Sunday September 20, 2009
Raya extravaganza
By MUMTAJ BEGUM and SHEELA CHANDRAN
A singer, two presenters and an actress talk about their Raya contributions and celebrations.
HARI Raya is a time for forgiveness, catching up with family members and eating good food together. It is also a time when TV specials are aplenty to add to the merry-making, especially in households hosting open houses. Here are four programmes that capture the spirit of Aidilfitri celebrations.
Ziarah Aidilfitri (Today, TV2, 11am)
Noryn Aziz entertaining guests at her mother’s house for the shoot of Ziarah Aidilfitri. – Photo from TV2 WHEN Noryn Aziz was approached to contribute to this year’s festive album, her first instinct was to sing her favourite Raya number, Suara Takbir by Tan Sri P. Ramlee, in a jazzy style. However, the producers had other plans. She was instead asked to render an original composition by Pak Ngah and Siso titled Sinar Lebaran.
Viewers can catch the jazz songstress belting out the new tune in Ziarah Aidilfitri, an hour-long festive music programme. It’s particularly meaningful for the 33-year-old as it’s her first time recording a Raya number.
“I’d never done it before so I was really excited about it. Sinar Lebaran has a mix of traditional and modern flavours, like gendang sounds playing against the saxophone,” said Noryn.
Ziarah Aidilfitri, helmed by well-known director Erma Fatima, sees actors Didie Alias and Enot visiting Malaysian artistes at their homes during Hari Raya. At each location, the two stop to soak in the mood (which probably means enjoying the food), while the host belts out a festive number.
Besides Noryn, other popular singers featured in the special include Ramli Sarip, Amy Search, Datuk Sharifah Aini, Mas Idayu, Ezlyn, Sheila Mambo and Norish Karman.
Although the programme is pre-recorded, Noryn was determined to make sure that the audience gets the Hari Raya vibe. So she got her family and friends to come to her mother’s house in Shah Alam, Selangor, where the family gathers for Hari Raya every year.
“It was really like Hari Raya because my two brothers and sister were there with my nephew and my friends as well. My mother and I prepared the food ... what is Hari Raya without food to us Malaysians, right? There were rendang, curry and masak lodeh,” she cheerfully noted. “Kak Didie and Enot were tired by the time they came to my house but it was so festive that we all had fun.”
Like every year, Noryn will be at her mother’s place to carry out her responsibility – to make ketupat. “My mum made sure I knew how to fold the ketupat since I was nine,” shared the lady famed for her R&B and jazz repertoire.
Ahmad Fetri Yahya with the boys of Sekolah Rendah Bestari Darul Mulkan in the inspirational documentary Rumah Kecil Tiang Seribu. – Photo from TV3 “There was a time at the start of my music career when my mum would encourage me to take part in live TV programmes on Hari Raya night. But nowadays she will be none too happy if I am not there with her four days before Raya,” she ended with a husky laugh.
Rumah Kecil Tiang Seribu (Thursday, TV3, 11am)
FOR Ahmad Fetri Yahya, 28, family is everything. Hence when he got the chance to meet someone who truly shared his views about family, he was inspired to tell the person’s story.
It was two years ago during a TV3 assignment in Darfur, Sudan, that Fetri met Dr Jamnul Azhar Mulkan, who was in the war-ravaged region as a medic volunteer. A speaker of perfect Arabic, Jamnul even led Friday prayers at a local mosque there.
Back home, Jamnul, a medical degree holder who furthered his religious studies in Egypt’s Al-Azhar University, runs Sekolah Rendah Bestari Darul Mulkan in Perak with the help of his 10 siblings. The religious school was started by their father in 1987.
Fetri recalled: “Admirably, Jamnul’s parents, both teachers, managed to send all their children to study at Al-Azhar University. After graduating, the children of Haji Mulkan Mohamad and Hajjah Jamiah Alias were intent on continuing their father’s efforts on education, especially religious studies. They have been doing just that through the school their father built. I think what they are doing is very noble and inspirational.”
Fetri hopes that through the documentary Rumah Kecil Tiang Seribu more Malaysians will realise the importance of having strong family ties and a good education, rather than pursuing materialistic goals.
His experience working on the show has made Fetri decide to give his 14 nephews and 14 nieces books, instead of money, this Raya. “If I give them books they will keep the books and remember me. Money will be gone in seconds,” the young man said matter-of-factly.
Ironically, Fetri, the host of the morning talk show Malaysia Hari Ini for the past five years, has to postpone his own gathering with his family as he has to work on the first and second days of Hari Raya. “Usually I will drive back after my morning duties on the first day of Raya, but this year I have to work for two days straight,” revealed the Perak boy.
But he doesn’t really mind holding off on eating his favourite Raya goodies prepared by his mother (laksa and cucur udang) till later. As it is, he regularly goes home to visit his family in Pantai Remis. “It’s compulsory,” said Fetri, who is the only one unmarried among nine siblings.
