In a bid to ensure a convincing portrayal of his character, emerging talent Kim Azzim has returned to honing his badminton skills in preparation for his role in the film Sentuhan Wira.
Playing the role of national badminton legend Datuk Rashid Sidek, Kim, 24, said his interest in the sport began during his school days.
"I used to be actively involved in badminton and once harboured a dream of becoming a professional player one day.
"Although that dream did not materialise, I see this as a blessing - a chance to ‘return’ to the world of badminton in a different form,” he told reporters after the announcement of the cast and official sponsors of Sentuhan Wira recently.
According to Kim, the casting process for the film involved three stages before he was finally selected to portray Rashid.
"The audition process had three stages, starting with a monologue, followed by a close casting session, and finally being offered the role of Rashid. From the beginning, I chose a monologue related to Rashid because of my admiration for him,” he said.
Admitting to feeling nervous when meeting his idol for the first time, Kim - whose real name is Nik Muhammad Azzimuddin Sulusna - pledged to deliver his best performance to ensure the character is portrayed accurately and convincingly.
"The first time I met Datuk Rashid, my body was trembling and I was sweating profusely even though we were in an air-conditioned room. His aura is very strong, yet he is very relaxed.
"I was born in 2001 and did not experience the golden era of the 1992 Thomas Cup, but I became familiar with that history through my family and my interest in badminton,” he said.
Kim, who began acting in 2023, said the awareness that he is portraying a legendary figure has made him more cautious in his preparations, especially as comparisons from audiences are inevitable.
"I will try to portray the character as accurately as possible. Replicating the playing style of that era is indeed challenging because it differs from today’s style, but with sufficient training time, I am confident,” said the actor, who also stars in the drama Yang Tahu Je Tahu.
As such, Kim is now fully focused on physical preparation and on-court training to refine his gameplay and character details, ahead of filming scheduled to begin in April. – Bernama
