Mowgli Malaysia makes his acting debut

By the horns: A screengrab of a scene from ‘Raya di Hujung Tanduk’ in which Muhammad Syukur makes his acting debut.

PETALING JAYA: Fans of “Mowgli Malaysia” can now catch him live on two Hari Raya Aidilfitri specials on YouTube and Astro.

Fourteen-year-old “buffalo whisperer” Muhammad Syukur Kamis became an Internet sensation early this year when photos of him dallying and playing with a herd of buffaloes at his father's farm in a village near Kuala Terengganu went viral.

In the first Hari Raya special, Muhammad Syukur, who is also known as the “Kampung Boy”, plays a boy who wages “war” against his older brother when he finds out that his brother is trying to sell his beloved pet buffalo Awang.

The 13-minute short film titled Raya di Hujung Tanduk also stars actress Delimawati Ismail of Hantu Kak Limah fame.

It is a touching film about how blood is thicker than water and how family should love and appreciate each other, especially during the festive season, Muhammad Syukur told The Star's malay language portal mStar.

He admitted that his first acting experience was nerve-wracking and awkward, especially to act with a famous actress like Delimawati.

"Honestly, I was excited to get the chance to act. At the same time, I was nervous because it was a new experience for me.

"I was so scared that I would fluff all my lines and be so stiff in front of the camera. But, Alhamdulillah, my co-actors and production team gave me a lot of guidance and help,” he added.

While he enjoyed playing a character based on his own life as a buffalo herder, Muhammad Syukur said he found expressing emotion quite challenging.

"There was a scene where I needed to be angry with 'my brother'. For me, the angry character is the hardest thing to do.

"When I looked at 'my brother' I kept bursting into laughter. So how could I be angry? It was difficult,” he said.

The youngest of eight siblings admitted that he would be furious if Awang, which is really his favourite buffalo in real life, was sold off.

“I just can't imagine it. Awang is part of my family now,” he said, adding that two other buffaloes from his father's farm, Semek and Tongkol, also appeared in the short film.

Directed by Fiq Sam and produced by Red Gear Productions, Raya di Hujung Tanduk is now available on YouTube at

.

Muhammad Syukur and his buffalo friends will also appear in the telefilm Kerbau Sayang Amar, which will be shown on Astro this Aidilfitri.

The telefilm also stars Wan Hanafi Su, Datuk Fizz Fairuz and Emelda Rosmila.

Clearly bitten by the acting bug, Muhammad Syukur said he is ready to accept more offers in the future as long as they do not interfere with his studies.

"If I get any more offers, I will definitely consider them. I really want to play a bad boy next time,” he joked.