The biggest box-office success last year almost never got off the ground because of 'police interference', said the film's producer.
Infernal Affairs - which raked in more than $52 million at the box office since its release in mid-December and stars Andy Lau Tak-wah and Tony Leung Chiu-wai - has become the highest-grossing local blockbuster of 2002.
However, according to line producer Lorraine Ho, the project was almost suspended because the Hong Kong Police Force did not agree with the story idea. The law-enforcing body 'verbally requested' a new script for the Media Asia film, with all the elements that it regarded as 'incorrect' removed, Ho said.
Infernal Affairs is a tale about the lives of two undercover agents - one in the police force sent by the triads and the other sent by the police into the traids.
Ho explained: 'The police thought it was impossible for triads to plant a member within the force, while sending a trainee police officer into the underworld was equally unrealistic.
'We did not want to say the police were infringing upon our creative freedom as we were eager to keep the production going.'
