Inside "Papa Zola The Movie" with writer and director, Nizam Razak episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 12, 2026 · 24 MIN

Inside "Papa Zola The Movie" with writer and director, Nizam Razak

from Greenlights and Ground Truths – ContentAsia's Conversations with Asia’s Creators · host ContentAsia

ContentAsia's Janine Stein talks to Nizam Razak, writer/director of "Papa Zola The Movie" and head of Malaysian production house Monsta about the animated blockbuster, now heading into a 13-country international rollout including Indonesia, Turkey, India and Saudi Arabia.With RM55 million (US$13.5 million) at the Malaysian box office in just 27 days and counting, the film marks a deliberate creative shift for Monsta — away from shonen-style superheroes towards a more emotionally grounded, adult protagonist: a very ordinary, very human family hero.We’ll talk about the risks behind that decision, the realities of greenlighting something different, and why stories about perseverance, responsibility and fatherhood are resonating far beyond Malaysia.

ContentAsia's Janine Stein talks to Nizam Razak, writer/director of "Papa Zola The Movie" and head of Malaysian production house Monsta about the animated blockbuster, now heading into a 13-country international rollout including Indonesia, Turkey, India and Saudi Arabia.With RM55 million (US$13.5 million) at the Malaysian box office in just 27 days and counting, the film marks a deliberate creative shift for Monsta — away from shonen-style superheroes towards a more emotionally grounded, adult protagonist: a very ordinary, very human family hero.We’ll talk about the risks behind that decision, the realities of greenlighting something different, and why stories about perseverance, responsibility and fatherhood are resonating far beyond Malaysia.

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Inside "Papa Zola The Movie" with writer and director, Nizam Razak

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This episode was published on January 12, 2026.

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ContentAsia's Janine Stein talks to Nizam Razak, writer/director of "Papa Zola The Movie" and head of Malaysian production house Monsta about the animated blockbuster, now heading into a 13-country international rollout including Indonesia, Turkey,...

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