The film Sám Hối (The living sandbag), about a retired boxer. It opens today at cinemas across the country. Photo courtesy of the film producer

The film is the first directorial work of Peter Hein, an Indian action choreographer and actor who has appeared in 160 films in India, became famous for his action sequences in Bollywood blockbusters such as Sivaji, Ravvan, Pulimurugan and Odiyan.  

The work portrays the life of a retired boxer named Hoang Minh Long who has a happy family with his wife Thuy and their daughter Dieu. Sám Hối is inspired by a true story about a champion MMA (mixed martial arts) boxer.

Unfortunately, the daughter contracts a fatal disease, and Long is forced to return to the ring to earn money to save his child and family.

However, Cuong, a powerful boxing manager, prevents Long from returning to the ring because of Long’s supposed insolence toward him. Long faces a struggle between the pride of a man who does not know how to bow his head and the peace of his family.

The film stars Vietnamese actor Binh Minh as Hoang Minh Long, Vietnamese actress Anh Thu as Thuy, and Indian-Vietnamese child actress Angelina Raja as the daughter.

The production also includes famous Vietnamese actors and actresses such as Viet Huong, Quang Minh and Hong Dao.

Ramani Raja, the movie’s producer, who played a minor role in the movie, said: “Sám Hối is promised to be the most thrilling, emotional and desirable action movie at Vietnam cinemas in January.”

Ramani Raja invited famous Indian filmmakers as well as graphic and visual effect technicians from Bollywood to join the project.

The producer also hired Balakrishna Thota, known for the 2015 movie Baahubali: The Beginning, to be the director of photography for Sám Hối. 

The film was shot in HCM City and Long An, Binh Duong and Vung Tau provinces.

The famous music producer and composer Sam CS, who has composed music for numerous Indian films since 2010, wrote the score for the film. The composer worked with the Macedonia Philharmonic in Europe to record the music for the production.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the composer had to view the recording on computer screens in his hometown in Chennai, India, but was still able to ensure the best live sound and music for the movie.

The film’s producer Raja also hired film editor Manikandan Sivakumar and post-production coordinator Dillip Kalicheti to work on post-production for the film in Bollywood.

In 2017, Anh Sao Production announced the filming of Sám Hối in HCM City, receiving a warm response from many fans.  

The film's premiere was scheduled for last year, but was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the producer Raja, Sám Hối premiered in HCM City on January 12, with the participation of Indian Consul General Madan Mohan Sethi and his wife, as well as Incham (Indian Business Chamber in Vietnam) members.

After screening in Vietnam, the film will be released in the US, Canada, Australia, Europe and India.  VNS

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