Touted as the 'Borat' of Singapore, 'Lulu the Movie' follows the adventures and misadventures of PRC lady Lulu as she struggles to survive and find her pot of gold in Singapore. With an excellent grasp of Chinese accented English, director Mee Siam Chong has won fans over the years through the TV series, contributing to the movie's startling box office sales.
Acclaimed comedy actor/producer Stiff Martin who bought the rights to remake the movie discovered it when he was in Singapore for the Singapore premiere of Pink Panda 3.
He said,"I will be honest. Back home, every town with a Chinese takeaway will flock to watch a movie like this. It is funny and Lulu is lovable!"
"However I am not going to leave it like this. We will make it bigger and better. That's why we are casting international star Fan Ping Ping in the lead role. And we are also giving it a new name. The movie will be called 'A very Loud Chinese Woman Who Carries Dior.’ We believe American audiences will connect with that."
Over the last month, actress Fan Ping Ping, has been taking lessons from Mee Siam Chong to learn to speak in that signature accent. She has also done a tour of over 20 English language schools in Shanghai and Beijing which according to Mee Siam Chong was a crucial part of the training.
"I am wery sankful tooo actris Mee Siam Chong for her waluable lessong on hao too speeka Englishi. Before dis my Englishi iss ewen worse than dis. Now I can speak in complate sengtences and ewen learnt new proper English woor lie Feyshioneesta and Kiasu," said actress Fan Ping Ping.
Mee Siam Chong commented," I am excited to see "A Very Loud Chinese Woman" on the big screen in the US. This movie will demystify Chinese people to the Americans beyond their appearances in big numbers at your nearest Prada or Gucci stores."
Meanwhile, the producers have signed a collaboration agreement with Singapore Biotechnology company B-Star to develop armpit hair growing technology. According to Mee Siam Chong, who is consultant to this production, ample bodily hair in nether regions like the armpits are defining features of the character Lulu. As she has disclosed in a public interview years ago, Fan Ping Ping has hair loss issues affecting certain parts of her body. If developed, it will help complete the movie's portrait of this extraordinary woman.
Given the negative way it has depicted the mainland Chinese, 'Lulu the Movie' has stirred up its fair share of controversy over the last few weeks, especially with Chinese netizens and even the Chinese government. In what seemed like a retaliatory move against the movie, the Chinese government confiscated nine Orange Utans that were making its way to Singapore for display in the Singapore Zoo via Hong Kong. Given the current tension between China and the US over President-elect Donald Trump's phone call to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing Wen, political analysts speculate that 'A Very Loud Chinese Woman' is likely to worsen relationships between the two countries.
In response to this, the producers commented,"On the contrary, we think this movie will improve bilateral relations as this is an uplifting story of a mainland Chinese dreaming and making it big the US. In fact she gets to kick the butt of some nasty American men who messed around with her. How about that for revenge!”
Fan Ping Ping (as Lulu) had this add,”Lulu no maker engnemy wiss anywang, Lulu love ewelybody! Especiallee ifa you live ing bigga housi. Many many 美國人live ing bigga housi. Bigger dan 新加坡. Lulu like! I am sure you will liker Lulu. More than Bai Ling.”
－KNN News