ACTRESS Nora Danish has gradually cut down on her TV and film appearances, and the clearest sign of this is her absence from blockbuster movie Polis Evo 2. There has been talk on social media that she may call it a day soon, happily married as she is to businessman Nedim Nazri. She is the proud mother of Putra Rayqal Ramli Rizal Ashram, 9 years old, and 9-month-old Mohamad Neqayl “Ney Ney” Nedim.
But at the launch of her cosmetic brand’s (OhMostWanted) kiosk at Fahrenheit88 Shopping Mall in Jalan Bukit Bintang recently, she said, “No way I’m going to leave acting, I love it too much. Just that I want to focus more on business and motherhood now.”
JUGGLING PASSIONS
“I’ve chosen to divide time equitably between family, business and film, my three priorities in life. At this moment, baby Ney Ney is still small, so he needs me to spend a lot of time with him,” she said.
“As for businesses, I’ve got three of themand they currently take up 70 per cent of my working life. My fashion label, Owl By Nora Danish, the Karva Salon for women at G Village in Desa Pandan, and OhMostWanted are part and parcel of my childhood dream to come up with fashion and beauty products for women.”
Nora has chosen to appear less in dramas and films to be able to focus more on her businesses.
“I’ve decided to be a businesswoman two thirds of the time, leaving the other third for acting. Like many of my contemporaries, I want to wait for quality scripts which do not look or sound like recycled stories,” she said.
Nora explained that Nedim had always encouraged her to “keep it up” in acting, and she is currently filming an eight episode drama series titled Sepenggal Puisi.
“It’s a tear-jerker which is based on a novel. Our director is Indonesia’s Viva Westi and my leading man is the multi-talented Luqman Hafidz of Ola Bola fame,” she said.
SEEKING OUT CHALLENGES
Nora says that she prefers not to play a mother on the big or small screen. “Some people think once you are a mother, you have to play the one role. I don’t agree, we should be free to choose whichever character we want to play, as long as we are comfortable with them,” she said.
“Erra Fazira and Fazura, for example, continue to play single women in love, and excel in such roles, and if they can do it, so can I!” Nora, however, has one request for producers and directors.
“I’d prefer to have more roles where I don’t look too glamorous or sweet. Few people have seen me in gritty roles. I hope to appear in more of them, because they’re the type of roles which give my acting a boost,” she said.
Nora played a cancer-stricken woman in the recent television drama Hingga Jumpa Lagi.
“That role was scary, because my character Eva was terminally ill. Nevertheless the director, Wan Hasliza, allayed my initial phobia of playing Eva, and I am so thankful to her for that,” she said.
Mora added: “Once I got into character, she made everyone call me Eva, not Nora, until filming was over.”
CELEBRATING TALENT
Would she record more songs with popular singers?
Nora has decided “one is enough”. “No doubt, I had fun recording Ini Lagi Boom with Waris last year. But I admit I’m not cut out for singing, and it’ll take a lot of persuading to return to the recording studio,” she said.
Despite reducing her screen appearances, Nora keeps abreast with the latest developments in the local music, film and TV industry.
“There are many promising actors and actresses on TV and cinema these days, and Luqman is one of them. He shines in movies and musicals, besides being a keen sportsman.
“I’m also full of praise for the Paskal boys, especially Hairul Azreen and Ammar Alfian, for going the distance to play brave warriors of the Malaysian Navy,” she said. “And the weeks of gruelling training they had, they were so realistic in their roles and deserve to win handsomely in national film awards next year,” she added.
Nora has no regrets giving Polis Evo 2 a miss, because she feels that the new adventures of Inspectors Khai and Sani do not need her docile character, Hanis.
“It was nice to have been Hanis, Sani’s sweet little sister, but as I said earlier, I’d rather cut back on the sweet girl roles!” she said ironically, flashing a smile.