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ctress Adinia Wirasti earned popularity after she played as Karmen in high school flick Ada Apa Dengan Cinta? (What’s Up with Cinta?), in which she brushed shoulders with Dian Sastrowardoyo and Nicholas Saputra. Asti, as she likes to be called, continued her film career in Tentang Dia (About Her), which gave her Piala Citra award for best supporting actress. Asti recently made her theatrical debut when she joined a wayang urban show called Sintamu Sintaku, directed by puppeteer Nanang Hape.

“Mas Nanang, who happened to be a good friend of mine, convinced me to explore another form of acting. He assured me that I need to try acting on the stage. He said I should not just stop having done one thing.

 I like wayang, and a performance of wayang urban is the best thing I could do to show my passion. I do not think I am ready to join a real wayang orang (traditional Javanese opera). I do not have enough skill yet. I am still very amateur on the stage.

Being on stage is very different from acting in front of a camera. The stage turns out to be liberating although it is also nerve wrecking. I have not been able to forget that I am on stage. Somehow, I always have stage right, even when I am just reading a nomination in at award ceremony. I can handle 60 cameras better than I handle one stage.

 When I have some free time to spoil myself, I like to go traveling. Last time, I watched Matah Ati in Solo. I also like to watch wayang orang with my friends. I have been to see Wayang Orang Bharata in Senen, Teater Besar in Taman Ismail Marzuki and in Gedung Kesenian Jakarta playhouse.   

 When I watch a wayang performance, I reflect on the characters. The stories and the characters of wayang are like shadows of human characters. We can see them in ourselves. When I was a kid, I was used to seeing my grandfather listening wayang stories on his radio. Today, when I cannot sleep at night, I still listen to the performance of [puppeteer] Anom Suroto until I fall asleep.

I’m in a new film soon, but I am afraid I cannot reveal anything about it yet. The shooting schedule was supposed to be in November, but it was postponed. I do not know whether I will be on the stage again in the near future. Just wait and see.”

— Indah Setiawati