Sarimah embraces horror, pushes acting boundaries

KUALA LUMPUR - After a long absence from the silver screen since her last appearance in Gerak Khas The Movie 3 in 2005, actress Sarimah Ibrahim is making a striking return with the horror film Pewaris Susuk.

The 48-year-old actress admitted that her role as Seroja demanded a high level of emotional commitment, requiring her to delve deeply into a character layered with mystery.

She said the main challenge was not merely physical acting, but sustaining subtle emotional layers to ensure the character remained consistent and unpredictable throughout the film.

"This role requires very delicate emotional control. Many things cannot be expressed overtly, but instead must be conveyed implicitly,” she told Bernama at a recent gala screening.

For the Malay-Irish actress, the filming process offered an opportunity to explore new acting approaches, particularly in bringing to life tense scenes that are central to the horror genre.

She added that among the challenges on set were scenes involving special effects, as well as situations requiring her to confront realistic horror visuals, testing her emotional resilience and focus throughout filming.

"During the shoot, there were many scenes where we had to stay in the water for long periods, crawl through physically demanding sequences, and work with special effects that are not fully shown to the audience.

"But for me, the biggest challenge lies in the emotional aspect; acting alongside others while simultaneously concealing both the dark and the good sides of the character, all while expressing layers of mystery that require very fine emotional control,” she said.

Pewaris Susuk, which also stars Alya Iman and Rosyam Nor, tells the story of Maya (Alya Iman), who tries to rebuild her life with her child after the trauma of witnessing her mother Juriah’s (Sherie Merlis) death, caused by an unresolved dark pact.

However, her new life takes a sinister turn when she begins working at a secluded bungalow that harbours a dark family history and is plagued by mystical disturbances, leading to the revelation of a bloodline secret that demands deadly sacrifice.

Meanwhile, Sarimah said she remains open to challenging herself with more complex roles in the future, including characters that differ greatly from her previous image.

"I enjoy trying something new. As long as there is room to learn and grow, I will continue to seize those opportunities,” she said.

Sarimah, who is also a singer, described the re-release of her song Kini Kau Tiada in a new version as carrying a sense of nostalgia that resonates with fans, particularly millennials.

"Sometimes things like cartoons, food, or songs become memories. That song, first released in 2001, is also part of people’s nostalgia,” she added. - BERNAMA