Indonesia’s Highest-Grossing Comedy IP, AGAK LAEN, Returns with Bold and Exploratory Humor

Following the success of their debut feature, Agak Laen (Muhadkly Acho, 2024), the Agak Laen troupe is back on the big screen with their second film, Agak Laen: Menyala Pantiku! Produced by Imajinari and directed by Muhadkly Acho, this sequel arrives with a fresh premise; more playful and more daring, while retaining the signature comedic formula that defined the first film’s charm.

Screened at the second day of Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival (JAFF) 2025, Agak Laen 2: Menyala Pantiku! sparked continuous laughter from audiences all the way to the final scene. Bene, Boris, Jegel, and Oki, four detectives notorious for repeated mission failures, are given one last chance: to go undercover in a nursing home in search of a fugitive linked to the murder of a mayor’s child.

The choice of setting, a nursing home, gives the film a distinct twist rarely seen in investigative comedies. Its warmth, vulnerabilities, and inherent complexity create a delightful contradiction, amplifying the situational humor at the heart of the film. This blend organically expands the comedic format of Agak Laen: Menyala Pantiku!, making it more exploratory and inventive than its predecessor. “The format isn’t too far from the first film, but this time we tried shifting the genre away from the horror elements we played with before. We wanted to explore investigative comedy and add a touch of action,” said Acho, director of Agak Laen: Menyala Pantiku!

Despite its expanded exploration, the film maintains the very elements that made Agak Laen beloved from the start. In this sequel, camaraderie remains central—the idea that overcoming one obstacle can untangle the personal struggles each character faces. “One similarity that stays is this: I always give each of them their own background problems. So if they manage to achieve one goal, they end up resolving their personal issues, too,” Acho concluded.

Agak Laen: Menyala Pantiku! is competing in the Indonesian Screen Awards program at JAFF20 alongside 12 other Indonesian feature films, and is currently screening in cinemas across Indonesia.

Full schedule of JAFF20 screenings and non-screening programs is available at jaff-filmfest.org and on social media @jaffjogja