Getting to know Singapore's first president

HE'S the face on Singapore's currency bills, but little is known about Yusof Ishak beyond the fact that he was Singapore's first president. Now, a titular biopic written and directed by his grand-niece Zizi Azah will reveal more about the man and what spurred him to politics.

It's her first biopic and she's dug deep into his background and political speeches and also interviewed her family members, shares the 34-year-old playwright who's written about 20 plays to date, usually about social issues, gender and race.

"What was most important to me was to keep to the facts and not make assumptions. But at the same time, when I read an anecdote about his life, I've tried to imagine it in a full way and not present a two-dimensional aspect. Pulling it all together into a dramatic work has been an exciting process," she says.