Actor Sahrul ready to move past pretty boy roles

Tony Ryanto, Contributor, Jakarta

A lot of kids and teenyboppers may well be acquainted with Sahrul Gunawan, a teenage singer and the protagonist of Jin dan Jun (Jin and Jun), a TV show that was broadcast on RCTI from 1995 to 2000. Two different actors starred as Jin, but Sahrul played Jun for the full five-year run of the show.

Sahrul has grown up and has since appeared in rather mature shows such as Bukan Cinderella (Not Cinderella, SCTV, 2003) and Kecil-Kecil Jadi Manten (Teenagers Become Bridegrooms, RCTI, 2002).

Most people are drawn to the actor because of his looks. While good looks are a blessing, they could work to restrict the roles an actor gets.

Remember Tony Curtis? He was a handsome actor. However, unlike Rock Hudson, Curtis was gorgeous. So in an effort to change his image, he and Sidney Poitier played the protagonists in Stanley Kramer's The Defiant Ones.

The actor, one critic said of the movie, delivers a truly surprising, almost flawless, performance. He received a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his work.

In Bukan Cinderella, Sahrul is no longer a pretty boy, or so he wants viewers to see him. He is not clean shaven, he seldom smiles, is often moody and represents the angry young man, forever at odds with his stepmother.

At one point, the female lead, Lia, says, "Mom's been in an accident, but thank God she is still alive and well."

"Why thank God? Didn't she have an accident?" is the comment of Sahrul's character.

"We always have to thank God because He knows what is best for us," retorts the girl. And Sahrul's character begins to ponder this and seemingly comes to the conclusion that she's right.

It's an effective moment, especially considering that Lia is not only younger but socially from a lower class. In Lia's words: "He comes from a rich family, whereas we do not. To make things worse, the family wants him to marry a girl of the same standing."

The strong dialog reminds us of the conversations involving another actor, Krisna Mukti, in the early episodes of the series Aku Ingin Pulang.

Sahrul is well aware of his cute looks and tries hard to play against type. In his secretary's opinion, "He is happy whenever he is entrusted to play a new character that is different from the ones he has played in the past."

The 27-year-old actor (born in Bogor on May 23, 1976) has appeared in 14 TV series and FTVs (70-minute made-for TV feature films).

Apart from the delightful Jin dan Jun series, Sahrul said his favorite sinetron (short for sinema elektronik, or electronic cinema, which is aired on TV) was Jalan Lain Ke Sana (Another Way to Heaven, SCTV, 2002), in which he played a Muslim religious teacher.

"A lot of viewers say they like me in that series because the role suits me, and I myself have learned a great deal from the dialog," Sahrul said.

A graduate of the School of Economics at Pakuan University in Bogor, Sahrul has twice performed the haj pilgrimage (in 2001 and 2003).

In 2003, he also did the umrah (pilgrimage to Mecca that can be performed at anytime during the year).

When asked about marriage, the son of HM Somantri and Hj Hasanah is modest.

"I am still single. I want to be a family man but am still looking for the right young woman. God willing, she will come and will make a good wife."

Sahrul expressed hope he could become an actor of substance, one to be reckoned with.

"I admire Sean Penn because the American actor plays different characters in each of the films in which he stars.

"I also admire (local film stars) Christine Hakim and Rano Karno. Apart from Sean Penn, I have a high regard for Nicole Kidman and Al Pacino."

"One of my favorite films is I am Sam, which is touching and in which Penn is outstanding."

He makes particular mention of another local actress and singer, Meriam Bellina, who Sahrul praises as a true professional.

The late director Arifin C. Noer also had a lot of praise for Meriam, saying she had contributed a great deal to the nation's film industry.

Meriam plays Sahrul's mother in Pernikahan Dini (Dini's Marriage), a popular soap opera that also stars Agnes Monica, who won the Panasonic Best Actress Award for her work on the show.

Sahrul said his favorite local director was Chairul Umam because the latter was very accurate and cooperative.

"I also have a great deal of esteem for producer Leo Sutanto because he has vision and idealism."

The actor's motto in life are the two Bs: Belajar dan Berdoa (study and pray). And his favorite dish is sayur asem (vegetable soup), a delicacy a lot of Indonesians miss whenever they are out of the country for long periods of time.

Sahrul said he would like to be record producer for aspiring young singers. He is the executive producer on his fourth album, to be released this year.

"I would like to be honored with a sinetron best actor award. I hope the FSI (Indonesian Sinetron Festival) is revived because competition makes our profession more worthwhile and meaningful."

Sutanto says Sahrul was a promising actor. "My next sinetron for him is tentatively titled Ketika Nadine Ketemu Usep (When Nadine Meets Usep). From what I gather, his dream is to become a star in a 35mm feature film, which I am most happy to consider."

At the age of 43, Tony Curtis played the title role in The Boston Strangler but didn't get the attention of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The character he portrays is in sharp contrast to the ones that so pleased his legions of female fans in The Prince Who Was A Thief, Houdini and The Black Shield of Falworth.

Sahrul said: "I know people tend to think I am not capable of bringing to life characters other than sweet pretty boys, but I pray I will be given the strength to perform effectively in more serious fare, like Tom Cruise in Born on the Fourth of July or Michael J. Fox in Casualties of War.

"And I hope I don't have to wait until I'm 43."