Bie wins 'Koo Kam' lead over Naded
Sukrit "Bie" Wisetkaew will be the latest leading man to play the Japanese navy captain Kobori from thommayanti's often-adapted novel "Koo Kam" ("Sunset at Chaophraya").
“It was a few years ago that I saw Bie in the ‘Love I Can’ concert when I thought he should take the role, but I wanted to wait until he matured and gained more acting experience,” says Exact boss Takolkiat “Boy” Veeravarn, who’s been sitting on the rights to “Koo Kam” for four years.
The news of Exact’s “Koo Kam” stage-production casting came as a surprise to those who had pegged model-actor Naded Kugimiya as the perfect guy to play Kobori.
A romantic drama set during the World War II Japanese occupation of Thailand, “Koo Kam” has been adapted for film and TV several times, with Kobori portrayed by such favourites as Nard Poowanai, Waruth Woratham, Thongchai “Bird” McIntyre and Sornram “Num” Theppitak. Either Bie or Naded could easily fill the role.
Meanwhile, studio M-thirtynine has revealed that Kittikorn “Leo” Liasirikun will direct a new film of “Koo Kam”.
Perhaps Naded will land the movie role, but he says he’s content to leave that decision to showbiz bigshots.
“Personally, I would be very glad to play the role because I really like the story, but if I don’t get the part, I will totally understand,” he told Kom Chad Luek.
His manager Supachai “A” Srivijit still says it is a “50-50 chance”. Time is the main factor, which is something the busy Naded doesn’t have much of.
The other big question about “Koo Kam” is who will portray the heroine Angsumalin, the Free Thai fighter who Kobori falls in love with.
Supachai denied rumours that he’s been using Kobori as a bargaining chip in order to pair him with one of the actresses from his stable.
Whoever plays Angsumalin, she’ll need to be an “athletic type”, Supachai has joked. “She has to run around a lot because it’s during the war, so she’d better be a healthy one.”
Fans of the story aren’t amused. Angsumalin is a part that requires a skilled actress, like Jintara Sukapat or Kamolchanok “Kwang” Komoltithi, who played the role in the past.
Anyway, with so many versions already made, the real test will be if these new adaptations will work the same magic in bringing box-office success to an old story.
