For months, Indonesian movie audiences have been talking about one film: Norma, the story of a seemingly blissful marriage shattered by the husband's clandestine affair with his mother-in-law.
It's the kind of plot that was always going to attract melodrama fans. But what has made Norma a nationwide obsession is the fact that it's based on a viral true story.
In 2022, Norma Risma, a woman in Serang City on Indonesia's Java island, exposed her husband and mother's affair in a TikTok video.
Her story quickly racked up millions of views, made headlines, and ultimately brought her a movie deal that has taken South East Asia by storm.
Norma, which hit Indonesian theatres in March and Netflix in August, soon became one of the most watched movies, not just in Indonesia but also Malaysia and Singapore, where there are large Malay-Muslim populations.
Such themes are highly taboo in Indonesia, where adultery is punishable with jail time. The country's new criminal code, set to take effect nationwide next year, outlaws sex outside marriage - and in its most conservative province, couples are already publicly flogged for premarital sex.
With the help of social media, stories that had mostly been limited to neighborhood gossip now make for viral pelakor content, a slang term for homewrecker. This voyeuristic interest flourishes in a culture where household scandals are largely muted.
Norma provides a space for viewers to engage with these personal struggles while blending entertainment with emotional resonance. The film's screenwriter, Oka Aurora, worked closely with Norma to ensure the storytelling stays true while adding dramatization to enhance the impact.
As the real Norma continues to share updates about her life on social media, her story remains a poignant reminder of the complexities surrounding love, betrayal, and recovery in a conservative society.
