THE pairing of actor Zul Ariffin and actress-cum-television host Noor Neelofa as an onscreen couple in the television series Ti Amor Sweetheart 100 Hari has been gaining so much attention from Netizens that it spawned a phenomenon of its own called “#zulofa”.
Although filming of the series has just begun in Rome, Italy, photos of the duo sharing sparkling chemistry on reel melted the hearts of their fans, to the point that they expressed wishes to see the couple tie the knot in real life.
Surely, news on the fandom had come to the attention of the pair, as Zul took to Instagram to somewhat express what happens on set between him and Neelofa.
“When two actors who may not be familiar with each other are placed in moments where they have to seem like they have known each other for years, it can be awkward.
“It is all about being able to put something on screen which is not only sweet, believable and convincing to the audience, but also able to deliver the story that the whole team has worked hard to put together,” he wrote.
The phenomenon did not come without controversy.
Photos of Neelofa resting her head on Zul’s sparked a debate on social media, with some fans claiming the action was inappropriate for a hijab-wearing actress, while others argued that it was merely acting.
Both celebrities did not respond to the controversy, but the series’s director, Michael Ang, poked fun at Netizens by uploading a similar photo of himself leaning against Zul.
He captioned: “Itu cuma satu lakonan! Sila faham guys! Chill sudah!” (It’s just acting, please understand, guys. Chill!)
Prior to this, Zul and Neelofa sparked a frenzy through their lead roles in TV drama series Suri Hati Mr Pilot and Rindu Awak 200% respectively.