On top of their game

ELFIRA, AYDA AND MIRA ON A ROLL

THE epitome of bright young things, Media Prima Television Networks’ Terima Kasih campaign ambassadors this year are petite, pretty and soft-spoken celebrities. The trio in their 20s are actress and TV host Elfira Loy, singer-actress Ayda Jebat and actress Mira Filzah. Their presence in the local entertainment scene is significant. Their social media accounts reveal that they are among the top young celebrities, with more than two million followers on Instagram each.

Between Elfira, Ayda and Mira, they have won enough awards to make some of their colleagues green with envy.

Especially for Groove readers, they gather for an interview and shoot.

FASHION SENSE

Of the three girls, Elfira was the first to arrive for the interview, all dolled up and decked in a maroon songket peplum top with a flattering mermaid skirt, expertly crafted by popular designer duo Rizman Ruzaini.

Seated at a corner of a cordoned-off restaurant at the plush Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur, Elfira was all smiles as journalists asked questions.

Born Nurul Elfira Loy Ahmad Sabri, the 23-year-old actress and host, began acting at 12. She debuted as the character Nursiah, in the 2006 musical adaptation of P. Ramlee’s

Baba: Bujang Lapok, staged at Istana Budaya. She went on to act in various dramas, movies and TV commercials as well as hosted TV programmes.

Fast-forward to more than a decade later, Elfira has grown from strength to strength in her career.

Of late, she is more into hosting than acting.

TV 9’ sR am ad an 101, one of the programmes she helms with Ustaz Elyas Ismail, is an halfhour show on Islam and its history.

“It was not easy to host a spiritual programme. As this was not a regular chat show, I prepared by reading up on the history of Islam and Ramadan. It felt like I was studying for an exam,” said Elfira, adding that her co-host guided her.

“During the recording of the earlier episodes, when Ustaz Elyas presented his script, he also covered those meant for me, making it difficult to chip in. After all, he had already covered everything. Then I realised that I needed to further understand the topics discussed rather than resort to memorising the script,” she said with a smile.

Aired every week day throughout the fasting month at 7pm, the 20-episode show focuses on Ramadan-related subjects, from the history of Islam and practices during the month to a healthy diet. The final episode airs today.

Elfira will also appear as one of the guest stylists for How Do I Look? Asia. She joins American journalist and TV host Jeannie Mai for the third season, slated to air later in the year on Diva (Astro channels 702/723).

“I’m excited and nervous at the same time to be on the show with Jeannie,” said Elfira who will be joining Indonesian chef and fashionista Farah Quinn, Filipina TV personality Joey Mead King and Vietnamese celebrity/influencer Pham Hong Van Thuy in re-styling “fashion victims” from across Southeast Asia.

“I’ll be heading to Singapore to record this programme. Again, I need to do research too as I don’t want to make a fashion fauxpas on the show.

“When I was invited to be on the show, I was a bit reluctant to accept as it can be quite intimidating to share my fashion sense. Jeannie is all about fashion and I fear that we may not be on the same fashion page, so to speak,” she said.

“However, this will be the perfect regional platform to make myself known. So, I took up the offer and besides, I only have to be myself and share with the audience my sense of style.”

When asked whether she was done with acting, Elfira was quick to reply that it was not so.

“Acting is still my number one passion. I’ve explored acting for more than a decade. Ali I still have so much room to improve and experience. So when chances like hosting and other job offers come my way, I don’t see why I shouldn’t try. Who knows, the experiences could make me a better actress.”

Elfira’s schedule is packed until next year. Besides hosting, there are the official event appearances and the giving of talks.

(A day after this interview, Elfira and singer Sufian Suhaimi were scheduled to fly to Seoul, South Korea to attend the first anniversary party of French skincare brand Caudalie there.)

She plans to take five days off to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri with her family. They will be returning to her mother’s kampung in Kuala Ketil, Kedah.

