KUALA LUMPUR - Nearly nine months after undergoing surgery to treat sciatica, singer and actor Danny X-Factor is still required to limit his physical activities, including avoiding strenuous stunts, a situation that has influenced his choice of acting offers.
Although his health has improved, Danny, whose real name is Mohd Kardanie Anwa, 46, said he was still unable to resume his normal daily routine and needed to exercise greater caution to ensure a smooth recovery.
The Kelantan-born artiste from Pasir Mas said he was still undergoing physiotherapy and specific exercises to ease back pain and numbness in his legs.
"My health is not a cause for concern now, but I still need to be careful. I cannot move around like I used to, and even the way I get up requires care. I can still dance, but I must avoid lifting heavy objects incorrectly or driving for too long," he said.
Speaking to reporters after the Islamic Fashion Festival (IFF) Kuala Lumpur 2026 press conference here recently, Danny admitted that he had not accepted many acting offers this year as he wanted to focus on X-Factor while also taking his health condition into consideration.
However, the father of one said he remained open to smaller acting roles that did not require lengthy filming commitments, although he was not yet ready to perform strenuous action scenes involving running and jumping.
"If I am offered a cameo role for a day or two, I can fit it into my schedule. But if it involves a lengthy production, I really cannot take it on at the moment," he said.
On X-Factor, Danny said the group was now focusing more on weekend performances, as most of its members had permanent jobs and their own commitments.
He said this required all performance invitations and interview sessions to be arranged well in advance to allow members to organise their respective work schedules.
"If we receive an invitation on a working day, the other members would have to take leave. If we are informed more than two weeks in advance, we may be able to work something out," said Danny, whose group also comprises Fendi, Zack, Jim and Shah, and was once popular with songs such as Sehangat Api, 7251364 and Tak Sanggup.
Danny said the group was also preparing its second single, which is expected to be released before the end of this year, while planning a special dinner performance with fans at Aneka Walk, Shah Alam, on Dec 12.
Meanwhile, the singer, who has been working as an e-hailing driver for nearly 10 years, said he had never felt embarrassed about the job, stressing that it did not diminish his standing as an artiste.
He said the job also allowed him to manage his time without unnecessary pressure.
"When you run a production, you have to think about the workers and all sorts of other matters. E-hailing is simple. As long as the passenger reaches their destination safely, I get paid and can go straight home to spend time with my child," he said, adding that he could earn between RM300 and RM600 a day, depending on the number of trips.
To improve the quality of his service, Danny said he had also purchased a new multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) about three months ago specifically for his e-hailing service. - BERNAMA