The recent Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian 2013 (ABPBH 2013) which was held last week saw Singaporean-born-Malaysian-based actor Aaron Aziz emerging as the big winner of the night. Cinema Online had the chance to catch up with the Most Popular Star of 2013 where he told us what it's like for a Singaporean actor to be honoured at a Malaysian awards ceremony, his upcoming movie projects as well as his special message for his ever loyal fans. Cinema Online interview with Aaron Aziz conducted at Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian 2013 (ABPBH 2013) at Putrajaya International Convention Centre on 24 May 2014.
Q: How do you feel winning not only one, but two awards; the Most Popular Star and Best Film Actor awards? Aaron: I would say that it's fated. Even though I feel like I'm not that popular and have not spent a lot of time with my fans, I am really thankful. The wanting to be popular phase has passed for me recently as there are now new talents in the industry who really shine, and that has sort of put me on the back burner. I actually wouldn't have really mind if I did win these awards tonight. Do you have any message that you would like to get across to your fans? I would like to say that no matter if I win or lose; me and my fans will always be together. We have a special bond and I am thankful that many showed up at the awards to cheer and support me. They feel like a family now and I would not want them to feel upset like the previous years where they were so confident that I would win, but it ended up the other way around and they got disappointed. I hope my win now would make them happy and they have worked hard for me to get to this level. Thank you once again to all my fans and I love you all!
There were certain parties who had questioned your win as you are not originally from Malaysia. How do you face and respond to these claims? I hope this issue will not be brought up again and made into a big fuss by some as the matter had already been resolved. If it still gets brought up in the future, I would like to ask them what else are they not satisfied with regarding my win. This is the effort of fans' votes and I really appreciate their support. Lately, it would seem that many Singaporean artistes have moved to Malaysia and have excelled in their respective fields. Would you say that this is now a new trend in our industry? I would say that it is a pattern where many Singaporeans have done well in Malaysia, as there is a much suited market here to expand their careers compared to the smaller market in Singapore. There is no better place than Malaysia to market yourself as a Malay artise, as it is the place where artistes like Ramli Sarip, M. Nasir and more had come from. What is most important as an artiste is to find your own platform and prove your worth. If you are good, then you can gain fans who will help elevate your career. Tell us about your future projects Aaron. My upcoming film is "Tembus" which will be out this July. It is directed by Ahmad Idham and stars Nur Fazura and Luna Maya. There are also two animation films, "Super Squad" and "Kryptic" that I'm involved in. The novel adaptation of "Suamiku Encik Perfect 10" will also be coming to cinemas soon and again, I will be starring with Lisa Surihani after working together in "Ombak Rindu". Apart from some TV dramas, there is also another film that's still in the discussion stage. I would be starring in it with Siti Saleha, who had also won the Best Film Actress award tonight, so the timing is just perfect!