Scha Al-Yahya’s latest collaboration with father-and-son filmmakers Datuk Yusof Haslam and Syamsul Yusof is a light-hearted look at tomboys, writes Dennis Chua
Shaheizy Sam (left), Scha and Syamsul Yusof . - Pictures by SHIRAZ ALI
Scha (who plays Farisha) and Syamsul (Burn). - Pictures by SHIRAZ ALI
Sheera (Bell) and Scha (Farisha) . - Pictures by SHIRAZ ALI
Most fans see Kedahan actress Sharifah Azean (Scha) Al-Yahya as the sweet girl-next-door.
On television, she is best known as the host of Sehati Sejiwa, a talk show that delves into the secrets of happily married celebrities. She is also the stunning, leggy air stewardess in the sitcom, Awan Dania.
Last year, Sungai Petani-born Scha beat crowd favourites Daphne Iking, Marsha Londoh and Marion Caunter to clinch the Sexiest Female Celebrity title in 8TV’s Shout Awards.
Her latest movie, Aku Bukan Tomboy, which opens on Thursday, will see a total transformation in the actress who plays Farisha, a skirt-hating, short-haired pizza delivery girl who socialises more with boys than girls. It is her first major cinematic role under the direction of Syamsul Yusof, with his iconic father Datuk Yusof Haslam as executive producer.
She says: “I enjoyed working with Syamsul in Evolusi KL Drift 2, two years ago. While I played his demure love interest back then, I’m now the more-boy-than-boy title character.”
Scha grew up watching Yusof’s movies and television dramas Sembilu and Gerak Khas series.
“As a fan of Datuk Yusof, I am naturally drawn to Syamsul and his work. He’s the ideal 21st Century Malaysian film director who always thinks out of the box. I’m always excited to collaborate with him,” she says.
While Scha did her homework to prepare for her tomboy role, she was fortunate to have starred in films where she played tough, brave and even bossy and bullying college girls. “I was the brave student representative Alissa in
Histeria, a tough female ghost hunter in Antoo Fighters, the college bully Shasha in Papadom and most recently, a sepak takraw player in Libas,” says Scha.
Scha and her fellow actresses Sheera Iskandar, Salina Saibi and Zarina Zainoordin socialised with real tomboys to observe their behaviour in preparation for their roles. “It was a challenge for all of us, but it was educational and fun,” she says.
Aku Bukan Tomboy, written by Syamsul and Rizal Ashraf, was filmed over a month in June last year.
The RM1.7m film is the 27th production of Yusof’s company, Skop Productions, and the sixth to be directed by Syamsul. It is also the first Skop comedy to be directed by Syamsul and the third to feature award-winning Shaheizy Sam after Bohsia, Jangan Pilih Jalan Hitam and Evolusi KL Drift 2. It marks the second collaboration of Scha, Syamsul and Shaheizy after Evolusi KL Drift 2.
Aku Bukan Tomboy is about pizza delivery girl Farisha (Scha) who becomes a tomboy after the death of her mother. Farisha, whose caring father, Rahim (Harun Salim Bachik) is a dressmaker and fashion designer, has a close friend, Harry (Shaheizy), who is sentimental and sensitive. She and Harry share a common interest in motorcycle racing and hang out at cinemas and hip cafes in Jalan Bukit Bintang, KL.
Harry, a salesman, enjoys Farisha’s company because she is unlike other tomboys and always protects him from her boy-hater colleagues, Bell (Sheera) and Sam (Salina). Little does Farisha know that Harry is secretly in love with her.
Harry soon faces a major threat in Burn (Syamsul), a rich, nerdy manager whom Farisha meets.
Initially, she bullies the socially awkward Burn, but his honesty and willingness to accept her as she is, leads to sparks of romance between them.
Sadly, Burn’s elitist parents (Didie Alias and AR Badul) and his seductive assistant (who is more of a ‘minder’) Sally (Eira Syazira) make life difficult for Farisha who has to decide whether to follow her heart and choose Burn, or play safe and choose Harry.
Syamsul says he is delighted to work with Scha again, as she always likes to take up challenges. “Scha is full of ideas on how to develop the movie. We had great fun on the set of Evolusi KL Drift 2, and I’m happy that we are reunited in Aku Bukan Tomboy,” says Syamsul.
He adds that Aku Bukan Tomboy explores the lives of tomboys and reveals that many of them still want to be girls at heart.
“Farisha is a case point. She was once a real girl but the death of her mother made her depressed and she found solace in becoming boyish,” says Syamsul.
Salina, who starred in Bohsia, says: “The other girls in the story have demons of their own. They became tomboys because of break-ups with dishonest or two-timing boyfriends.”
Shaheizy says playing Harry was great fun, and very much in line with his chameleon screen persona. “I love being different characters on screen — as a gangster, a reformed Mat Rempit (Adnan Sempit) and a sick man (Sekali Lagi), this time I’m a jiwang (sentimental) dude,” he says.
He likens Aku Bukan Tomboy to an out of the ordinary film of Scha and Syamsul.
“We normally see Syamsul as a tough guy and Scha as a girl-next-door. It’s a pleasant surprise to have Syamsul play a geeky man and Scha a tomboy this time.”
Syamsul says the social message behind the film is that one must accept individuals as they are, and not force them to conform to your ways.
“Everybody is different and, while we may not like the way some people look, deep down, they are just like us. They have feelings, dreams and a longing to discover themselves, as all of us do,” he says.
Yusof says he regularly gave feedback to Syamsul on how to better the script. “At first, Syamsul wanted Farisha to live with her single, widowed, fashion designer mother, but I suggested that having a fashion designer father would be a refreshing change,” says Yusof.
“Harun (Salim Bachik) is a gem of an actor, so we gave him a near freehand in devising Rahim’s character. As a man with a passion for fashion, he is both mum and dad to Farisha.”
Of veterans Badul and Didie, Yusof says: “While they only have a brief appearance, they are pivotal to the plot development and their interaction with Farisha may lead to a sequel.”
Syamsul says if the movie does well at the box office, he will like to continue Farisha’s story next year. “If there’s a sequel, we’ll introduce more back stories of tomboys,” he says.
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