Almahdi Al-Haj Ibrahim, more popularly known as Nadiputra, is one of Singapore Malay theatre’s most important pioneers. For over five decades, he has made great impact on the Singapore Malay-language literary, theatre and entertainment scene with more than 300 works for radio, stage and television that explore moral, religious and social issues in Singapore. The playwright, actor, director, producer, television scriptwriter, voice-over artist and poet received the Malay Literature Prize in 1993. In 1986, Nadiputra received the Cultural Medallion for his contributions to theatre in Singapore.

Despite never having studied theatre or scriptwriting formally, Almahdi Al-Haj Ibrahim a.k.a. Nadiputra had a natural gift for storytelling and a poetic sensibility from young. Born in Singapore in 1946 and the adopted son of a ship captain and a housewife, he enjoyed a carefree childhood growing up in a kampong in Jalan Omar Samad off Jalan Eunos and frequently watching Malay movies. Fascinated by how films were made, Nadiputra found his way to a film shoot at Shaw Studios at Jalan Ampas, and was taken by all he saw. He was a great fan of P. Ramlee movies, and was enchanted by their simple stories told with sincerity, poignancy and humour.

These same qualities would, decades later, be the trademarks of Nadiputra’s own scripts for television and theatre, qualities which the secondary school student’s peers and teachers had a glimpse of when they voted his first play Tercecer (The Dropout) the school’s Best Production in the school drama competition in 1962. His creative talent was further affirmed when his next play Malisa received the Malay Arts & Literary Association Award.

Since then, Nadiputra has remained committed to creative writing. Even while he worked as a customs officer from 1966 to 1982, he worked at his craft, honing his creative writing skills. He adopted the pen name “Nadiputra”, adapted from “Adiputra”, the wise guru of Malay folk hero Hang Tuah. Despite going by other pseudonyms such as “Esje Saha”, “Tun Temasik” and “Muhammad Zahir”, “Nadiputra”, has stayed with him the longest and remains his best-known stage identity.

Then in 1983, Nadiputra made the switch to full-time scriptwriting. He joined the then Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, and from 1983 till 2000, scripted numerous Malay television dramas including the popular series Sandiwara in the ’80s.

At the same time, he continued his work in theatre. He penned many plays, including the acclaimed Encong in 1985 about a father scorned by his overseas-educated daughter; 1987’s Puncak (The Peak) about a man seeking spiritual success; 1992’s Tali (Ropes) about the link between humanity and spiritualism; as well as the radical Masjid Bersalib (The Mosque with a Cross) and Jembalang Tanah (Spirits of the Earth). These were thought-provoking reflections on current social, moral and religious issues and they had such relevance and resonance with the times and with the Singapore Malay community that a loyal fanbase had taken root by the ’80s. In recognition of this, Puncak garnered awards such as the Anugerah Persuratan by Angkatan Sasterawan ’50 in 1993.

Nadiputra’s involvement in theatre extended beyond scriptwriting. From 1978 to 1988, he led the performing arts group Sriwana as its president. In 1975, he founded Singapore’s first Malay children’s drama group, the now-defunct Theatre Nadi, which in 1985 staged Cermin Ajaib (The Magic Mirror) in conjunction with the Young People's Theatre Festival. In 1996, he founded Theatre 2000, which went on to stage well-received works such as 2005’s Villa Singa, written and directed by Nadiputra, and 2011’s double bill of Culik (Kidnapped) and Satu (One), both written by Nadiputra.

Additionally, he delved into acting in the ’90s. He acted for the first time in 1993 in Singkap (Unveil), which was directed by Lut Ali and staged in conjunction with the Festival of Asian Performing Arts, and for the second time in 1999 in Laluan (Passage), produced by Sriwana and staged at the Singapore Arts Festival. He also lent his voice to Malay-language radio and television, doing voiceovers for television documentaries and commercials as well as being a voice actor for radio plays such as the popular Saham Benih on Warna 94.2FM in 2011.

Other diverse projects so far have included writing the script and composing the syair (quatrain) for the first Singapore-produced bangsawan (Malay dance opera) show Dendam Berahi (A Revenge of Passion) in 1998 featuring talents from Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, and a 2000 staging of the Malay-language version of Kuo Pao Kun’s The Coffin Is Too Big for the Hole, for which he managed to persuade famous Malaysian movie actor Jins Shamsudin to act in. And in 2004, he scripted and directed the musical drama extravaganza Gentarasa 2004 for the People's Association Malay Activity Executive Committees Council (MESRA).

In 1986, Nadiputra received the Cultural Medallion for his contributions to theatre in Singapore.

Today, the dramatist with the long, varied and illustrious career runs his production house Nadivision as its managing director; helms Theatre 2000 in Tampines West Community Club; teaches drama at the Singapore Prison Services’ Performing Arts Centre for inmates; and conducts children’s workshops. He also writes a theatre column in Malay-language daily Berita Harian.

Ever passionate in his belief in theatre’s role in cultivating social responsibility, he recently delivered a lecture in May 2012 entitled Teater. Melayu dan Mesej Sosialnya (Malay Theatre and its Social Messages). In July 2012, he wrote, produced and directed Lorong Buangkok, a musical drama based on the last kampong in Singapore. In 2016, he directed Raden Mas: An Epic of a Princess, a bangsawan production presented by Sri Mamanda Bangswan Pte Ltd at Esplanade Theatre.