When chances like hosting and other job offers come my way, I don’t see why I shouldn’t try. Who knows, the experience could make me a better actress. Elfira Loy

MISSING ATUK

For Ayda Jebat, the one person whom she will miss most this Hari Raya is her maternal grandfather who died at 90 last March.

“My family and I miss him,” says the 25-year-old artiste.

Ayda is taking a week off from her busy schedule to return to her hometown in Bukit Beruang, Melaka, as well as her father’s kampung in Negri Sembilan.

“I will only hit the road on the eve of Hari Raya since I’ll appear in a ‘live’ TV show Raya

Sakan Mak Cun on TV3 at 11pm.”

Since her parents’ divorce when she was 12, Ayda always celebrates the festive season at both her parents’ hometowns.

“This year will also be my second Raya celebration with my stepfather since my mother re-married a couple of years ago,” said the artiste whose real name is Nur Suhada Jebat.

Although she has 2.8 million Instagram followers, her family in Melaka is spared from the frenzy associated with artistes and their fans.

“People in my kampung are not big on celebrities. Even when there were events with artistes during the New Year’s Eve celebration, there weren’t huge crowds,” she said.

Ayda has many young cousins in Melaka, who at every Hari Raya will benefit from her duit raya, but she rarely hits the RM1,000 mark.

However, when she is at her father’s

kampung, she prepares more duit raya packets since many village children show up at their door to celebrate Hari Raya with them.

Ayda does not have to worry about organising an open house during this festive season. “For the past two years, this event is handled by my fan club,” she said.

Ayda stars in TV3 drama series Ku Kirim

Cinta, in which she stars opposite Redza Rosli (whom she’s reportedly been romantically linked with). The drama airs every week day with its final episode slated for July 6.

During Ramadan, Ayda cleared her acting schedule so that she could concentrate on recording her mini album. “So far I’ve recorded two tracks, and now we’re looking at another three. The songs which I have recorded are of pop and EDM (electronic dance music) genres.”

After Hari Raya, she is down for TV drama series titled Dekatkan Jarak Kita by JS Pictures.

“I don’t know who will be my leading man. I have no problem working with any actor,” she said.

Come August, catch Ayda singing

Gemuruh Suara in a music video especially recorded for the 29th SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur.

REUNION

Actress Mira Filzah prefers to leave the preparation for Hari Raya to her mother as it has always been the practice.

“As far as I can remember, she decides on our Hari Raya attire and the array of dishes to be prepared. My sisters and I help her by cleaning and decorating the house.

“Normally, she buys the same fabric to be made into our Hari Raya attire. However, for this year, we got our own baju raya as we were busy with our own schedules, making it difficult for her to co-ordinate the annual matching wardrobe. But we have all agreed on emerald green for the first day of Hari Raya,” said the 24-year-old, who was born Nur Amirah Filzah Badioezzaman.

Mira said that in her parents’ hometowns — Ipoh and Tronoh — in Perak, many prefer to serve traditional cookies such as putu

kacang, kuih bangkit, kuih kapit and jam tarts. Her favourite time is Hari Raya eve, when her relatives chat the night away while cooking rendang and other dishes.

“I look forward to this catching up moment as some of us only meet once a year.”

Since both hometowns are a mere 40 minutes’ away, Mira said her family visits both kampung on the same day.

“If this year sees us spending the night at my paternal’s grandparents house first and visiting the maternal family the following morning, it’ll be rotated next year,” said the female lead of TV drama series Meh, Sandar

Pada Aku!

She also reprises her role of Afnan Tasneem with lanky Singaporean actor Aliff

Aziz in a Raya special of Meh, Sandar Pada

Aku! Raya which will premiere on tonton on June 23.

Mira spent the early part of Ramadan

filming telemovie Jula Juli Bintang Putus

Cinta in locations such as Langkawi, Kedah and Ipoh, Perak.

After Hari Raya, Mira will begin shooting for her first feature film with Red Communications, directed by Bernard Chauly.