KUALA LUMPUR: Singer-actor Gaddafi Ismail Sabri or Dafi, 35, may have joined the cast of award-winning director Adrian Teh's new historical military drama Malbatt: Misi Bakara, during the premiership of his father, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
However, the Akademi Fantasia Season 5 graduate insists that being "anak PM" had nothing to do with Teh's decision to cast him as Lans Korporal Zulkifli, one of the members of Malaysia's United Nations peacekeeping mission which went to war-torn Somalia in 1993 and ended up rescuing 70 American soldiers who were trapped by Somali militias at the Bakara Market in the Somali capital city Mogadishu.
"It was my good friend and longtime Adrian collaborator Hairul Azreen of Paskal, Wira and The Assistant fame who encouraged me to join the cast of Bakara.
"Both of us are fans of historical dramas, especially those which depict ordinary Malaysians who do extraordinary things,
"As an actor, I was also determined to get out of my comfort zone and be part of a cinematic challenge that audiences will remember for a long time. That is why I decided to give Bakara a shot," said Dafi at the press screening of Bakara in Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC), IOI City Mall, Sepang, Selangor, yesterday.
Strongly encouraged by his parents and siblings, Dafi worked hard to prepare himself for the role of Zulkifli and hired a former soldier as his physical fitness trainer.
"My trainer pushed me hard for three weeks to get me in shape. He monitored my diet strictly, so I gradually lost fat and gained muscle," he said.
When asked about his character, Dafi said Zulkifli was not a silent, supporting character but one of the show-stealers, as he drove an armoured tank and battled militiamen.
"He is often paired with Lans Korporal Ramlee, played by one of my favourite actors Shaheizy Sam. Both men boldly face the militias and risk their lives to rescue hostages.
"But at the same time, they are among the 'funny ones' who provide comic relief when the soldiers are not fighting," said Dafi, who described working with Shaheizy as a dream come true.
Bakara is Dafi's first major cinematic role and only non-fiction one. He admitted that his father was proud of his decision to play Zulkifli, based on a real Malaysian soldier.
"Initially, I thought I would have very few lines and be a mere window-dressing soldier. But Adrian makes sure every soldier has his moment of fame, and my character has quite a few," he said, thanking Teh for offering him a "role of a lifetime".
Bakara opens in cinemas nationwide on Aug 24 in conjunction with National Day.
Jointly produced by Berjaya Pictures, Act 2 Pictures, Astro Shaw and Golden Screen Cinemas, it also stars Adlin Aman Ramlie, Bront Palarae, Tony Eusoff, Zahiril Adzim, Taufiq Hanafi and Gambit Saifullah.
The RM20-million film, the country's first to premiere in Imax format, tells the story of 100 soldiers from the 19th Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment of the Malaysian Army who joined the United Nations peacekeeping force in Somalia's 1993 civil war.