Grand Sugar Daddy

70 year old Alvin Tan has always been an introvert and he hates the heat of Singapore. His wife however loves going out and loved nature. Using the excuse of Covid he keeps her at home for over a year until she passes away in her sleep one night. Now, when he tries to return home from her funeral he seems to have developed acute claustrophobia and can’t go back up to his apartment by the elevator or the stairs. Roaming around the streets of Singapore Alvin bumps into Alice who works as a sugar baby. They begin to chat and Alvin gets introduced to the world of Sugar Daddies and Babies. He becomes famous amongst them as an old man who can’t go home and pays money to just talk and walk. The film traces his conversations with a Singaporean chinese lady, an Indian lady and a transgender Malay woman through a few nights as he grapples with being able to finally go back home.

Directed by Aditya Kripalani, Grand Sugar Daddy leans on a strong ensemble — Ng Lee Huat, Agnes Goh, Geeta Balagangadharan — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2023.