RITA, IZREEN UNFAZED BY NOSEY PARKERS
Single mums and actresses tell TAHIR ALHAMZAH they have since cast caution to the wind
FOR popular actresses and single mothers Rita Rudaini Mokhtar and Izreen Azminda Aznam, they no longer pay much heed to insensitive questions whenever they return to their kampung to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
“In my case, I think most don’t dare to open their mouth asking personal questions, like when will I remarry, and who am I currently seeing.
“Besides that, I have a fierce face. But I’m sure they are just itching to find out,” said 31-yearold Izreen.
For Rita, she said there had been some thoughtless adults who had approached her son, teasing him for not having a father around like most children. “That is just mean.
“What had my children ever done to them to deserve such a treatment? Even if they (the adults) don’t like me, take it out on me, not on my innocent boys,” said the 41-year-old, who has two children Airit Rayyan Rizqin, 8, and Airit Qaqa Arjuna, 6, from her marriage to footballer Aidil Zafuan Radzak.
Izreen and Rita said this at a buka puasa (breaking-of-fast) charity event organised by the Al Munawwarah tahfiz centre and Persatuan Wartawan dan Penulis Hiburan Malaysia at the Shah Alam Convention Centre recently.
The celebrities, from Perlis, are good friends, with Izreen spending much of her time at Rita’s home, including breaking fast together when they are not busy attending events or fulfilling other commitments.
“It is great to see my son spending time with Rita’s kids,” said Izreen of her only child, Muhammad Adrian Umar, 4.
Izreen was married to cameraman Muhamad Riza Baharuddin.
Rita and Izreen will be spending Raya in Perlis for a week.
Meanwhile, Izreen is appearing in several Hari Raya television specials, including TV3’s telemovie Syawal Yang Kuinginkan, which she stars alongside Fauziah Ahmad Daud, Azira Shafinaz and Idris Khan, and Surat Panjang Untuk Mak, a telemovie which lines up Hamidah Wahab, Syafie Naswip and Syed Aiman as its cast.
Rita, who starred in TV3’s drama series Ketupat Rendang Brownies Coklat, shared her predicament of having to see her restaurant, Rumah Kueh, located in Kota Damansara, close down.
“The tenancy has ended and I plan to relocate Rumah Kueh to a better location in the near future,” she said.
Rita will be heading for London, the United Kingdom, after her Hari Raya break to film a telemovie, produced by Zeel Production. After that, she will film part of a 13-episode drama in Milan, Italy.