How a yellow tupperware tells a story of quiet love in Maybank’s Raya film

For many Malaysians, love from a mother is rarely expressed through grand declarations. Instead, it often appears in the small, everyday gestures that quietly shape family life. A late-night meal prepared after a long day, a packed container of food before a journey, or the familiar taste of home waiting at the table.

Tapping into this universal experience, Maybank has launched its 2026 Hari Raya film “Berkat Mak” ('A mother's blessing'), a reflective story that celebrates the quiet yet powerful ways mothers show love and support for their children. Rather than focusing solely on festive traditions, the film, created in partnership with Invictus Blue and directed by Directors Think Tank, explores a familiar dynamic across many families, where affection is rarely spoken, but instead shown through everyday gestures.

At the heart of the story is a single mother known simply as Mak, whose love for her children is expressed through the meals she prepares for them over the years. As the narrative moves through different stages of the family’s life, her cooking becomes a quiet language of care, protection and devotion.

Much of the story is told through Mak’s reflective voiceover, as a tender narration that feels like a love letter to her children and words she never expressed aloud.

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The film shifts between present-day Hari Raya scenes and flashbacks of pivotal moments in the children’s lives. Her eldest son leaves home to start his first job in the city, her second daughter begins a new chapter after marriage, and her youngest prepares to pursue her studies overseas.

In each moment of farewell, Mak struggles to put her feelings into words. Instead, she sends her children off with a familiar gesture: a yellow tupperware filled with her home-cooked food. Whether it is pride for her son, quiet worry for her newly married daughter, or strength for the youngest as she ventures abroad, the container becomes her way of expressing love and reassurance.

The film’s emotional core lies in the line, “Mak mampu bekalkan kekuatan. Mak bekalkan kamu kasih sayang. Mak bekalkan kamu doa” ('Mum can provide you with strength, love, and prayers'). The phrase cleverly plays on the dual meaning of the Malay word bekal — which refers both to a packed container of food and the act of providing something meaningful.

Over time, the children come to realise that every container of food and every late night their mother spent in the kitchen were her way of sending strength, comfort and love with them wherever life might take them.

According to Shazlina Suffian, EVP and head of group brand and marketing at Maybank, the film reflects the bank’s philosophy of "Humanising financial services". “‘Berkat Mak’ reminds us that the most meaningful forms of support are often the quietest ones. The everyday gestures of love and sacrifice that shape our lives long after the moment has passed,” she said.

“In many ways, this reflects the role we aspire to play at Maybank: to be a steady presence that supports people and communities through every stage of their journey," Shazlina added. 

The film was directed by Maurice Noone and Jeany Amir of Directors Think Tank, who sought to capture the understated emotional truths present in many Malaysian families. “For us, growing up often means moving forward while quietly leaving parts of home behind,” said Noone. “We wanted to capture how many Malaysian mothers show love through food, and how those small gestures carry a piece of family with us wherever we go.”

Other financial institutions in Malaysia have also taken the heartwarming route to tell their Raya stories. RHB Bank turned the real-life story of Siti Rahayu Baharin, founder of Buku Jalanan Chow Kit (BJCK), into “Ruang Harapan (Hope)”, a festive film that shines a light on inclusive education and the power of compassion to transform lives.

BJCK is an alternative learning centre that provides free education and support for marginalised children in Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, OCBC Malaysia unveiled the film titled “Di samping ayah” ('Beside my father') centres on the idea that inheritance extends beyond financial wealth, living on through the values, wisdom and quiet lessons passed from one generation to the next.

Be part of #Content360 Malaysia, 13 May 2026, where creativity and community collide. Explore how AI-powered imagination, culturally resonant storytelling, and platform-savvy strategies are shaping the future of content. Gain practical insights, discover new tactics, and learn how the region’s top creators and brands are crafting campaigns that truly resonate.

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