Elma Theana Faces Inner Anxiety When Playing Ustazah In The Film Don't Call Mama Kafir

Elma Theana (Virgi/VOI)

JAKARTA Senior actress Elma Theana admitted that she was hit by anxiety when she accepted the offer to play in the film Don't Call Mama Kafir.

Playing the role of a cleric named Umi Habibah, Elma felt nervous not only because of the provocative film title, but also because of a scene that alludes to sensitive issues about marriage of different religions.

"First of all, when I was given this title a bit, a bit like that, a bit nervous too, right, 'Don't call Mama Kafir'. Wow, what film is this, right," said Elma Theana in the South Jakarta area, Monday, October 13.

Elma's main anxiety arose when she read one of the scenes that alluded to the law of marriage between Muslims and book experts.

As a ustazah actor, he feels he has a big responsibility so that the message conveyed does not cause misunderstandings among the audience.

"There is a scene that I kind of doubt because it's here as a ustazah, right. So there was a scene when I was with Fafat who said that wasn't it, eh, we can marry a book expert. That's actually the same as me, I don't have any doubts, how can this be, right, "he said.

To ensure the truth of this context, Elma conducted in-depth research and consulted with ustaz and their religious teachers.

"I had the same question, eh, with my Ustaz-ustaz, right. There is an opinion like, eh, what, that Muslim men can marry book experts, right? That's actually a bit scary, until I asked the teachers, to Ustaz-ustaz, "he explained.

After going through a long discussion with religious leaders and directors, Elma finally understood that there were differences of opinion among the ulama regarding the law.

Because this issue is real and often occurs in people's lives, he also feels calmer to present the scene.

"But because this is a relationship and the reality does happen, and indeed there are different opinions, so I also discussed with the director how good it is, right, so that it doesn't happen [contrasts]," he added.

The film Don't Call Mama Kafir is planned to start showing in theaters starting October 16.