After spending ten years in British Malaya, he returned to Indonesia and directed several more films before being sent to Italy as a press attaché.

[4] After Andjar left the troupe in 1940 to work for The Teng Chun's Java Industrial Film,[3] Effendi remained leader of Bollero,[2] which became increasingly politicised and vocal against the widespread corruption of the time.

[6] The troupe stayed in Malacca until 1945; aside from his work with Bollero, Effendi was involved with the domestic film industry and became a "culture warrior" in the press.

[2][7][8] Effendi was arrested in Singapore for refusing to support the British,[2] but after his release he acted the 1949 film Seruan Merdeka (Cry of Freedom).

After the PRRI was quashed, Effendi chose to stay in Italy, reportedly taking bit parts in Italian films.