If there’s one thing Malaysian actress and producer Erma Fatima never fails to do when creating a series, it’s weaving in invaluable life lessons.
Over the years, she has produced various dramas such as Lelaki Itu and Perempuan Itu which tackles hard-hitting issues like domestic violence, depression and more.
With her latest series Bidaah, Erma delves into another weighty subject: the misuse of religion.
Spanning 15 episodes, this Viu drama follows Baiduri (Riena Diana), a young woman coerced by her mother into joining a religious group led by Walid Muhammad (Faizal Hussein).
As she becomes more involved, Baiduri starts noticing unsettling practices within the group.
When Hambali (Fattah Amin), the son of Walid’s right-hand man Abi Saifullah (Husnul Rahmat), returns from abroad, he quickly realises the group is spreading deviant teachings.
Determined to expose the truth, he joins forces with Baiduri, putting both their lives at risk to reveal the group’s dangerous reality.
At a recent press conference in Kuala Lumpur, Erma said Bidaah aims to raise awareness about “ajaran sesat” (deviant teachings) in society.
“The story is inspired by real-life cases I’ve read about in the news.
“It serves as a critique of those who weaponise religion for personal benefit,” said the 56-year-old, who doubles as the show’s screenwriter.
Erma, a four-time Best Actress and Best Director award winner, also stressed that Bidaah isn’t meant to be controversial but rather a reflection of reality.
“As a scriptwriter, it’s important to portray real-life issues. This drama reminds audiences that seeking knowledge (about faith) doesn’t require resorting to questionable practices,” she said.
A meaningful experience
For lead actor Fattah, working on Bidaah has been a valuable experience.
“When faced with deviant teachings, we can’t just stand by and do nothing.
“It’s our responsibility to call out those who engage in practices that go against our faith and guide them back to the right path, so they can become good,” he said.
Portraying such a complex character came with great responsibility and challenges, but Fattah hopes his performance sparks reflection and offers guidance to others.
“I want to create positivity – something people can truly reflect on,” added the actor, who made headlines in October 2024 following his divorce from singer-actress Nur Fazura.
Another Malaysian talent who gave her all for Bidaah is Fazlina Ahmad Daud, who had to film a scene in which her character drinks water used to wash Walid’s feet.
Despite the intensity of the sequence, Fazlina, 49, had no reservations about performing it, believing it was essential to fully convey the disturbing reality of deviant cults.
“However, I was so immersed in the character at that time that I did it automatically.
“I performed the scene in one take, without any camera tricks whatsoever,” she said.
Fazlina admitted that when she was offered the role of Baiduri’s mother Kalsum in Bidaah, she had not anticipated it to be such a heavy role.
In fact, the actress, who kickstarted her career in 1993, described it as one of the most challenging roles she has ever taken on.
Despite that, portraying Kalsum ultimately became an eye-opening experience, deepening her understanding of the real-life horrors of deviant groups in society.
“It really made me feel for those who have fallen victim to deviant groups.
“As an actress, I have a responsibility to educate the community. This performance is one of my ways of raising awareness about deviant teachings,” she said.
Bidaah is available on Viu, with new episodes releasing on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
