By Kelvin Tong

PRAYERS SET MOOD FOR ROLL OF COMEDY

Trio of heroes HK comedian Eric Tsang, lead actor Jack Neo
and producer Eric Khoo

He is getting peanuts for acting in his first Singaporean movie. But Hongkong actor-compere Eric Tsang isn't complaining.

"It's the lowest amount I have been offered in the past 10-20 years of my career," the stocky star told reporters on Monday, when the production of Liang Po Po-The Movie was launched at the Goodwood Park Hotel.

"It's not even the equivalent of what I get for making a guest appearance (in a Hongkong movie) for a day!"

Eric plays a supporting role, a Mafia chief from Hongkong, in this debut movie by Raintree Pictures.

Known for his realistic baddie roles, Eric said jokingly:" My role is a very important one. I have so many scenes in the movie that (after calculation) I am paid only a few cents per scene." What made Eric accept the low fee?

"As a boss myself, I understand how tough it is to start on one's first movie. I am very happy that I can have a part in this.

"Hopefully, I won't be just helping the next time round. Hopefully, I will get some real pay then," he said breaking into laughter.

"In this business, we help one another."

So helpful is Eric that he accepted the offer without even reading the entire script.

"Lucky them (Raintree Pictures). If I had, I wouldn't have accepted the role!" joked Eric.

"They wanted me to play a bad egg, someone who bullies Liang Po Po. I had my apprehensions.

"What will the children here think of me? Do you know I am very popular with the kids back home?"

He is confident the movie will do as well, if not better than Money No Enough, which grossed about $6 million.

Liang Po Po-The Movie is slated to hit the big screens here during the Chinese New Year period.

The movie will cost $800,000.

Caption 1: Head they win: Jack Neo (left) and Eric Tsang, "united" by a member of the film crew.