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Jakarta Post

Dwi Sasono: Getting into character

(Kapanlagi

Niken Prathivi (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Sun, January 5, 2014

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Dwi Sasono: Getting into character (Kapanlagi.com) (Kapanlagi.com)

(Kapanlagi.com)

At one time the idea of acting never occurred to actor Dwi Sasono. Now, he is in love with the art of acting '€” and even sees himself in the director'€™s seat in the future.

'€œIt all started from my hobby of watching feature films,'€ said the 33-year-old, who made his initial journey into the Indonesian film industry through a modest hit Mendadak Dangdut (Suddenly Dangdut) by Rudi Soedjarwo.

He learned his skills by observing people related to his characters, something he really enjoys doing.

Dwi has just wrapped up his latest production, Yasmin '€” a feature film in collaboration with Brunei Darussalam. He plays alongside two other young actors, Agus Kuncoro and Reza Rahadian. In the new film, which is set to premiere early next year, the three Indonesian stars act as Bruneians.

'€œIt was a new experience for me '€” to speak in the Bruneian language, which is quite challenging. The language is based on Malay, but very different from Malaysian. I think it'€™s closer to Indonesian,'€ said Dwi.

Prior to Yasmin, Dwi was involved in Hati ke Hati (Heart to Heart), a feature film which was written and directed by Reka Wijaya.

'€œI'€™d worked with Reka before, in a sitcom series. I know he'€™s good, and we trust each other. Although Reka didn'€™t have the screenplay when he offered me a role, I said yes anyway,'€ he said, adding that he respected Reka'€™s stance on allowing actors to voice their own ideas during a production.

So far, Dwi has been involved in more than 20 feature films '€” including Garin Nugroho'€™s Under The Tree, Monty Tiwa'€™s Test Pack and Ratna Sarumpaet'€™s Jamila dan Sang Presiden (Jamila and the President) '€” as well as countless television-based films, in various roles from protagonists to antagonists.

He said, however, that he needed to explore more characters in future films.

'€œI'€™d like to play a blind man '€” not one with eyes closed, but more like Al Pacino'€™s character in Scent of a Woman. He produced great acting in that movie,'€ added Dwi, the husband of singer Widi Mulia of the Be3 trio, with whom he has two children.

After his acting career, Dwi says he would like to become a film director.

'€œI will make my own movies one day '€” it has been my main goal for a while, to be a film director. Perhaps, when I'€™m already 40 or 50 years old,'€ he said, adding that he needed to sharpen his skills to achieve his dream.

As a minor effort toward reaching the goal, Dwi said that he had started to express his ideas in any film production he was in.

'€œI usually suggest to a director a certain approach for a scene, which I think will be more suitable. If the director says OK, then we'€™ll do it. However, I don'€™t mind if the director doesn'€™t take up my idea,'€ he added.

With such big dreams ahead, Dwi said that he was grateful to have a supporting wife.

'€œWe'€™re open to discussions, including about work '€” I think exchanging ideas is great, because we both have different points of view,'€ he said.

To balance his professional activity, Dwi loves to do sports.

'€œI used to play basketball and do some running '€” things I'€™ve been doing since I was a kid. But, my all-time favorite sport is definitely surfing, which began during my high-school years,'€ he said.

Dwi'€™s favorite surfing spot, due to its proximity to Jakarta, is Pelabuhan Ratu, in Sukabumi, West Java.

'€œI'€™m planning to surf in Panaitan [Island] near Anyer, one day. It is located in the middle of the sea, so you need a boat to get there '€” I heard the big waves are great,'€ he said.

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