TEN years after Money No Enough (1998) broke box-office records here, entertainer Jack Neo still has his finger firmly on the heartland pulse.

The sequel Money No Enough 2, which he directed, wrote and starred in, has taken in a rosy $4.9 million in receipts since its release on July 31.

By demonstrating once again his firm grip as king of Singapore's box office, he tops this year's entertainment power list.

The Tay Teck Lock-directed original, which Neo wrote and starred in, remains the all-time local champ with its gross takings of $5.8 million.

His track record speaks for itself. In all, his 10 films have made a total of $27.7 million in Singapore, averaging healthy earnings of close to $3 million per film. No one else comes close to either matching that figure or the consistency with which he achieved it.

Even for someone as seasoned as Neo, who started out as a compere and actor at the then-Singapore Broadcasting Corporation in 1979, every movie is still a risk.

'Although you know a story like that has a certain level of support, it's a very unknown business. And while people might say we're critic-proof, I don't think so,' he muses.

But he seems to have come to terms with the less-thanwarm critical reception his films have generally received over the years.

'To be frank, I still feel sad. I think I put a lot of heart into my films. But I can't make something critics like because I know what my market needs.'

And he is not about to tinker with his winning formula, honed from his days writing and acting in the Channel 8 variety show Comedy Night in the early 1990s.

He says: 'I have so many supporters and they like my films because of my observations and the way I tell a story, proven over so many years. If you want me to make changes, I'm worried about losing that market.'

Not only has he made a splash on the big screen, he has also staked a claim on the small one. His Liang Po Po character, a tottering grandmother with a trademark 'hoo hoo hoo' laugh, was named Most Classic Variety Show Character on Channel 8's 45th anniversary celebrations last month.

The character made a successful crossover to film with 1999's Liang Po Po: The Movie. Neo does not rule out a sequel but is keen to turn her into a cartoon as animation is now all the rage.

Neo, who is married with four children, is now looking to share his experience with up-and-coming film-makers.

He co-directed his Chinese New Year offering for next year, the comedy Love Matters, with Gilbert Chan, who did the dark comedy S11 (2006).

Chan, 33, says Neo's films are 'funny and entertaining and reflect a certain part of our society'.

Neo plans to direct at most two films a year, executive-produce three, and through these, share his experience in every aspect of film-making.

He adds: 'I'm not a selfish person and I want to see the industry take off. I've made movies for the past 10 years and training is what I plan to do for the next 10.'

Boon Chan

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'I put a lot of heart into my films. But I can't make something critics like because I know what my market needs'

Jack Neo on the lukewarm reception to his movies