Actor Azhan Rani admits that the festive excitement of Aidilfitri no longer feels the same since the passing of his father nearly a decade ago.
Azhan said the absence of his father, who died of thyroid cancer in 2016, has caused many family traditions to change, leaving a sense of emptiness every time Syawal approaches.
"My late father loved creating a lively atmosphere. He would make sure the table was always filled with food and drinks. Now we have to do everything ourselves, and my mother is no longer strong enough, so the atmosphere feels quiet.
"For me, Ramadan and Aidilfitri now feel incomplete, but life must go on,” he told reporters after the launch of the short film Ya, Abah Saya Security recently.
The actor, widely known for his role as Ustaz Madi in the drama series Nur, also admitted that he has not worn the traditional baju Melayu on the morning of Syawal since his father’s passing.
"When my father was ill, in the last year before Hari Raya he told me not to make a baju Melayu. Coincidentally, at that time I had a filming session in Hulu Langat and saw people selling kurtas at a mosque, so I bought a grey kurta. That was the last one he wore.
"Many of my friends are ambassadors for baju Melayu brands and every year they give me some. But I rarely wear them; some are still kept in boxes. If I do wear them, it is usually for acting roles,” he said.
On his involvement in the short film Ya, Abah Saya Security, Azhan said the work is very close to his heart as his late father had also worked as a security guard at a school.
"When I acted in it, I didn’t feel much because I thought of it as just another acting role. But when I watched the final result, I was reminded of my late father.
"I have seen him wearing that kind of uniform, sitting in a place like that, opening and closing the gate. My father used to work as a security guard at a school and I once brought him food there late at night,” he said.
The short film, produced by D’Herbs in collaboration with Tangerine Pictures, was inspired by the true-life story of entrepreneur Datuk Seri Aliff Syukri Kamaruzaman and his late father.
The film, directed by Bobby Husaini and Bahri Umar, also features child actor Mikael Noah, as well as Megat Sharizal Mohamed Yusoff and Niezam Zaidi. – Bernama
