Astro Ria’s new drama series ‘Lockdown’ to showcase struggles of Malaysians in facing Covid-19, MCO

KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 — Astro Ria’s new drama series Lockdown will tell the tales and struggles of Malaysians in facing the Covid-19 pandemic and the movement control order (MCO).

The 10-episode series will highlight eight different stories inspired by true events faced by Malaysians in enduring the new normal.

Lockdown, which was written by prominent Malaysian director Erma Fatima and directed by Mohd Fazli Yahya, took only 24 days to complete its shooting which began right after the first MCO last year.

All the scenes were shot around Kuala Lumpur with the majority of scenes being shot in a closed space.

According to Erma, the idea for the script came after seeing the impact of the pandemic around her and her experiences during the MCO.

“We know and we understand the pain after following the news that’s been reported.

“This Lockdown drama is close to the hearts of the people because we together have endured the process of MCO.

“The stories that are presented in the series show the real situation in this reality of life. Maybe some of the viewers might even see themselves in the stories,” Erma said.

The drama series will also feature 23 famous local actors and actresses such as Nabila Huda, Zara Zya, Amerul Effendi, Beto Kusyairy, and more.

Astro Ria channel manager Emarina Kamal said the many phases of MCO had resulted in drastic changes in the lives of Malaysians.

“After over a year of MCO, many have been affected by the new normal. The year 2020 and 2021 have been difficult year for all of us. 

“Adapting to current times, we’re honored to be bringing the Lockdown series which was inspired by real-life situations faced by the people during MCO.

“The stories, all of which we are familiar with, as they have been shared on social media and have been widely covered on the news.

“The series is packed with messages if viewed from a positive perspective. Even though the content is heavy, we’ve tailored it to be laidback and entertaining, so it is appropriate for the whole family,” Marina said.

Lockdown will tell the stories of Malaysians amidst the MCO, from getting used to working from home to trying to keep business afloat during trying times.

The series will be premiering today, July 26 exclusively on Astro Ria (Channel 104) at 11pm every Monday to Thursday.

It can also be streamed through the Astro GO application or through the Astro On Demand platform for a more flexible choice.