taken from NST 23 February 2023
By Aref Omar
Datuk M. Nasir (centre) strikes a pose as the mysterious villain in the police action-drama series, ‘Special Force: Anarchy’. – Pic courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar
THE new police action-drama series Special Force: Anarchy features a riveting performance by Datuk M. Nasir.
Currently available for streaming on Disney+ Hotstar, the longstanding singer-songwriter and actor exudes charisma as the formidable antagonist Umar.
As the leader of the underground group Anarchy which performs a spectacular bank heist, Umar also holds many secrets and an agenda that will come to an explosive conclusion by the end of the 7-episode series produced by Skop Productions.
When asked why he got onboard with the project, the 65-year-old multiple award-winning artiste simply quips that it was due to the "Ringgit."
On a more serious note, he says that, "Umar is a very philosophical and methodical man with a score to settle."
"He has an interesting journey and I prepared myself emotionally to bring him to life. We had about four months of preparation time," adds Nasir on his role in the show directed by Syafiq Yusof.
In a droll manner, he shares: "I did a video audition initially to showcase my impression of the character to Syafiq and I guess he liked it, so I got the role."
Nasir adds that he was happy to take on the layered role of a sympathetic antagonist.
Some of the actors he took inspiration from for the part included the likes of Robert De Niro, Al-Pacino, Marlon Brando and Liam Neeson.
"He's a retired policeman with skills and experiences that he can still tap into and utilise," he says.
The actor who played Hang Tuah in the 2004 epic fantasy period film, Puteri Gunung Ledang, explains that he had fun filming the series and working with a younger cast.
"It was a new experience for me to work with Syafiq and he certainly has his own unique style and approach to filmmaking.
"He's a very dynamic director and I respect his creative methods. I'm open to different approaches and it was a good learning experience," says Nasir.
Syafiq who co-wrote the story with the scriptwriters admits that Nasir was his first choice for Umar.
"When we wrote the part, we envisioned a leader with a strong set of principles that the audience could love and root for.
"Umar's not a necessarily evil person but more like a stern fatherly figure, so it was a no brainer and we were very lucky to get M. Nasir," says the 30-year-old director of the Abang Long Fadil films.
"I was very nervous at first as M. Nasir is a legend not just in Malaysia but in the Nusantara region as well. But then I came to realise that he's a very humble and patient person.
"There's a lot of waiting involved during the whole filming process. In fact, 70 per cent of the job is waiting," says Syafiq.
So, what did M. Naisr do during those moments of standing by? "Well, he sings, of course!" says Syafiq with a big smile.
Special Force: Anarchy follows policewoman Iman (played by Puteri Aishah), who investigates a planned bank heist in the fictional country of Tenggara and comes face to face with underground group, Anarchy.
As events unfold, a secret is discovered that could change everything if exposed.
The series also stars Hasnul Rahmat, Yusuf Bahrin, Chacha Maembong, Elizabeth Tan, Alvin Wong, Anas Ridzuan, Johan As'ari, Fify Azmi, Dynas Mokhtar and Steve Yap.
