Norman Abdul Halim talks about adapting "Black Hawk Down" for Malaysia.

11 Oct – KRU Studios revealed that they plan to adapt Ridley Scott's 2001 American war film "Black Hawk Down" for Malaysia.

KRU Studios' Executive President, Norman Abdul Halim, said the film will focus on the 100 Malaysian soldiers who risked their lives to help rescue the downed American rangers and the fallen pilots in Mogadishu, Somalia, about 20 years ago.

"We are always on the lookout for patriotic stories that have not been conveyed in a melodramatic or biographic form. Since we are trying to appeal to a diverse audience, we will make it into an action-war movie. It was never our intention to offend the American soldiers or any other parties involved in the clash," he said.

The untitled project is currently in development, with research for the film to start soon.

"We are doing our research to position the actual incidents from the eyes of the Malaysian troops," explained Norman Abdul Halim.

A fire fight scene in 2001's "Black Hawk Down".

Last week, there were also reports that a feature-length documentary about the 100 Malaysian soldiers that aided the Americans in the Black Hawk Down incident is also set to be produced. The film will be directed by film director Ahmad Yazid Puad.

On 3 October 1993, the United States army, with the aid of Malaysian and Pakistani armed forces conducted a rescue operation to save the crew of two helicopters downed by the Somali militia and armed civilian forces. The operation left one Malaysian dead and seven wounded. Lance Corporal Mat Aznan Awang was struck by an RPG while driving an armoured personnel carrier. He was awarded the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa medal and posthumously promoted to Corporal.

The incident was later adapted into the 2001 Hollywood film "Black Hawk Down" directed by Ridley Scott. The film however discounted the contribution from the Malaysian armed forces. Retired Brigadier-General Abdul Latif Ahmad, who was the commander of the Malaysian forces there at the time, was once quoted by AFP news agency saying: "Malaysian movie-goers will be under the wrong impression that the real battle was fought by the Americans alone, while we were mere bus drivers to ferry them out."