Tears were shed in theaters across Southeast Asia upon the release of the Thai film How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies. The drama movie, which was first shown in April 2024, was lauded in the region for its emotionally evocative depiction of familial relationships. With its seemingly accurate portrayal of an Asian generational dynamic, it leaves audiences wondering: is the film based on a true story?
What Is “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” About?
In How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, Putthipong Assaratanakul (a.k.a. Billkin) fills the shoes of M, a young man who, after learning his cousin’s successful get-rich scheme, targets to win the affection of his terminally ill grandmother Amah Taew (Usha Seamkhum) in hopes of gaining a hefty inheritance upon her passing. M moves into her house to become a full-time caregiver, where generational gaps come in full force. But despite his first ventures into his role for superficial reasons, M soon develops an honest love and caring relationship with his grandma, as the film touches upon sentimental relationships that tug at the heartstrings of families.
Is “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” Based on a True Story?
The Thai film is touted as a tale “inspired by true stories found in every family,” but at its core, How to Make Millions is founded on a personal narrative. In an interview with Screen Daily, Vanridee Pongsittisak–the head producer and script doctor at production studio GDH 559–recalled how the film came to be. While producers usually come up with the story before a director is signed on to the project, How to Make Millions was a different case, as screenplay writer Thodsapon Thiptinnakorn had initiated the project.
According to Vanridee, Thodsapon submitted a 10-page synopsis about his experience with caring for his grandmother in the “last days of her life during COVID.” “Before her death, Amah gave her inheritance to her sons but not her daughter, Thodsapon’s mother. Out of curiosity, he questioned why Amah didn’t give anything to the caregivers,” the producer said.
After this, she and fellow head producer Jira Maligool went on to develop the personal story into a full-fledged script, tasked with turning it into “something that was more accessible and entertaining for a wider audience.”
Director Pat Boonnitipat was later tapped for the project, and much of the story was altered. Thodsapon and Pat shifted the genres, placing it away from slapstick comedy onto a more “emotionally-driven” tale. In a report by Deadline, the original story mainly featured the grandmother and grandson, but Pat felt compelled to include other generations of the family. “I live in a big family, and all those in the middle generation actually affect a lot of the relationship dynamics between generations,” he said to the outlet.
Like this anecdote, Pat also infused his personal experience with his family. At one point, he lived with his 92-year-old grandmother to gain insight. “We spent a lot of time together and I asked her so many questions like, ‘What would you do if this happened?’ and ‘Who would you give your inheritance to?’,” he recalled to Deadline. While the film’s grandmother was originally based on Thodsapon’s, Pat told the outlet that “he could only come up with my kind of grandma because she’s the only one I know so well.”
“I’m so glad that I could finish this movie while she’s still alive because this took three years. During the shoot and editing, I kept thinking that I really needed to complete it soon,” he said.
Where Can You Watch “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies”?
After a successful theatrical release in Southeast Asia, How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies is heading to the streaming screen. The Thai film will be released on Netflix on September 12 in the Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia.
Watch the Trailer for “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies”:
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