KUALA LUMPUR: Popular director Dr Ahmad Idham Ahmad Nadzri, 52, has long "shut out" problematic artistes from his dramas and films.
Ahmad Idham said in an interview with Harian Metro Online yesterday that he had adopted this practice even before the advent of social media.
"Before directing and producing a certain project I make sure those artistes with court cases, indiscipline, drug problems and scandalous behaviour off-stage do not get cast. These individuals jeopardise the production process."
Director Shahrulezad Mohameddin, 51, said that he adopted a similar policy as Ahmad Idham but refrained from judging artistes based on rumours and heresay.
"I always conduct my own investigations and base my decisions on my experience working with them. What is important is their work ethics," he said.
"I only shut them out of my productions if they have serious disciplinary problems. If they generate off-stage controversies I will not take them in until such controversies die down."
Shahrulezad added that in some instances television stations decided not to have certain artistes appear in dramas because of reports highlighting their perceived bad behaviour off stage.
"Viewers also have a strong influence. Most of them are women and they take a strong stand against artistes believed to be 'penyondol' or marriage-wreckers. They boycott such artistes regardless of the truth," he said.
Yesterday drama producer Datuk A Aida urged the government to blacklist all problematic artistes from the big and small screens to ensure that only those without controversies, scandals and criminal records starred in dramas and films.