bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

A prominent Malay actress is under fire from powerful Muslim clerics for 'un-Islamic' behaviour for shaving her head for a movie role and acting beside a Chinese Christian.

The clerics even take exception to her movie role as a runaway daughter of a rich but abusive Malay father.

Actress Sharifah Amani,  21, was already a target of the clerics for speaking in English at a film award ceremony last year  instead of in Malay, the country's official language.

Newspapers on Monday published a prominent photo of her shaven head during the shooting of Muallaf  ('Convert'), instantly sparking opposition from conservative Muslims.

In the film, by award-winning director Yasmin Ahmad,   a Catholic schoolteacher befriends Sharifah's character and is 'irresistibly drawn' to her.

'It is a story of lost souls who find comfort in each other, friendship opens the window to forgiveness and reconciliation with the past,' Yasmin says about the film in an entry on her  weblog.

But the clerics see the event differently, even objecting to Sharifah, a Muslim, playing a role opposite a Catholic character.

While inter-racial relationships are carefully monitored in films, inter-religious scripts, especially between Muslims and Christians, are a minefield rarely touched by Malaysian filmmakers.

'Islam forbids Muslim women from going bald. It is also sinful for men to act or behave like a woman and vice versa,' said Tamyis Abdul Majid,  the chief cleric of Selangor state.

'Muslim artists should not degrade themselves and the religion for the sake of popularity,' the New Straits Times daily quoted him as saying.

Another top cleric has asked the Islamic Development Department managed by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi  to take action and stop Muslims from 'misbehaving' in films.

Cleric Harussani Zakaria  has asked the powerful Information Ministry that oversees all filmmaking, to formulate strict rules to control storyline, acting, permitted film roles and even dress. 'We cannot allow Muslim to misbehave,' he said.

Opposition from the powerful clerics has previously killed movies and ended budding film careers.

Probably aware of this, neither Yasmin and Sharifah are  debating with the clerics.

Sharifah briefly responded, saying she did not regret going bald for the role.

'My hair will grow back,' she said in comments carried by local newspapers. She declined comment when contacted.

Film critics and experts on Malay culture  are upset that the same themes recur every film season and throw film-making into controversy.

'Making movies in Malaysia is a daunting task with so many rules to comply with,' said film critic and  culture expert Eddin Khoo.  'Existing rules are already stifling. Any more new rules will kill the industry.'

Every aspect of a film - from script to roles and actual shooting - is vetted and pre-approved. Once completed, the film goes to the censors for 'final cuts' before public screening, if approved.

Yasmin said Muallaf would be released early next year. That's if the controversy does not kill it first.



Actress called un-Islamic for bald-head role