"the most antipathetic character", the leader of Indonesian revolutionary forces, as well as for Rusli's antipathy to Islam in the novel. Sitti Nurbaya inspired numerous authors, including Nur Sutan Iskandar, who stated that he wrote Apa Dayaku Karena Aku Perempuan (What Am I to Do Because I Am a Girl, 1924) as a direct result of reading it; Iskandar later wrote Cinta yang Membawa Maut (Love that Brings Death, 1926), which deals with the same themes. The Sitti Nurbaya storyline has often been reused, to the point that Balfas has referred to similar plots as following "the Sitti Nurbaya formula". Adaptations Sitti Nurbaya has been translated into numerous languages, including Malaysian in 1963. It has been adapted into a sinetron (soap opera) twice. The first, in 1991, was directed by Dedi Setiadi, and starred Novia Kolopaking in the leading role, Gusti Randa as Samsulbahri, and HIM Damsyik as Datuk Meringgih. The second, starting in December 2004, was produced by MD Entertainment and broadcast on Trans TV. Directed by Encep Masduki and starring Nia Ramadhani as the title character, Ser Yozha Reza as Samsulbahri, and Anwar Fuady as Datuk Meringgih, the series introduced a new character as a competitor for Samsul's affections. In 2009, Sitti Nurbaya was one of eight classics of Indonesian literature chosen by Taufik Ismail to be reprinted in a special Indonesian Cultural Heritage Series edition; Sitti Nurbaya featured a West Sumatran-style woven cloth cover. Actress Happy Salma was chosen as its celebrity icon. In 2011, Sitti Nurbaya was translated into English by George A Fowler and published by the Lontar Foundation. Notes Explanatory notes References Footnotes Bibliography Online sources 1922 novels Novels set in Indonesia Indonesian romance novels Balai Pustaka books Novels adapted into television shows 1922 debut novels