14 Nov - After facing one criticism after another, finally the controversial "Impak Maksima: The Musical" draws its curtain and reveals all - it's bigger and bolder than the film itself. Cinema Online caught the cast and crew at a special sneak peek at Lambang Sari, Istana Budaya on 5 November 2008 and got award-winning actor Zul Huzaimy, Akademi Fantasia alum Zarina Zainoordin and director Ahmad Idham to sit down and have a chat about the whole show. Zarina, tell us briefly about your role and what do you make of it. I'm playing the role of Ika, a popular girl in college that DK has a crush on. Basically she's the main character's love interest. I was cast in a TV drama produced by Excellent Pictures in which Ahmad Idham was the director. He offered me the role, and I accepted. Is this your first time being involved in a theatrical production? This is not my first time doing theatre, if that's what you're asking. I love doing theatre and have done so before in school and even when I worked with Yayasan Warisan Johor in Johor Bahru, often as a narrator or a singer. I've performed in Istana Budaya before, but as a singer. In terms of acting in a musical of a grand scale though, yes, this would be my first. Is there any difference between singing for the musical and singing on stage like you're used to? Yes, definitely. There's a whole new technique on how to project your voice. Adeep from The Fabulous Catz is our voice coach and has been teaching us the correct way to perform for a musical. He is also one of the casts. How does it feel to be working with someone like Zul Huzaimy? It's a bit awkward at first, as we need to act romantic with each other. And of course, it's quite intimidating also because he has experience in both films and theatre. But I take it as a challenge to improve myself.
Zul, tell us a bit about your character? I play DK, which is a moniker for 'Drift King'. DK and his best friends Loyai, Amran and Kembang are into illegal racing. There's also a love interest added into the story among others. There's drama, romance, action, everything. How different it is from Awal Ashaari's Ayie, which was the movie's main character? When Awal pulled out from the show, I tried to take on the role, but I find that Awal is Ayie and Ayie is Awal - the character can only be portrayed by him. So I change the main role to DK. The difference in the new plot is that it's not all about DK. All the main characters are created in a way that they will each have their own moment to shine. Other than playing a role, you are also the art director of this project. How will you be different from, say, Adlin Aman Ramlie? Adlin Aman Ramlie has his style and I got mine. When I told Eman Manan about the project last time, he said, "Zul, if I want to watch race cars, I can go to Sepang. If you want to do this, you have to do it right." So as my senior and my mentor, I took his words as a challenge. And that's my challenge - figuring out the way to turn it (drift racing) into an art. But Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God), everything's been working out fine and I'm thankful that Idham gave me the liberty to interpret it the way I want. What are your hopes for "Impak Maksima: The Musical"? To me what's important is that the audience will accept it and enjoy watching it.
"Impak Maksima: The Musical" is at Istana Budaya from 11 to 22 November 2008. Tickets are available at the box office.