Padang Bulan (the first novel of the Padang Bulan Double Stories)

So, if the Laskar Pelangi Quartet ends in Maryamah Karpov, Padang Bulan double stories may be called as the continuation of the former quartet stories. They still talk about Ikal—the writer himself—and his life stories and personal environmental observation towards his Melayan society.

This first story of the double—Padang Bulan—still talks about how people are stuck in terrible and invaluable situations and insist on their dreams and wishes. It starts with a young girl named Enong—later becomes Ikal’s friend—whose father dies suddenly in the middle of their family’s poor condition and starvation. Enong, having dreams to master English language and become an English teacher, sadly has to face a condition in which she seems to lose all of her dreams and must take the family’s responsibility of being the breadwinner. So, she struggles to get a job, fails, tries again until she eventually become the first female tin mineworker.





However, this story is actually not about Enong, it’s still about Ikal—so that’s why you may feel uncomfortable with the falling narrative of Enong at the end of the story—. It seems like Hirata only wants to represent Enong as the prologue of his own story. Unfortunately, Enong’s story is quite inspirative here rather than his own ridicolous love/jealous saga.

So, what’s the actual story? After having quarrel with his father because his father won’t give his bless to his relationship with a girl named A Ling, Ikal leaves home and chooses A Ling instead. Unfortunately, A Ling leaves home days after their last meeting and the rumor has that she has a relationship with another man and soon will get married. Ikal feel irked and jealous, asking: how can she turn her back on me and choose another man? Ikal can’t except that and he promises that he will beat that man in any game so that A Ling will come back to him. Jealousy and desperation bring him to insanity and misery of love that he does many stupid things and ends up with ridiculous—if not horrible— actions. But at the end, all those loses and harms and stupid actions are to no avail.

The story is not as so special as Laskar Pelangi or Sang Pemimpi or my favorite, Edensor. But it has still the peculiarity and characteristic of Andrea Hirata: genius, funny, silly, smart, detail in every single character, feeling, thought, and now he’s very much critical. I still love this novel, and I take it as smart entertainment.

Writer : Andrea Hirata
Year : 2010
Language : Indonesian

Ayat Ayat Cinta

Ayat Ayat Cinta is the story of a virtuous Muslim protagonist who overcomes all obstacles of life maintaining pure ideals.
Fedi Nuril as Fahri bin Abdillah is a student, who won the intelligent poor scholarship to complete a bachelor's degree at Egypt's esteemed Al Azhar University. Very disciplined and dedicated by nature, Fahri embraces his life in Cairo, completing his studies and translation of religious books with full enthusiasm, exactly according to pre-determined targets.
Only one goal is left unattempted: the pursuit of marriage.
For Fahri is innocent and pure, and do not believe in the concept of relationships prior to marriage. He is inarticulate and shy around women. Throughout his life, only two women have been close to her - her mother and grandmother.
Life changes drastically in Egypt for he suddenly finds himself surrounded by four beautiful, distinctly different women.
Carissa Putri as Maria Girgis, a, shy open-minded Coptic neighbors are interested in the teachings of the Quran, finds herself falling in love with Fahri (a fact she only reveals to her diary).



Melanie Putria as Nurul, a student at Al Azhar like Fahri, is the daughter of a famous Indonesian Muslim cleric. Fahri feels unworthy and thus ignores his feelings for her, leaving a confused and guessing.
Zaskia Adya Mecca as Noura, abused Egyptian neighbor, develops strong romantic feelings for Fahri, who in turn simply sympathizes with her ​​situation. His romantic rejection destroys and eventually lead to false accusations of rape.
Rianti Cartwright as Aisha, a German-Turkish student in Cairo haunts Fahri with beautiful eyes. After an incident in the metro where Fahri defends against narrow minded bigoted Muslims, both immediately develop feelings for each other.

Ayat-Ayat Cinta originally planned to be released in theaters on December 19, 2007. However, the release date is always changing due to some problems, but eventually aired on February 28, 2008.

• In the novel, Mary has a sister named Yousef, while in the movie Mary is described as an only child.
• When Fahri was arrested and put in jail, he was imprisoned by respected scholars, Professor Abdul Rauf, Ismail, Hamada, and Rashed Marwan Hajj. However, in the film, Fahri was jailed with violent perpetrators have not been wise.
• At the end of the novel, America reporter Alicia returned to Egypt to visit Fahri as a new Muslim. However, in a movie, Alicia does not convert herself as a Muslim.

Director : Hanung Bramantyo
Manufactured : Dhamoo Punjabi, Manoj Punjabi
Posted : Habiburrahman El Shirazy, Retna Ginatri S. Noor, Salman Aristo
Starring : Fedi Nuril, Rianti Cartwright, Carissa Putri,
Melanie Putria, Zaskia Adya Mecca
Music : Tya Subiyakto
Editing : Sastha Sunu Distributed by MD Pictures
Release date (s) : February 28, 2008
Time : 130 minutes Country Indonesia
Languages​​ : Indonesian, Arabic, English, German, Java