Nurul Aini and Demmy Febriana tell
of their experience playing wives to the same man in
emotion-laden TV drama Kasih Berbisik
THEY were total strangers whose paths cross in the most unexpected way — they find out they are married to the same man! What do they do now?
Find out in Kasih Berbisik, a new series co-produced by Media Prima and Singapore’s MediaCorp under their respective content creation arms, Primeworks Studio and Mediacorp Eaglevision. The new 13-episode series, which will air next month, has Indonesian actress Demmy Febriana and Singaporean actress Nurul Aini in the lead roles.
Nurul plays Nora, a loyal wife in a childless marriage to Imran. Demmy plays Sulastri, Imran’s secret second wife from Bali.
“It’s emotionally exhausting,” says Nurul of her experience filming the series. Clad in a body-hugging pink cocktail dress from Cosry during a photo shoot with Life & Times recently, the 32-year-old talked about her debut lead role.
MIXED EMOTIONS
“There are a lot of emotions involved. To bring Nora to life is not easy but right from day one, I have given my all,” said Nurul.
“Nora is not only a hopelessly romantic and devoted wife. She is also optimistic, with a happy-go-lucky attitude. So when she receives the heart-breaking news, she snaps. She becomes a different person. For me, such a transition is very interesting, although exhausting.
Sulastri is more timid, the complete opposite to Demmy’s personality. “In real life, I am very outgoing and I like to speak my mind. As Sulastri, I have to learn to control myself. Fans will see how different these two women are, yet they are brought together by one man,” says Demmy.
So who plays the lucky guy Imran? It’s none other than the country’s heart-throb, Remy Ishak.
Aware of Remy’s popularity with female viewers, Nurul said she initially felt a little awkward to work alongside the actor. “I knew Remy through some of his work. He is a very talented actor. I felt a bit intimidated at first. We have never worked together. But he helped me a lot during filming.”
Nurul, who is married with two children, is easy to talk to. She’s humble and approachable.
The Singaporean beauty first ventured into the entertainment scene after participating in talent search competition Juara. Although she didn’t win, her talent didn’t go unnoticed.
JOURNEY TO STARDOM
Acting and hosting offers soon came. She hosted a travel show a few years back and received the Best Host Award in Pesta Perdana 2007. Since then, she has continued to make a name for herself in the industry, appearing in various dramas and becoming a popular actress in Singapore.
“I still have a long way to go and a lot to learn. I would love to follow in the footsteps of my Singaporean friends who have made it big in Malaysia. I am very proud of their successes,” says Nurul, who has worked with Aaron Aziz and Adiputra during their early days in the entertainment scene. She starred alongside Aaron (playing Aaron’s sister) in a TV series, Cinta Bollywood, in Singapore.
Nurul hopes the telemovie will open up more opportunities for her to penetrate the local entertainment scene. “Compared to Singapore, Malaysia’s entertainment industry is bigger, so there are many opportunities. I am glad to be on this project, which allows me to work with a Malaysian production team and learn a thing or two from them,” she says.
And if opportunities to work in Malaysia come knocking, Nurul says there are many things to consider. Besides her family, Nurul is also managing her own online business in Singapore. “I sell a variety of fashion items for kids and adults at www.studiofrost.net. I love the online business because it gives me the luxury of being close to my family and children,” said the actress.
DOUBLE ROLE
Demmy’s role in Kasih Berbisik was timely as she recently completed her information technology studies in Indonesia. “I started my career in 2010 and acted in several TV series before taking a break to study,” said Demmy, who put her acting career on hold for two years. “I am glad that Kasih Berbisik came my way because it marks a fresh start for my career.”
Demmy, who plays the role of Sulastri and another character Lily, was hesitant to take the role at first. “Each role is completely different. I didn’t think that I was ready for the challenge, but then I realised that this is a good way to stretch my acting muscles after the break,” she says.
Demmy relates better to Lily as “she is more fun, modern and aggressive”.
She continued: My challenge is to play these two characters the best way I can, and I welcome it with an open heart.”
Kasih Berbisik
Make-up: Nasha Naslimy (Instagram: @nashanaslimy)
Hair: Hazz (Instagram: @hazzizu)
Wardrobe: Cosry