M. Nasir picks Aliff Aziz, calls him Malaysia's second most handsome actor

Director Datuk M. Nasir has selected actor Aliff Aziz to play the lead role in his musical theater production, 'Mansur & Liu.' Nasir explained that Aliff's suitability for portraying a sultan was the primary reason for his casting. He emphasized the difficulty in finding actors with a complete package for musical theater, encompassing acting, singing, and stage presence, criteria Aliff met.

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If you ask why I chose Aliff, of course, we have our own reasons. If you look at his performance during the audition, he is very suitable for this role.

Nasir humorously remarked that Aliff was chosen because he is "Malaysia's second most handsome actor." He elaborated that Aliff demonstrated strong suitability during auditions, fulfilling the necessary criteria for the character. Despite Aliff's selection, Nasir confirmed that all actors, including Aliff, had to undergo auditions. He noted that many talented actors lacked the singing ability required for the production, necessitating a meticulous selection process to avoid future regrets.

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Why did I choose Aliff? Because he is the second most handsome actor in Malaysia.

The idea for 'Mansur & Liu' originated six years ago when M. Nasir was involved in recording an audiobook based on Tun Seri Lanang's 'Sulalatus Salatin.' This project sparked his interest in ancient Malay hikayats, leading him to discover the story of Mansur and Juri, which he felt would translate well into a larger theatrical production.

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Many talented actors but do not meet all the criteria, especially in singing. That's why I have to be meticulous. It's not my personality to be fussy, but it's necessary. Otherwise, we will regret it later.

Realizing the production faced significant hurdles. An initial proposal to a company fell through, and the subsequent COVID-19 pandemic caused further delays. The project was revived only after securing interest and funding from a new party, allowing M. Nasir to finally bring his long-held vision to life. 'Mansur & Liu' is scheduled to be staged at Panggung Sari, Istana Budaya, from September 10 to 20.

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The idea actually started six years ago when I was assigned to read an audiobook based on Tun Seri Lanang's writing. From there, I started to be interested in exploring various stories in old Malay hikayats. Then I found the story of Mansur and Juri, which in my opinion is very interesting to visualize in a larger performance.