Kala (film)

Dead Time: Kala
The Indonesian theatrical poster.
Directed by	Joko Anwar
Produced by	Dhamoo Punjabi Manoj Punjabi
Written by	Joko Anwar
Starring	Fachry Albar Ario Bayu Shanty Fahrani
Music by	Aghi Narottama Zeke Khaselli
Cinematography	Ipung Rachmat Syaiful
Edited by	Wawan I. Wibowo
Distributed by	MD Pictures
Release date	April 19, 2007
Running time	102 minutes
Country	Indonesia
Language	Indonesian
Budget	US$600,000

Kala (Dead Time: Kala), or also known as (The Secret) is a 2007 Indonesian film noir thriller directed by Joko Anwar and starring Fachri Albar, Ario Bayu, Shanty and Fahrani. It was the second feature film for Joko, who previously directed the 2005 comedy film, Joni's Promise.

In an unnamed dystopian country, two cops, Eros (Ario Bayu) and Hendro Waluyo (August Melasz) investigate a case of five people being burned alive after a woman shouted them as thieves. Meanwhile, a down-on-luck narcoleptic journalist, Janus (Fachry Albar), is late to attend his divorce with Sari (Shanty). He searches the recent news and meets the widow of one of the burned victims, a pregnant woman named Ratih. Sneaking on her conversation with a nurse through a hidden tape recorder, Janus later watches as Ratih is hit by a bus outside the hospital and passes out from his narcolepsy, mysteriously waking up inside the hospital afterwards. Janus and his friend, Soebandi, hear from the tape a Javanese prose quoted by Ratih of something that is in "Bukit Bendonowongso, in front of Candi Tujuh Anak Tangga". When the two part ways, a pale white-skinned creature, Pindoro (Yose Rizal Manua) follows Soebandi and apparently beheads him. Janus is taken for questioning by Eros; after the latter leaves, fellow cop Bambang Sutrisno (Frans Tumbuan) threatens Janus to tell him the contents of the tape.

From the hospital records, Janus visits Ratih's house and learns from Ratih's neighbors that in the span of a week, Ratih, her husband, and her father, Ronggoweni, died. The only surviving family of Ratih is her sister, Ranti (Fahrani), who currently works as a lounge singer. Ranti warns Janus not to disclose the prose to anyone else; should he does so, either him or the person he tells to must die. Following the lounge's closing, Ranti is kidnapped, and when Janus tries to rescue her, he is captured too. Janus wakes up to the Minister of Arts, Heryo Wibowo (Arswendi Nasution), and is poured with gasoline to be immolated alive before his narcolepsy takes over. Eros visits the crime scene again, learning from a witness that the woman who shouted at the thieves is a relative of one of them, suggesting Ranti. He visits Ronggoweni's house and faces Pindoro, but the latter does not harm him. Later, Eros and Hendro discuss over the collapsing state of their nation, with Hendro reciting a hopeful prophecy that soon, the "King of Justice" will arrive to stabilize her. Hendro also tells Eros that Ranti is from the family of an aide of the First President. Eros confirms this by visiting the library, in which he finds a photo of Ronggoweni's inauguration and the search for the treasure of the First President.