RINGGO AGUS RAHMAN: JP/Nayu Novita

When he starred in the 2006 comedy Jomblo, Ringgo Agus Rahman swiftly captured the hearts of movie-goers with his funny, heartwarming performance. His role as Bimo, a naive student caught between two loves, had him nominated for Best Lead Actor at the 2006 Indonesian Film Festival and also earned him the Best Newcomer Actor award at the Jakarta Film Festival the same year.

Ringgo has been in great demand as a big-screen actor since then. During the three years of his career, he has appeared in eight films including 3 Hari untuk Selamanya (3 Days Forever), Get Married, Oh My God!, Maaf Saya Menghamili Istri Anda (Sorry I Got Your Wife Pregnant) and Si Jago Merah (Fire).

He also had roles in a number of TV series, including Jomblo (literally, Having No Girlfriend), an adaptation of the movie version.

The Bimo character is such a familiar one that Bimo’s subsequent film offers were very similar. Like Bimo, the characters he played in his next movies provoked laughter through their foolishness. Ringgo has never sought to deny that his acting skills make him a natural for comedy.

“I used to wonder why I kept getting comedy roles. But later I came to enjoy it because it’s fun to do, not having to frown. Comedy is actually one way of conveying a serious message amusingly,” Ringgo says.

“My sinetron (TV drama), Ujang Pantry, for instance, depicts the life of an office boy who is frequently ignored by other employees.”

Ringgo won the 2006 Vidia Trophy for Best Lead Actor for his role in this sinetron.

Similarly, in the recent release Si Jago Merah by director Iqbal Rais, he played a firefighter, another profession often overlooked by society.

“I agreed to do the film as soon as I read the script. Fire fighting is something new to our movie-making history. Shooting it was really exciting. The cast and crew worked closely together. Before filming, we spent the night at the fire brigade’s headquarters, where we were instructed how to prepare equipment and drive a fire engine,” he says.

“There’s something kind of thrilling about squirting water on a vacant house — one of the buildings in the parliament complex that will be demolished for renovation, while it was still in very good condition. We got so annoyed thinking about people’s money being wasted on those renovations that we vented our feelings by directing the gushing stream at its panes, shattering all the glass in the house.”

Ringgo was born in Bandung on Aug. 12, 1982, the third of five children. Before moving to Jakarta to pursue his acting career, Ringgo worked as a broadcaster for Bandung’s Radio Oz, targeting the teenage market. One day, director Hanung Bramantyo, famous for his box-office hit Ayat-ayat Cinta (Verses of Love), visited the radio station to promote his film, Catatan Akhir Sekolah (Notes on the End of School). Hanung was delighted with Ringgo’s eloquence and humor and offered him a role in Jomblo.

But Jomblo was not Ringgo’s first filmmaking experience. Three years earlier, he was part of the cast of an indie film, Selamat Tinggal Dianne (Goodbye Dianne). The movie, made by one of his friends, told the story of a hot-tempered photographer named Ringgo. From that role, the name “Ringgo” was tacked onto his real name Agus and has become his popular moniker.

The shift in career from radio presenter to actor was not an extreme move, he found, because both professions are multifaceted.

“As a broadcaster I was taught the various arts of entertainment. In adapting to performing arts, my strategy was simple: Just follow what the director says. Though I might prefer one particular acting style, it has to be changed if the director says no,” he says.

After getting used to acting in front of the camera, Ringgo had the chance to try his hand behind it as director of an independent short film titled Mengejar Untung (Profit Seeking). The 18-minute movie took four days to finish.

Directing a film not only satisfied his curiosity, but also helped him develop as an actor.

“While I am busy with acting, the director is preoccupied by things the cast just can’t imagine. After working as a director, I began to understand what the director is trying to do,” he says.

“It’s a tough job to direct films, with a lot to think about — the actors, camera angles and so forth. But even though it’s stressful, directing is quite satisfying.

So is Ringgo on his way to being an actor-turned-director?

“That’s what I want, but I’ve got to learn a great deal, starting from making short films. It may be a long-term prospect. Now I’m just obsessed with getting a role in a first-rate film, both in terms of quality and commercially. It could be an entertaining role, rather than serious one, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be the leading role, so long as I’m involved.”

Ringgo says the ideal movie he is thinking of is a romantic drama, perhaps not surprising given that his favorite movie is Jerry Maguire, starring Tom Cruise. Other actors he admires are Didi Petet and Deddy Mizwar.

“Perhaps it could be like some of the Korean dramas or a Ben Stiller film, or those with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, which had their peak in the 1990s,” he says.

“In Sleepless in Seattle, for example, the romantic aura is really strong even before its main characters meet. The moment when they’re holding each other’s hands is truly perfect, creating a profound feeling. This is the type of film I’m craving. But I don’t see any capacity to make such a terrific romantic drama here yet.”

Despite his obsession with romantic dramas, Ringgo admits he is not particularly romantic himself, as his girlfriend TV drama and movie actress Revalina S. Temat might testify.

“I’ve never given flowers to my girlfriend. I tend to be a less caring person,” he says. “Basically, I’m not demanding and I enjoy a normal romantic relationship.”

Ringgo’s “normalcy” is evident in his simple dreams of family life. “My goals are realistic. I just want to get married, have lovely children and be able to send them to college. And I also wish to have a baby girl named Bjorka, because I’m a big fan of singer Bjork. Unless the baby’s name can be Bjorka, please don’t marry me...” he jokes.

“I never wanted to get rich. My parents have never taught me to pursue luxury either. I just want to count my blessings. Even a motorbike or a holiday to America would make me very happy. Those already going to America wouldn’t feel the same. The wealthier you are, the less you feel content."

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