LACK of sleep is a rite of passage for new parents, and celebrity Sazzy Falak and her husband Nazril Idrus are no exception.
The good-looking pair welcomed their fraternal twins, Iman Lilly and Tiara Rose, into the world on April 28.
“Being new parents is great, although there’re a lot of changes to our lives,” admits Sazzy, looking a little tired yet in high spirits when met at her mother’s residence in Hulu Kelang, Selangor, with her hubby and their four-month-old tots.
“Many people warned us of how crazy and insane it’s going to be, that having one baby is already penat (tiring), and we were going to have twins. In that sense, I think we anticipated the worst so when the time came, we were more than prepared,” the 30-year-old mother says.
“It also helps that we have a lot of support from my mum and my helpers,” says the Kuala Lumpur-born actress-TV host who has an Indonesian husband-and-wife team as domestic help and nannies.
Sazzy, whose full name is Sazlini Shamsul Falak, went through her post-natal pantang (confinement) at her mother’s place, where she and her little family are putting up until after this Hari Raya Puasa, when they will move back to their own nest in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Meanwhile, Sazzy, whose oeuvre includes films like Tipu Kanan Tipu Kiri, 4 Madu and Jin Notti as well as helming shows such as Beat TV, Muzik-Muzik, MTV Jus, Blast Off Season 3, Ria Sentral and Ideal Celebrity Chef, has returned to work and describes the experience as emotionally-challenging.
“I miss them every time I am out. When I see other babies, I think of my girls and wish to rush home.
“At the same time, being at work keeps my sanity intact. When I come home, it makes me appreciate being a mother more,” she says.
Nazril, 37, a financial coach and entrepreneur who hails from Negri Sembilan, whom the star married in 2006, goes on working trips occasionally.
“When I’m away and Sazzy sends me photos of the girls, it is a very good feeling and makes my day,” says the new dad.
The couple are both hands-on parents, with Sazzy breastfeeding exclusively.
“I had wanted to be a full-on breastfeeding mum from the start and I aim to continue until they are two years old,” she says.
Her determination is an inspiration given that this nursing, working mum has a hectic daily schedule.
“Incorporating breastfeeding into my work life (thank God for breast pumps!) takes a lot of planning and can be a challenge.
“But it’s something intended by nature and as long as I am able, why not?”
In the run-up to Raya, the winner of Best Supporting Actress at the 19th Festival Filem Malaysia (2006) for Gol & Gincu has been occupied with photo shoots, making guest appearances as well as plugging her movie released last month, Tolong! Awek Aku Pontianak, a romantic comedy.
Her next film Dari Kerana Mata, another rom-com, is due out later this year.
Sazzy is also one enterprising celebrity.
Apart from her entertainment work, she is kept busy running SinclairFalak, an artiste branding and management company she set up with TV host Aishah Sinclair and Aishah’s actor brother Ashraf.
Together with her family, the health-conscious Sazzy is also involved in promoting their own line of organic skincare, personal care, household and baby care products.
Extended family
For Sazzy, this Raya is significant, not least because of the new additions to the family and the fact that it coincides with Malaysia’s independence day. It also marks the anniversary of her pregnancy.
“We found out that I was pregnant on the second day of Raya last year,” she remembers.
“Although this year we’ll be carting the whole house – except for the kitchen sink! – along with us wherever we go, our celebration will definitely be more meriah (merry) as two of my cousins also gave birth recently (and coincidentally, all in April).
“It’s going to be a lot of fun with all the babies, who represent a new generation of our family,” she says.
As with most first-time mums, Sazzy had fun preparing the twins’ Raya outfits.
“I got a designer friend to source for textile for Nazril’s baju Melayu and the girls’ baju kurung, and it’s all in matching mint green!” she beams, adding that she plans to dress the babies in modern wear on the second day of Raya.
The occasion will be celebrated between their families.
With Sazzy’s, it will be at her mum’s place in Hulu Kelang as well as her dad’s in Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur. (Her parents are divorced and both have since remarried.)
The couple will also make a trip to Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan, to visit Nazril’s grandmother.
What does Merdeka Raya mean to Sazzy? “For me, I’m very proud to be a Malaysian. We’ve never had a Merdeka Raya before. There were Kongsi Raya and Deeparaya and those had been fun.
“This year, with Merdeka Raya, it’s a special (double) occasion for all Malaysians. That’s the beauty of our country ... we get to celebrate so many things,” she says.
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