Gurmit moves on from Phua Chu Kang

Writer: Siti Munawirah Mustaffa

Gurmit with the "Taxi! Taxi!" casts and director arrived with Sunlight Taxi.

19 Jan – Who would have thought the twelve year gap subsequent to the release of "One Leg Kicking" would later on bring Singapore's beloved Gurmit Singh and Mark Lee together again in a new film entitled "Taxi! Taxi!".

The only difference this time is instead of kicking the ball, the duo is kicking the gear in a film that marks Kelvin Sng's directorial debut.

"A lot of people think it would be difficult for the both of us to work together again after so long but during those 12 year gap, we still remained in touch. We had fun, we insulted each other, and sometimes we bumped into each other during makeup and wardrobe session before the starting of any program we were involved in. We would talk about our families and life in general so the chemistry is still going strong throughout the years," said Gurmit, recalling the joy that he had while teaming up with Mark.

When asked about the possibilities of the both of them working on a same project sometime in the future, it was Mark's turn to spill the beans when the 44-year-old spoke of their joint forces for the upcoming MediaCorp's 50th anniversary which will happen in next July.

Best known for his Phua Chua Kang character in the popular sitcom "Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd" that ran for 11 years beginning mid-90's, Gurmit also noted his love for driving that made him agree to play the lead role in "Taxi! Taxi!"; a film inspired by a true story of a Singaporean PhD holder turned taxi driver.

"I love driving and what's great about the movie is that I get to drive a lot, since I'm driving a taxi. Plus, my father also used to become a taxi driver after he retired so I find taxi driving to be a lot of fun throughout my involvement in the film," the 47-year-old actor admitted at a press conference last Wednesday.

A stark contrast to the rowdy Phua Chu Kang who was famous for his yellow boots and large facial mole, "Taxi! Taxi!" finds Gurmit as the sombre Professor Chua donned in lab coat and polished shoes, which in turn, incites a question: Is this a sign of finally moving on?

47 year old Gurmit still looks dashing as ever.

"I still come back to KL and different parts of Malaysia, including Kuching to do a one-hour show of Phua Chu Kang. As much as I'd like to remain with the show, there is no new season anymore. In a sense, we're cooling it down and it's going to take some time because ten years of my life has been dedicated to that particular role. So, I am not expecting an overnight turnover. I'm embracing that," spoke the Singaporean star.

He further added, "At the same time, I'm not running away either but rather, I'm taking the time to breathe and get away. This is going to take quite some time because the character is so strong and well-known. For that purpose, I'm trying out new roles, characters, projects and I'm even doing dramas now. I'm going through the serious side of things. In Singapore, I do a variety of shows including hosting. So, people in Singapore are beginning to see the different sides of my profession and they are slowly accepting the fact that I'm doing more than just one role."

"In Singapore, I still get a lot of request from Facebook and Twitter to bring Phua Chu Kang back but I feel the strong urge to move on. My philosophy has been that if you reach your peak, you should end. You shouldn't keep doing it until people start to dislike it because then you will not do justice to whatever you're doing. I also draw this analogy where if you love durians, you still have to stop eating it at some point because you've had enough."

But despite the needs to break out from Phua Chu Kang's strong persona, how does Gurmit truly feel about always being linked to the eccentric contractor, then?

"I see my association to Phua Chu Kang as a good way because it shows that I played him so well to the point that people actually remember him. Just like Rowan Atkinson with Mr. Bean."