Aznil Nawawi with a participant of Glamor Raya, a singing competition of festive numbers. – Photo from Astro Aznil here, there and everywhere
IRREPRESSIBLE TV host Aznil Nawawi will be hard to miss this Raya as he is featured in four festive programmes on Astro Ria (Channel 104): Macam-Macam Aznil Hari Raya (today, 6pm), Konti Raya Era TV (tomorrow, 11.30am), Jangan Lupa Lirik! Raya! Raya! Raya! (tomorrow, 6pm), and Glamor Raya 2009 (Tuesday, 6pm).
On the talk show Macam-Macam Aznil Hari Raya, the presenter will get guest artistes Edry KRU, Sarimah Ibrahim and Din Beramboi to share their thoughts on Hari Raya Puasa. And apart from exchanging notes on their favourite festive delicacies, the celebrities will showcase their skills in smoothing icing on a cake.
“Macam-Macam Aznil is basically a topic-driven show on various light subjects that people can relate to. In order to help put audiences in a jolly festive mood, the artistes will perform sketches and even take part in a satay-eating competition,” said Aznil, one of Malaysia’s liveliest and wittiest, if not wackiest, show hosts whose credentials include Pop Kuiz, Money Matters, Teleskop, Melodi and Akademi Fantasia.
In his 17 years in the industry, the 47-year-old single father of two teenagers has been an actor, singer, producer, director and radio announcer. Aznil and his co-host on Era fm’s morning show Pagi Era will appear on Konti Raya Era TV as they celebrate Hari Raya while working in the conti. The programme will also show newlyweds, Era fm deejay Nana and Hitz.fm station manager Mohd Raqeem Brian Abdullah, enjoying their first Raya together.
On Jangan Lupa Lirik! Raya! Raya! Raya!, watch Aznil take charge in the charity singalong competition which has Datuk Siti Nurhaliza, Saiful Apek, Amy Mastura and Adibah Noor as guests. These singers will compete to remember lyrics while trying their best to rake in cash for charity.
Glamor Raya 2009 is another singing contest featuring Aznil as host. On this programme, the participants will perform Hari Raya tunes.
With so many festive duties it’s no wonder that the jocular Aznil was already in high spirits days before the Raya. At the time of this interview he was looking forward to a family gathering at his home in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, as well as savouring Raya dishes like ketupat palas, rendang, and sweet delicacies including layered cake with prunes and pineapple tarts.
From bathroom singer to stage performer, Lisa Surihani sings publicly for the first time, on Mega Hari Raya Aidilfitri. – Photo by MOHD SAHAR MISNI / The Star “It’s going to be a huge celebration as I have seven siblings and everyone is going to be at my place,” said Aznil.
Lisa sings
BUTTERFLIES in her stomach – that’s how actress and TV host Lisa Surihani felt when she was enlisted to sing on Mega Hari Raya Aidilfitri, which airs on Astro Ria (Channel 104) at 7.30pm today. The concert features a host of local celebrities performing popular Hari Raya songs.
“When it comes to singing I’m nothing like Celine Dion or Datuk Siti Nurhaliza. I’m a bathroom singer who’s only sung at karaoke outings. Imagine how nervous I was when asked to participate in the show. After much thought I decided to give it a shot as the event was being staged for a good cause,” said the 23-year-old who recently acted in movies like KaPoww and Lagenda Budak Setan.
The audience can relive all the lovely Raya classics like Saloma’s Selamat Hari Raya (sung by Anita Sarawak), Rahimah Rahim’s Selamat Berhari Raya (Sarimah Ibrahim), Raihan and Nowseeheart’s Satu Pagi di Hari Raya (Akhil Hayy), and Sudirman’s Balik Kampung (Zoey and Aaron Aziz) on the mega show.
Lisa duets with Farid Kamil on Anuar & Ellina’s Suasana Hari Raya, and sings Hail Amir and Uji Rashid’s Seloka Hari Raya with Farid, Sarimah, Zoey and Aaron.
“I was anxious at first but my fears dissipated after I got on stage. I realised that, like me, many of the other celebrities weren’t singers. It turned out to be a fun event with the stars taking turns to serenade Hari Raya songs,” said the beauty who holds a law degree from Wales’ Aberystwyth University.
Like all her fellow Muslims, Lisa couldn’t wait to spend Hari Raya with her family and indulge in her mother’s mouth-watering treats.
“I love food so anything goes for me during Raya. My mother’s signature nasi briyani is simply yummy. I also look forward to eating rendang, lemang and serunding. Other than that, Hari Raya is a time to meet relatives and old friends.”
Today at 2.30pm on TV2, Lisa will be seen in Pierre Andre’s I’m Not Single. The movie is about a young couple, Maya (Lisa) and Adam (Farid Kamil), who loathe each other because they are forced into an arranged marriage by their parents.
Those who aren’t able to tune in during that time can catch the film on Astro Ria on Wednesday at 9pm.
Have an entertaining Hari Raya Aidilfitri, everyone!
■ For further Raya programming, click here for the TV guide
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