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Marcel Chandrawinata: Seizing his days

Actor and TV presenter Marcel Chandrawinata will have his latest feature film released this month, but he still seems to have plenty of time and energy to build his business ventures

Andreas D. Arditya (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Sun, February 16, 2014

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Marcel Chandrawinata: Seizing his days (Kapanlagi.com) (Kapanlagi.com)

Actor and TV presenter Marcel Chandrawinata will have his latest feature film released this month, but he still seems to have plenty of time and energy to build his business ventures.

The 26-year-old said his latest venture was not far from the entertainment business.

'€œI'€™ve just set up a digital e-commerce company that leans toward management. So I can help, for example, fellow showbiz friends who want to set up their own websites,'€ Marcel said recently.

The twin brother of Mischa and younger brother of former Miss Indonesia Nadine Chandrawinata seems to never let himself idle.

Last month, with the help of his friends, he relaunched a mixed martial arts dojo, Syena Martial Arts, in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta.

The dojo, which is his fifth business, started out with him and a number of friends practicing martial arts and sports as their hobbies.

'€œI am still young; there are still so many things I want to try and achieve. I don'€™t want to waste my time while I am young,'€ he said.

'€œI want to keep moving; I want to keep running.'€

Marcel made his entrance in the showbiz world after starring in the teenage flick Catatan Akhir Sekolah (School End Notes) with Vino Bastian and Ramon Y. Tungka under the direction of Hanung Bramantyo in 2005.

The actor has since starred in eight feature films, including Alexandria in 2006, Summer Breeze in 2008 and Air Terjun Pengantin (Bride Waterfall) in 2009, as well as in numerous TV films.  

In his latest movie project, he plays the lead role in a street racing action flick called Street Society, working together with actress Chelsea Elizabeth and director Awi Suryadi. The role is a good fit, since the bachelor loves working on cars in his free time.

Marcel said that getting involved in multiple business ventures, which he had started over the past three years, was part of a long-term plan.

'€œA career in the entertainment world is very uncertain; you never know when you'€™re going to be at the top and when at the bottom,'€ he said.

'€œHowever, being in showbiz has helped me in securing and increasing my business network. At least people are already familiar with me to some degree.'€

Prior to opening the dojo, Marcel had opened restaurants, clubs and shops.

'€œI learn a lot from doing these many businesses. I learn from making mistakes and failing. There are knowledge and skills that you cannot get anywhere else but by doing it. This is part of the reason why I delve into business,'€ said Marcel, who holds a bachelor'€™s degree in industrial engineering.

His first venture was when he joined his brother, sister and parents to open a diving resort in Raja Ampat, Papua. The family loves to dive and decided to start the business.

Marcel said that the diving resort remained the one business he was most passionate about.

'€œIt'€™s the most successful business I'€™ve started and it keeps growing very well.'€

Marcel said that he was planning to attract more Indonesian people to come to Raja Ampat.

'€œIt is really a shame, we have a very beautiful place in our country, but it is mostly visited by foreigners. It'€™s true that transportation and accommodation are a bit difficult there, but things have been improving over the past few years,'€ he said.

He said his dream was to keep expanding the resort with his family to cover all of Raja Ampat'€™s four main islands: Misool, Waigeo, Batanta and Salawati.

'€œOne day, I want to be able to say that the Chandrawinatas'€™ diving resort rules!'€ Marcel said with a big smile.

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