Rieke not afraid to play the fool

Narada Krisnaputra, Contributor/Jakarta

People know and love her as the scatterbrained Oneng of Bajaj Bajuri fame, but student activist-cum-actress Rieke Diah Pitaloka does not play to type in real life. Rieke Diah Pitaloka adores everything soft and silky. Right after shooting a scene of the popular sitcom Bajaj Bajuri, in which she plays the achingly naive Oneng, the 30 year old flopped down in a chair and took off her sandals.

Um, actually, her assistant did that for her. She then put a foot onto a faded batik-covered cushion and began rubbing it slowly, and then applied a moisturizing cream all over her hands.

With all the body-beautiful introductory activities, I prepared myself to hear the do's on keeping one's skin healthy and shiny.

Surprisingly, her first words were, "Violence is a common thing among societies. People commit it as if they are doing daily activities like drinking or eating. Really, it's that casual."

Such a serious analytical comment about social turmoil, delivered amid the crew setting up for the next shot, and preceded by that methodical beauty ritual, made for a strange scene.

Still, credit must be given for her efforts to shirk the stereotype of pretty-face-equals-no-brains, through her decent acting on Bajaj Bajuri and writing two books.

If Oneng's latest achievement was opening a beauty salon of her own in her humble house, Rieke's was her recently launched book Kekerasan Negara Menjalar ke Masyarakat (State Violence Spreading to Society), a Hannah Arendt-influenced work which was also her thesis for her post-graduate degree in philosophy at the University of Indonesia.

And while it takes time for Oneng to get the point -- any point Rieke raced through the book in just four months, despite the hectic shooting schedule of Bajaj Bajuri, which is broadcast nightly.

So, does she feel that she is straddling two very different, paradoxical worlds?

"No. Playing Oneng takes no less intellectually than preparing a sociopolitical book. Indeed, both create synergy. In my book ... I suggested that we have to continuously put ourselves in another's way of thinking, understanding his position in society.

"In the end, it's about respecting plurality and being empathetic. Being Oneng is no different. She is a young woman who takes everything for granted, which is sometimes misunderstood as stupidity. And I have to understand her personality traits before interpreting the script into acting that would help audiences see her as a humble person."

Rieke, who hails from Garut, West Java, said she was the series producer's last resort to play Oneng back in 1999. No actress wanted to play the role of the wife of a pedicab driver, probably due to the fear that playing dumb would ruin their carefully crafted image.

"Oh, to heck with image. Once I read the script for the four- episode pilot project, I knew I would regret it my whole life if I didn't take the offer. Man, her character is so unique!"

At the time, she was about to finish her studies at the University of Indonesia's School of Literature, and was best known as a sinetron (TV soap opera) actress as well as a star of commercials, including one controversial condom ad in which she was called upon to "purr".

But she also revealed her interest in weightier art performances, from poetry readings to theater productions, including Klop (Match) by Putu Wijaya.

She tried her luck at writing and finally got the guts to publish Renungan Kloset (Toilet Contemplation).

"Long before writing Renungan and later Kekerasan, I was an admirer of Pram's works," Rieke said of the writer Pramoedya Ananta Toer. "The more I read his novels, the more convinced I am that he tells us about the real Indonesia. He inspired me to study philosophy and write what I really have in mind, even if it is just a few lines of poetry.

"Moreover, literature makes us critical and not afraid of authority outside of ourselves. We are free to choose whichever characters we love the most, good or bad. The world is wide open in front of us."

Somehow, she shares a similar way of thinking with the novelist. Take a look at Kekerasan, in which she talks mainly about how those in authority have influenced common people and society to commit crimes.

"We were incensed when Bung Hatta said that corruption is part of our culture," she said of the country's first vice president. "But now, everybody does it and worse, systematized corruption is accepted by the public as a fact of life. Ironic, eh?"

Suddenly, the conversation was cut short as she was called back to do another scene.

The scene -- of Oneng inundated by neighbors wanting their hair done for the Idul Fitri holidays -- is over in 15 minutes. Rieke returns, but this time with no foot massaging or hand moisturizing.

Instead, it's time to talk about why everybody loves Oneng.

"Because Oneng is a person with a positive attitude. She is honest, patient and loves children. She also represents the foolish side in every one of us. And believe me, making people laugh through how we act is way harder than making them cry."

Rieke admitted that the tight shooting schedule for the past three years -- at least 10 hours a day, six days a week -- often left her exhausted and unfocused. Unfortunately, the series script has no space for improvisation.

"I spend hours inside a studio and it would be a lie if I said I don't get bored now and then. Bu the good thing is, the whole crew has become my second family. I could run to Emak, Bajuri or even Ucup to spill out my personal problems, and vice versa," said Rieke, mentioning the names of the characters of other actors she is close to.

And what about her pen power -- are more books in the works?

"Yes, writing has provided enlightenment for me. Who knows, I may be writing a lighter topic inspired by Oneng, say, Housewives 101!"