Siti Zubaidah

A fantastical cross-cultural epic of duty, justice and disguises

Siti Zubaidah is based upon the 19th century poem 'Syair Siti Zubaidah Perang Cina'. It centers on Siti Zubaidah, the wife of Sultan Zainal Abidin, who is left defenseless after her husband is taken hostage by a Chinese empress. She eventually allies herself with Princess Rukia of Yunnan, who had fled her own palace under threats of sexual assault. Taking matters into their own hands, they adopt male identities and lead a military conquest across China to rescue the Sultan. Directed by B. N. Rao and starring Maria Menado, the Cathay production borrowed from both of its niches at the time: the film language and costume styles of Malay cinema and Chinese wuxia films, resulting in an imagined reality fusing both visual cultures. At the core of the myriad garbs, armour, accessories and makeup donned by the characters, the tale chronicles the adoption of transformative identities to overcome adversity, enact justice and revenge.