USTAZ KAZIM READY TO TAKE ON NEGATIVE ROLES

By Marfika Adnan Haris Fadzilah

KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 (Bernama) -- Independent preacher turned actor Datuk Mohd Kazim Elias, also known as Ustaz Kazim, is open to accepting any acting offer, but it must meet his specified conditions.

He said he wants to move away from the image of a religious preacher and portray other characters.

bootstrap slideshow

"From now on, if people invite me to act, I can, but I don't want to just play the character of a preacher; I also want other roles. However, I have principles… there must be no physical contact (with co-stars) and I need to observe prayer times.

"If the script is good, even if it's a villainous role, I can do it. I want to prove that I can play more than just a religious teacher," he said when met by Bernama recently. 

Mohd Kazim, 52, who plays the main lead in the film ‘Zim Zim Ala Kazim’ produced by Mawi World Entertainment and currently playing in cinemas nationwide, said he is also ready to accept the views and criticisms of netizens who are uncomfortable with his involvement in cinema.

bootstrap slideshow

"I’ve been involved in preaching for more than 34 years and have faced various challenges, including people who don’t like me. Similarly, in this field (acting), there will definitely be criticism; maybe only in five years will people understand the reason I am doing this," he said.

In fact, Mohd Kazim encourages religious teachers like himself to be involved in acting so that they can turn the film industry into an effective medium to educate the public.

"If ‘asatizah’ (religious teachers) join, they can advise (the movie crew and actors), and everyone will enjoy acting... We can make the film and drama industry fun and comfortable to watch for everyone, and the public's perception can also change.

"This is what I am trying to do. If the public supports and trusts us, I want to invite my friends out there to join me," he said, also suggesting the establishment of a mobile surau to facilitate actors or crew to pray on the film set.

Commenting on his involvement in the film ‘Zim Zim Ala Kazim’, Mohd Kazim said almost 80 percent of film’s plot is based on true events about his experience dealing with a mysterious illness

"It may not fully capture the actual story, but the movie is still filled with lessons about the practices of witchcraft and evil deeds. If we were to tell the original story, it might cause hysteria, so we toned it down. However, the scene involving the monkey (in the film) is true... The important thing is the film’s message urging people not to commit evil deeds," he said.

Besides Mohd Kazim, the horror comedy directed by Mawi also features a stellar cast including Bell Ngasri, Anas Tahir and Shanthesh Kumar.

‘Zim Zim Ala Kazim’ revolves around a group of ghost hunters who frequently engage in paranormal activities.

During one of their missions, the group encounters something strange and discovers that Ustaz Kazim is in danger. The ghost hunters then decide to rescue Ustaz Kazim.

-- BERNAMA