Thursday, May 12, 2016

Re-run of old Malaysian HVD drama series- The Dictator.

It has been a while since I remembered last watching an old Malaysian-Hong Kong joint venture drama production. If I am not mistaken I was around Form 4-5 in high school and it was a big drama entitled The Dictator with local and foreign actors collaborating in it.
HVD was the production company that came up with the joint dramas and some of them took off really well. The Dictator was somehow screened in 1995/1996 and brought fame to some of the local Chinese stars.


For those who remembered The Dictator was played by a veteran Hong Kong actor (sorry, I cannot remember his name) whose role Kan Tong Loy is a rich business entrepreneur. He owns real estate and banks as well. He practically has everything he wants in the world- money, fame and family. His wife passed away and he is left with 3 daughters and a son.
Eldest daughter Pik Yuet is always obedient and works for the company. Second daughter Hang Lin is crippled on a wheelchair and is an outcast in the family. There's the pair of twins Ka Wai and Ka Po who are the youngest. Ka Po is the most beloved of all since he is the only son whom Kan sees him as a future heir to his business. 



When the apple of the eye Ka Po contracted leukemia and suffered an untimely death, things changed drastically in the family. Kan was more anxious to grow his business though he is lonely from losing his only son. Yuet is in love with the family chauffeur Keong. When Ka Po was around, Kan allowed the two to date. But since Ka Po has died, Kan became very strict and even separated the two love birds. Hang Lin sensed their father is using them as pawns in the chess game. Daughters to him are nothing compared to a son. Kan's close and long time friend Kwok along with only son Ying Ho are in the same business. Kan looks highly upon Ho as he is intelligent and witty. On top of that Ho bears the striking resemblance of the late Ka Po. 

Wai is close with the doctor Yik Fai who operated on Ka Po. Much to Kan's disappointment for failing to treat Ka Po, he bears a grudge on Fai. He tells Wai to stay away from the doctor. Lin knows their father hates her because she is crippled and can't help in anything. She tries many ways to save herself from trouble but adding more fuel to the fire. Even their grandmother couldn't help her out. Yuet is still sad over over the break up and to make matter worst Kan is pushing her to marry Ho. Kwok is more than happy to have his son marry into Kan's family but Ho insisted he will not be a puppet. When things horribly go wrong for the Kwok's business, Ho is forced to marry Yuet in order to repay Kan's favor.
It was a marriage of hell with Yuet treating Ho very coldly. Kan adores his new son in law and practically agrees to everything Ho says. He then becomes a savior to the family members since Kan listens to him. Slowly Yuet opens up and accepted Ho as her husband. 

Kan was strongly against Wai and Fai's relationship but thanks to Ho's persuasion, they got married. Even the crippled Lin managed to marry one of the boot licker office worker Yuen. Yuen pretends to love Lin but actually he's after her wealth to which everyone is aware of it. Just when Ho and Yuet's relationship were sweet and close, he discovers a shocking truth. The instigator and culprit bringing down the Kwok's business was actually Kan. Ho couldn't accept the fact that Kan betrayed his father because he wanted him so much as his son in law. To makes things worst, Keong came back hoping to win her over causing the marriage to fall apart. Yuet breaks down in tears when Ho wishes her well and moved back to his father's house. 

Wai and Fai moved out from the mansion to start their own new life with their new baby son. Kan wants his grandson back so he ordered people to kidnap him. The chase for the baby resulted in Wai's death in a car accident. Lin and Yuen tried their best to treat Kan but much to her dismay he didn't look favorably on them. 

That's basically what I have recalled from what I've watched donkey years ago since in high school. I am doing my re-run on this drama again online which has proven even harder than anything else. The drama is old and not many people have posted it up- can only be found if typed in Chinese characters and sites such as Tuduo. 

And if you were to ask me the actors-actresses names, I apologize I don't even remember their names at all. Hah! To be honest I only know that Kan and Ying Ho's roles were played by fellow Hong Kong actors whose names are Yeung XX and Lin Wai Kin. The rest were local stars and they were considered good.
But I tend to cringe whenever I see the suits they wear and mobile phones they use- it's typical 90's and very old fashioned to what we have right now. LOL! 

 Anyway we don't get to see such production dramas anymore even in Astro Jia You or Kah Loi Toi channel. Nowadays the local TV shows are rather crap and nonsensical. I do appreciate those times when they have this great joint-venture production that still could maintain its quality and amount of viewers. 




2 comments:

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Jenn said...

Hi! Thanks for the write up. I loved this drama, and miss it very much. Ying Hou was my childhood crush back in the mid 90s, lol! I cringe at the suits now, but cant deny the actors look great wearing the long sleeve shirts and pants. Kan Tong Loy was a natural tan sri of Malaysia, lol! He should move to Malaysia and become a datuk.

Do you have a complete set of the series? I would like to purchase from you. Drop me an email if you have, ya! Also would love to chat about the series, if you are still interested :)