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Baim Wong: His new character
Kapanlagi
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Once a familiar face on TV soaps, Muhammad Ibrahim 'Baim' Wong has now upgraded himself into a serious actor to watch out for.
In his latest film, Lily, Bunga Terakhirku (Lily, My Last Flower), he assumes the role of a flower farmer most of the day and a psychotic killer whenever he is angered by what he believes to be perpetrators of sexual violence.
The film's scriptwriter, Priesnanda Dwi Putra, said Baim suggested a change in the script to express the long-hidden anger of Datura, his character, who was orphaned by his mother's rapists. The additional lines worked.
Praise also comes from the film's director, Indra Birowo, who gave Baim plenty of space to explore the character.
'Many see soap actors as subpar actors in terms of quality. The way I see it, not many of them have been given the chance. I told him: 'You've been underestimated, so take my offer [to star in the film]',' said Indra. 'And he has proved himself.'
The 34-year-old Baim was born in Jakarta to food and beverages entrepreneur Johnny Wong and Kartini Marta Atmadja.
At first, he was not serious about acting and only landed a role in a sitcom in 2001 by chance. Soon, he was starring in many TV soaps and as a TV host.
'I had thought of acting as merely a job but then things changed in 2007,' he said, referring to the year when he started to read film references and interacted with his seniors, such as the late Didi Petet, Sudjiwo Tedjo and Deddy Mizwar.
'I can't find books and acting schools here that are able to cater to the need to produce qualified talent for the industry. We have big dreams, but we don't have the facilities and infrastructure for actors.'
Baim made his debut in Pengantin Cinta (Cinta's Groom) in 2011 and followed by Dilema (Dilemma) the next year. He won Best Newcomer at the Indonesian Movie Awards in 2012.
'But then again, acting is not something you can learn. Acting is about living a life. If you have experience of it, you can express it. Having said that, my acting is at a basic level.'
When director Viva Westi cast him as the country's founding president Sukarno, known informally as Bung Karno, for a government-funded biopic Ketika Bung di Ende (While Bung was in Ende) in 2013, Baim doubted himself.
He conducted thorough research on Bung Karno while the young reformist was in exile in Ende, East Nusa Tenggara, during his 30s.
'I learned about his gestures, the sound of his laughter, the way he looked on things, everything. For the first two days of shooting, I failed since I tried too hard to imitate Bung Karno I couldn't express the emotions,' he said. 'The next day, I decided to just act and everything else fell into place.'
The film, as well as Baim's acting, received positive reviews although Ketika Bung di Ende was meant for educational purposes and not screened in cinemas.
'The best award for me is the recognition coming from the family of Sukarno. Until today they greet me as Bung Karno. It's an honor that my acting skill can create ties of kinship with the relatives of the person I admire.'
Baim assumed the same role for his next film Jenderal Soedirman, but this time he had to play a 50-something Sukarno. 'Too bad, the latex makeup shows,' he said.
He is now eying 'difficult' role for himself as he enjoys doing research and exploring his character's personality.
'Whatever the character is, there are only two things that will happen: kudos if you act well and, if people think it's bad you will be bashed for life. I'm just taking my chance.'
