Malaysia has produced its fair share of world-class athletes, from badminton icon Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei and national diving queen Pandelela Rinong Pamg to track cycling star Datuk Azizulhasni Awang.
In conjunction with Malaysia Day, local filmmaker Chiu Keng Guan is celebrating another sports hero who has put our nation on the map.
Through his latest biopic Terbang, the 53-year-old hopes to introduce national rally driver Karamjit Singh to a new generation of Malaysians.
For Chiu, Karamjit’s story was too remarkable to remain largely unknown, particularly among younger Malaysians.
Speaking to StarLifestyle in an exclusive interview, Chiu – known for local hits such as The Journey (2014) and Ola Bola (2016) – said he was struck by the fact that a Malaysian rally team had made it all the way to the world championship and emerged victorious.
“With limited resources, and when not many people believed they could do it, they showed that Malaysians could compete with the best in the world and win.
“I think that is something worth remembering, and something we should be proud of,” the director said.
“A group of Malaysians dared to dream big, kept pushing themselves, and finally achieved something that people thought was impossible,” he added.
Local actor Irfan Zaini, who plays Karamjit in Terbang, was among those who knew little about the rally driver.
The 31-year-old recalled knowing Karamjit, 64, mainly as a rally driver who performed stunts for international productions.
“I was four or six years old when Karamjit was racing, so I didn’t know much about him. But when I asked around, I realised a lot of people, including my dad, knew him.
“I believe this movie is one that reminds people like my dad about this hero, while also educating the younger generation about who Karamjit is,” the actor said.
For Karamjit, seeing his life recreated on the big screen was a chance to revisit a chapter of his life that he believes belongs not only to him, but to the people who shared the journey.
“As a Malaysian, it’s a proud moment to show the Jalur Gemilang all over the world,” Karamjit said.
Getting behind the wheel
Karamjit’s story is one of persistence, risk and an unwavering belief in what was possible.
Hailed as the “Flying Sikh”, Karamjit is the first Malaysian and Asian to win a world rally title.
He claimed the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) Production Car World Championship crown in 2002 and went on to secure multiple titles in the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship.
In 2022, he competed in three rally events in India and won all of them.
To ensure Terbang stayed as authentic as possible, the production used Karamjit’s actual rally cars and filmed at real racing locations, including in New Zealand.
Chiu also drew inspiration from the experiences of drivers, co-drivers, mechanics and team managers who were part of Malaysia’s rally scene.
“The biggest challenge was how to respect what really happened, but at the same time make it work as a movie.
“In the end, the film isn’t just about racing, but also about the friendship, brotherhood and bond between the people in the team,” he said.
For Irfan, who marks his first leading role in a Malay-language film with Terbang, playing Karamjit was pressuring.
“It’s one thing to portray a fictional character, but playing a living national hero comes with more responsibilities.
“I wasn’t sure if I was ready to take on such a big role, as I had no background in motorsports, but the production team placed their trust in me, so I gave everything I could,” he said.
To prepare, Irfan spent three months learning how to drive a rally car, while also spending time with Karamjit and observing his mannerisms, speech and driving style.
The experience gave the Blood Brothers (2025) star a newfound respect for the physical demands of rallying.
“Rallying makes you lose a lot of weight because you’re wearing a fireproof suit and another racing suit on top of that. There’s no air conditioning in the car, so you really feel like you’re melting inside,” he said.
But nothing quite prepared Irfan for experiencing Karamjit’s driving first-hand.
During his time on set, Karamjit – who performed much of the driving stunts in Terbang – took Irfan out for a drive, giving the actor a taste of what it takes to handle a rally car.
“If you want to feel adrenaline at its peak, you should go for a ride with Karamjit. He drives really fast and isn’t afraid of speed. I was terrified but also impressed by how he wasn’t afraid of it,” Irfan added.
“I’m very passionate about acting and will do anything just to act, regardless of payment. It’s the same for Karamjit. No matter how old he gets, he still wants to continue racing,” he said.
Beyond the finish line
While Terbang delivers the speed, danger and adrenaline audiences might expect from a racing film, Chiu was careful not to allow the action to over- shadow the “human aspect” of the film.
That emotional dimension made watching the finished film particularly moving for Karamjit, especially when it touched on the loss of his late wife.
“As you know, my wife passed away. I cried many times watching the movie,” he said.
Karamjit also shed tears of joy when he watched the recreation of the moment he and his team were declared world champions.
Seeing Irfan portray his younger self also left him impressed.
From their first meeting, Karamjit felt Irfan had the qualities needed for the role.
“When I first met him, I thought to myself, ‘Yeah, he fits me.’ After watching the movie, I can say he did a fantastic job. He’s like a younger version of me,” he said.
Chiu shared that sentiment, but what surprised him most was not only how convincingly Irfan handled the racing sequences, but also the emotional depth he brought to the role.
“A racing movie can easily become very masculine, but I wanted Karamjit to have something softer underneath all that. I wanted to see the ‘human’ behind the racing driver, and I think Irfan gave me that,” he said.
Dreaming a little bigger
Ultimately, Terbang is not just a film celebrating Karamjit’s achievements, but one that explores the values of perseverance, teamwork and self-belief.
Karamjit hopes audiences will learn to never give up on their dreams after watching the film.
“Whether you want to be a racer, actor, singer or doctor, you must always give it your best shot. My father always told me that if I’m asked to do something, I have to give it my 100%,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chiu hopes the film will encourage audiences to push beyond the limits they have set for themselves.
“There is a quote at the beginning of the movie that says, ‘When everything seems under control, it means you’re not fast enough.’
“I think life is quite similar. I hope after watching Terbang, people will feel that maybe we can all dream a little bigger.
“Maybe we can try something that we thought was impossible, and see how far we can actually go,” Chiu said.
As for Irfan, Terbang has the potential to offer more than just life lessons.
With a diverse cast, including Zizan Razak and Jack Tan – who play members of Karamjit’s rally team – he believes the film can bring Malaysians from different backgrounds together.
“Terbang resonates across racial, religious and linguistic lines. I believe everyone will leave the cinema as one Malaysia after watching this movie.
“Yes, we are celebrating Karamjit, but beyond that, we are celebrating Malaysia,” he said.
Terbang is showing at cinemas nationwide.
