Fazura modest about success

BY ZIEMAN

PETALING JAYA: She is hardly “a year old” in the film industry yet Nur Fazura Sharifuddin has made many aspiring starlets green with envy when she was named the Most Promising Actress at the recent 17th Malaysian Film Festival. 

More remarkably, she won the accolade with just her debut film, Bicara Hati, in which she played Noraini, a student infatuated with her teacher. 

She has since acted in two other movies – Qaish & Laila and Senario XX – and is currently co-hosting the reality show Olay Total White Aspirasiku, which offers young women job opportunities in the television broadcasting industry with TV3, with ERA.fm deejay Lina Onn. 

Fazura: ‘I love acting and am doing it not for the glamour.I would love to act with great actors like Fauziah Nawiand Rosyam Nor. I hope one day I can act with them’

“I suppose I am just lucky. 

“I never expected to be an actress, let alone dream of winning an award,” the 21-year-old actress said, adding that she owed it all to Halim Othman (another popular ERA.fm deejay), who introduced her to producer-director Datin Rosnani Jamil. 

Rosnani, who directed Bicara Hati, later recommended her to producers Ruhani Rahman and Habsah Hassan, who were looking for a leading lady in Qaish & Laila, alongside actor Jehan Miskin. 

The RM3mil movie about humanity, compassion, love and sacrifice in a war-torn country is directed by award-winning director Raja Ahmad Alauddin and was shot in Quetta, Pakistan. 

“It was challenging and I appreciate the experience. Despite all the hardship, I enjoyed myself,” said Fazura, who first appeared to viewers as the hostess of the TV2 programme for youngsters Teens' World. 

Though Qaish & Laila will only be screened in February, Fazura said she was already feeling the jitters. 

“After winning the award, I could feel that people are already having high expectations of me.  

“It's a responsibility that I have to carry. And this is what's making me nervous,” said Fazura, who intends to complete her fashion design studies next year. 

She added: “I would love to continue where I had left off, but it has to be outside the country as there are too many distractions here and I am afraid I would have to put my studies on hold again,” said the young actress, who quit her college studies after she received her latest acting offer. 

And now that she is in the acting line, Fazura is determined to excel. 

“I love acting and am doing it not for the glamour. I would love to act with great actors like Fauziah Nawi and Rosyam Nor. I hope one day I can act with them.  

“To be a great actor, you must try every different character for the experience,” said Fazura, the only girl and the third of four siblings. 

However, the lure of the acting world will not change Fazura's dream of settling down early in life. 

“I plan to settle down in three years' time, God-willing. 

“I am looking forward to motherhood and a family life,” said Faizura, who also loves to sing.