical based on the majority of the comments.
“What a cheap piece of art. A 10-year-old could compose better than Yone Lay,” wrote Sai Kham Paing Hpa. “So rubbish at writing, and yet he wants to influence and lecture the public. A shit show.”
“Yone Lay, don't worry about the country with your pea-sized brain. Worry about your receding hairline,” advised Phoo Myat Thwe.
But perhaps one Facebook user summed it up most precisely: “WTF.”
Update: Director Yone Lay apologised via Facebook live on Wednesday (August 5) morning for the video, but did not specify what he was sorry about. “I wanted this video to be like a movie, a movie that was about unity, solidarity and cohesion. I didn’t expect this to get out of hand,” he said, adding that he would remove the video.
