#SHOWBIZ: Irfan Zaini's raw emotion shines in rally drama 'Terbang'

STEPPING into his very first leading role as the protagonist in the cinematic release 'Terbang', 31-year-old actor Irfan Zaini delivers what can only be described as a tour de force.

Embodying the intense, high-octane character of Ajeet Singh, a role inspired by Malaysia's legendary rally driver Karamjit Singh, affectionately known as the "Flying Sikh", Irfan pours raw, unfiltered emotion into the performance, pulling at every audience member's heartstrings.

When met immediately after the film's recent gala premiere, the dashing Kuala Lumpur-born artiste, whose full name is Muhammad Irfan Mohamed Zaini, found himself overcome with emotion.

A SURPRISE TEARFUL PREMIERE

Watching his own performance unfold on the silver screen brought him to tears — a moment of vulnerability that surprised even him.

"Honestly, I thought I wouldn't cry watching myself, but I ended up crying anyway. Shweta and I were passing tissues back and forth," Irfan confessed with a shy chuckle.

"I looked over and saw Zizan crying next to me, too. That was when I knew the true feelings and emotion embedded in this film really hit home. Our director has a special gift for that. If you watch 'Ola Bola', you know how much he loves playing with our emotions."

Beyond the pulse-pounding, high-risk rally sequences that leave a lasting impression, Irfan revealed that the film's most heartbreaking, emotionally charged scene was actually the moment he dreaded most right from his very first script reading.

CONQUERING THE DREADED SCENE

When asked about the secret behind pulling off such a deeply moving performance, the versatile actor, who previously won Best Villain at the 2024 MICA Awards and earned widespread acclaim for his role in 'Blood Brothers: Bara Naga', explained that the production team took extraordinary measures on set to help him tap into his character.

"I didn't even recognise who was on screen during that heart-wrenching scene. When I first read the script, that particular scene was what worried me even more than the dangerous rally driving," he admitted.

"My biggest fear was that it wasn't just trying to be emotional; it had to make the audience feel real, genuine pain."

To achieve that raw authenticity, the former model and television host took the initiative to work closely alongside both the director and an acting coach to unearth those deep-seated emotions.

"I sat down with the director and trained with the acting coach. Truthfully, those emotions exist within all of us; the key to expressing them is simply to believe," Irfan explained.

"Believe that it is truly happening. The director even set aside seven to eight hours for that single scene because he thought I wouldn't be able to cry."

The atmosphere on set was painstakingly cultivated to keep him in the right headspace.

"When I arrived on set, everything was sombre and nobody spoke to me. They really created that entire setup just for me. After that, everyone stayed quiet. I sat by myself listening to music, trying to absorb all that emotion."

The intensity of the scene proved so overwhelming that Irfan found himself completely consumed by the character, unable to snap out of the heavy mood even long after the cameras stopped rolling.

"When the director called 'cut', I couldn't stop crying. The director and assistant director had to come over and hug me to calm me down," he recalled.

"Looking back, I find it quite funny because I really didn't expect myself to weep like that. In that moment, I felt like I wasn't Irfan anymore. I was completely Ajeet."

OVERCOMING AWKWARD ONSCREEN ROMANCE

Touching upon his onscreen chemistry with co-star Shweta Sekhon, who plays his wife, Irfan revealed that their off-screen history presented an amusing hurdle during early rehearsals.

Because the two had known each other since their school days in Kuala Lumpur, playing lovers didn't come naturally at first.

"With Shweta, there was zero romantic chemistry in the beginning. She was originally my junior in school, so I always viewed her as a kid," he laughed.

"I couldn't picture her as my wife at all, so whenever we tried to film a romantic scene, we just kept bursting into laughter. There was one time I suggested we just fake it, but the director knew straight away if we were faking it! He sent us off to spend more time together in rehearsals."

PROVING HIS LEADING DEPTH

From breaking into Kollywood as a 12-year-old child actor in 'Kuruvi' to establishing himself as one of Malaysia's most exciting crossover talents, Irfan's dedication to his craft shines through every scene of 'Terbang'.

By wearing his heart on his sleeve both on and off screen, the charismatic star proves he has the depth and grit to lead a blockbuster hit.

'Terbang' blends high-octane motorsport action with an emotional underdog story about redemption and national pride.

Directed by award-winning filmmaker Chiu Keng Guan, the sports drama, currently screening in cinemas nationwide, also stars Zizan Razak, Jack Tan, Namron, Luqman Hafidz, Qasrina Karim and Diana Danielle.