Opera Jakarta

Klinem returns home to Bekonang, Solo, to give up her baby to her grandmother and then leave. The baby, Joko, is raised without knowing his mother. Joko has shown his love of boxing and becomes the leader of his peers. In Jakarta many years later, the Yonosiswoyo family is bewildered that Rum, who is about to get married, has run away. Tony Yonokuswono, her grand uncle who has two wives (the second one is a rather unsophisticated film star), search for her, accompanied by his first wife and Rum’s younger sibling. The plot flashes forwards and backwards. Rum has a lot of boyfriends and is currently infatuated with Yoko AKA Joko, the popular boxer who lives a wild life, whom she meets him for a magazine interview. Rum is attracted to his savageness, especially when she finds out about his dark childhood days. Later when he is quite successful, Yoko returns home to find that his grandmother has drowned in the deep currents of the Bengawan Solo River. Yoko returns to Jakarta and soon becomes a popular anti-establishment icon for the youth. Because of his popularity, security forces start watching him. Tony, a security force agent, cannot understand Yoko’s psychology, athough his first wife reminds him that Yoko is exactly like him when he was young. Various attempts are made to discredit Yoko. He is accused of inciting a riot and also of rape but he manages to prove his innocence. Rum leaves her wedding preparations to see him in court. Tony also goes to court. Then the story flashes forward. Rum returns home and is getting ready for her wedding with Santoso, a man she doesn’t love, whom her parents betrothed her to. In the middle of the ceremony, a group of young men disrupt the event, and the bride is held hostage. They want Yoko. Their demand is for Yoko to give up tonight’s match as they plan to ruin his reputation. Both security forces and big business have covet interests in this demand. Tony arrives and kills the gangsters. The leader is Hilman, Rum’s younger brother who, like Rum, is always rebelling against their authoritatian father. Yoko is now more determined to face the Korean boxer and gives his best performance and wins. The next day, Rum meets him and tells him that she will marry Demas, a fellow office worker who has been secretly in love with her. Yoko asks for a razor and shaves his head. He shouts at Hilman’s grave and he puts his boxing gloves on the gravestone.