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Rhoma Irama

Rhoma Irama

Acting

Biography

Raden Haji Oma Irama (born December 11, 1946, in Tasikmalaya, West Java), known as Rhoma Irama, is an Indonesian dangdut musician, singer, songwriter, and actor. Starting from the late 1960's, he began his musical career as Oma Irama as a part of the pop band Orkes Melayu Purnama, pioneering several dangdut music elements. He then formed his band Soneta Group, achieving multitudes of musical successes with groundbreaking dangdut style which incorporates Western, Malay, and Bollywood influences. From the late 1970s, he began transforming into more Islamic-oriented style, commanding the religiously pious popular music culture. During the height of his stardom in the 1970s, he was dubbed "Raja Dangdut" ("the King of Dangdut") with his Soneta Group.

Known For

Darah Muda

Rhoma and Ricky not only have a different taste in music but also differ in the way they live. Rhoma tries to promote Dangdut music and has a religious life, while Ricky likes rock and has a reckless and free lifestyle. Ricky, who is also a good boxer, joins the group, Apache, and becomes the lead. He becomes angry when he hears that Rhoma’s music group has a successful performance in Jakarta. Ani, who was a singer in the Apache group, starts to change. She prefers Rhoma and is getting tired of all the drinking and drunkenness. Rhoma and Ani start dating and get engaged. Conflict between the two groups becomes heated. Rhoma is tortured and his hand crushed so he cannot play guitar anymore. Wounded, Rhoma goes to a teacher in a secluded village. Here, his wound is healed and he is taught martial arts. After returning from the village, he finds that Ricky is raping Ani. So a final fight ensues, and this time it is Rhoma’s turn to crush Ricky’s hand.

Darah Muda

1977Movie
Camelia

Rhoma finds Camelia, a desperate girl attempting suicide, as she can no longer bear the physical and emotional torture from her stepmother, Joice, who accuses her of stealing a diamond. After being saved, she becomes good friends with Rhoma. Rhoma invites her to live with him by disguising her as a mute boy. But Rhoma’s mother sees through this disguise and throws her out of the house. Rhoma returns home after signing a contract for a show. He manages to convince his mother to accept her back. Then he searches everywhere for Camelia but he cannot find her. Sadly, Camelia has been tricked by Joice’s friends into being a prostitute. In the brothel, Camelia sees her stepmother. Rhoma reports Joice to Camelia’s father, who then informs the police. Joice is arrested and Camelia goes home with Rhoma’s mother.

Camelia

1979Movie
Nada dan Dakwah

The people of Pandanwangi village are upset at news that their land will be appropriated by a large conglomerate. Conflict over the land emerges and escalates between the villagers and representatives of the conglomerate. The villagers have come to view the situation as more of a matter of morality than of land ownership after finding out that a bar and billiards center will be built there. The head of the village’s Islamic boarding school, H. Murad, who is assisted by H. Rhoma, attempts to influence the villagers to refuse to sell their land. Eventually, the charismatic religious leader KH Zainuddin MZ succeeds in mediating the conflict, and even influences the conglomerate owner, Bustomi (WD. Mochtar), to rethink his plans. The land conflict theme of this film is interesting in that it reflects the social issues arising out of the rapid pace of development of the time. This may be Rhoma Irama’s best film, even though it was not very popular.

Nada dan Dakwah

1991Movie
Nada-Nada Rindu

After failing to beat Rhoma in both music and women, Ramlan uses other cunning tricks. He does a duet with Camelia Malik aka Mia that is a huge success even though she is dating Rhoma. Ramlan proposes to his producer, Niko, to draw Mia out of their rival record company. Niko agrees with him. Hence, Ramlan gets his girlfriend Maya, who is addicted to drugs, to seduce Rhoma, and to drug Rhoma’s drink. When Rhoma is unconscious, Maya and Rhoma are photographed together in bed. The images are distributed to the newspapers, where it becomes a huge gossip. Then Mia is drawn to Niko’s company. Maya, who truly loves Ramlan, catches him in the act when Ramlan is about to rape Mia. Maya reveals the secret to Mia. Meanwhile, Rhoma, who is devastated, withdraws to his teacher’s place. There he is advised to change his name and start again from zero. Rhoma’s new persona is Zulfikar and he successfully receives a recording contract from Niko for his vocal similarities with Rhoma.

Nada-Nada Rindu

1987Movie
Cinta Segi Tiga

Rhoma is a successful musician, while his elder brother, Dendy, is a successful engineer. Then Rhoma starts a relationship with Rika, the daughter of Alwi, who is the best friend of Rhoma’s father, Hadi. One day, Hadi comes to ask Alwi for Rika’s hand in marriage. Rika mistakenly thinks that proposal comes from Rhoma, but it is Dendy who is proposing. Rhoma, who is currently having a show out of town, is very happy to hear about his brother’s engagement. He decides to rush home, even when his contract with the show has not yet completed. But Rhoma gets into an accident and loses his sight. So when he meets Rika, who has changed her name to Mira, he does not recognise her, not even from her voice. When Rhoma is recovering at the end of his treatment, Rika runs away. When she crosses the street, she is hit by a car and dies. Rhoma is there to witness it all.

Cinta Segi Tiga

1979Movie
Kemilau Cinta di Langit Jingga

Structured as a film within a film, Rhoma Irama and his girlfriend, Aida, are hired to make a film by Leo and his right hand, Richard. While Rhoma has several shows in the same city, Leo pursues his criminal activities. For him, moviemaking is a camoulflage for his crimes. Richard, who is still in love with Aida, tries to separate Rhoma from the girl. While filming a scene, Rhoma is stabbed for real. While Rhoma is in hospital, Imron, a Rhoma impersonator is introduced. Then a scenario is written for Richard to get Aida. Later, Rhoma impersonates Imron and pulls Imron’s girlfriend Nina out from prostitution. Finally, Rhoma is able to solve the whole drama and Aida is back in his arms. Rhoma’s songs, which are his trademark and selling point, continue to be used.

Kemilau Cinta di Langit Jingga

1985Movie