For the past eight years, actress Zara Zya has made it a point to keep her schedule as light as possible when Ramadan comes around.
This year, however, she has had little choice.
The actress is currently a main cast member in the 60-episode Astro Prima (Ch 105) drama Mencari Isteri Sempurna, which began airing on Feb 9 on weekdays at 6pm – with filming currently ongoing.
“There are still more than 20 episodes left to shoot. We’re hoping to wrap things up by Hari Raya at the latest,” says Zara, whose full name is Zainurul Razia Mohd Zainuddin.
The 40-year-old adds that working through Ramadan means she has to break fast on set.
“I don’t really have any particular food preferences.
“When I was younger, I used to eat a lot and eat everything. Now, a little bit of rice is already enough,” she shares.
“What’s more important to me is the drink – I must have air sirap or a soya bean drink for berbuka.”
Zara is also grateful that most of the drama’s emotionally heavy scenes have already been filmed, noting that performing such moments while fasting can be especially challenging.
“I’m still figuring out the best technique to produce tears later on when I’m fasting,” she admits.
Despite the demanding schedule, the actress – known for dramas such as Dia Imamku and Sumpah Ibuku – hopes to carry the lessons of Ramadan beyond the holy month.
“Patience is one of them, because I am an impatient person,” she says with a laugh.
“InsyaAllah, kesabaran is something I want to continue practising throughout the year, even after Ramadan is over.”
