'Sembilu' reunion proves three-decade-old magic still packs a punch

KUALA LUMPUR - ‘Sembilu’, the 1994 hit movie directed by Datuk Yusof Haslam, remains vivid in the memories of movie-goers even more than three decades after its release, as proven by the crowd of 10,000 fans who turned up to watch ‘Sembilu The Reunion Live In Concert’ at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil, here on Saturday.  

The romance-themed film’s three main stars, Datuk Awie, Erra Fazira and Ziana Zain, successfully rekindled its magic, proving that the blockbuster’s legacy of love and music remains alive and untouched by time.

The concert opened at 8.45 pm with the children of the lead cast, Engku Aleesya, Putra Ahmad Merrah and Kasih, briefly reenacting the roles of their parents, drawing thunderous cheers from the audience.

After the opening, the stage heated up with the powerful renditions of ‘Rock N Roll Ronda-Ronda’, ‘Sangkar Cinta’ and ‘Jendela Hati’ by Awie, Ziana and Erra, before the spotlight shifted to individual performances.

First to perform was Awie, hailed as the ‘rock king’ of the nation and vocalist for the group Wings. He delivered hit songs from ‘Sembilu’ as well as other well-known tracks, including ‘Di Ambang Wati’, ‘Di Penjara Janji’, ‘Ukiran Jiwa’ and ‘Ratuku’.

Awie, known for his humour, casually took fans down memory lane by recalling his on-screen romance with Erra’s character Wati in ‘Sembilu’, which later evolved into a real-life relationship.

"The acting (romance with Erra) became real outside... oh dear, sorry, Mr E (Erra’s husband), now we’re friends. I’ve just gotten to know Mr E, he’s a very good person, and I pray this union lasts. I’ve been married three times, Erra too, so we’re equal, fair and balanced,” he said, drawing laughter from the crowd.

Later, when Erra came on stage, she joked, "We’ll talk to him (Awie) in a moment, dear husband, I love you!” Both Awie and Erra reflected their maturity and professionalism in preserving their friendship despite sharing a long personal history. 

The Miss Malaysia World 1992 titleholder then went on to perform ‘Yang Terindah Hanyalah Sementara’. 

However, the mood turned emotional when Ziana, whose real name is Siti Roziana, struggled to hold back tears and was seen crying after performing ‘Berpisah Jua’, ‘Puncak Kasih’ and ‘Setiaku Di Sini’.

It was evident that Ziana was still deeply affected by the loss of both her parents in such a short span of time. Her father Zin Abdullah passed away on Aug 26 last year, while her mother Robiah Abdul died on Dec 25. 

Featuring more than 20 songs over nearly three hours, including ‘Senja Nan Merah’, ‘Pasrah’, ‘Hanya Di Mata’ and ‘Kemelut Di Muara Kasih’, the concert organised by Ideatelier was elevated by the accompaniment of renowned music maestro Aubrey Suwito.

The night ended not only with a sense of satisfaction, but also with an air of anticipation over whether ‘Sembilu’, the movie, might return in a third instalment, as envisioned by its director. - BERNAMA