After HOOQ’s liquidation, filmmakers reflect on debts, broken contracts, and lost opportunities
In January 2020, local filmmakers Haresh Tilani and Terence Chia launched She’s a Terrorist and I Love Her (SATAILH), a comedy series produced for HOOQ, a video-on-demand service. The launch was a major event, marking a promising partnership with HOOQ and showcasing Ministry of Funny’s bold and edgy style. However, their optimism was short-lived. By March, HOOQ had announced its liquidation, leaving filmmakers in limbo.
SATAILH, a dark comedy about a down-on-his-luck man in a sham marriage, garnered early praise, but with HOOQ’s sudden closure, the series—and the funds promised for its production—were in jeopardy. HOOQ, backed by media giants like Singtel, Sony, and Warner Bros., had been a significant player in the Southeast Asian streaming market, but COVID-19 pressures and stiff competition drove it to fold.
With HOOQ’s collapse, Haresh and Terence were left with a debt of S$205,114, owed to freelancers and crew. HOOQ’s intellectual property (IP) ownership meant they couldn’t distribute their work elsewhere, nor could they legally claim the money owed. Affected filmmakers and producers sought accountability, only to face delayed responses, legal red tape, and mounting frustrations.
Three years later, the pair decided to release SATAILH’s first two episodes on YouTube to gain closure. Despite ongoing legal limitations, Haresh and Terence hope their experience encourages other creators facing similar setbacks to find resilience and take control of their narratives.
