The tale of Karikal Mahal: A Silent Witness begins with Tamil Muslim businessman Moona Kader Sultan — dubbed “the Cattle King” — who designed and built the mansion in his journey from rags to riches.
Over the years, it became home to the Malayan Magic Circle, a brotherhood united by their passion for theatrical magic. The mansion also witnessed the internment of World War II prisoners, who were held on the grounds for 16 days.
Executive producer Jean Yeo from Ochre Pictures was captivated by the “rojak architecture” of Karikal Mahal, which once featured a central building that was bulldozed in the 1970s to make way for the construction of Still Road South.
But this ambitious design, combining Western, Roman, Indian and Muslim elements, was difficult to replicate on set. Furthermore, the original mansion’s interior had been transformed into two preschools, and its architectural elements were hard to find regionally.
