In the ever-evolving world of visual storytelling, Nadhir Nasar has become a shining star, capturing the hearts and imaginations of audiences with each performance. His passion for the art form has transformed the silver screen into a realm where narrative comes to life, emotions are vividly painted and dreams are realised in breathtaking sequences. His feats in recent years have been nothing short of extraordinary. From acting in a TV drama that hooked many Malaysians to directing a controversial music video, Nadhir steadily etched himself into the tapestry of the Malaysian entertainment industry. Ahead, we dive further into the exceptional journey of Nadhir Nasar, BURO’s Muse of the Year.
Nadhir wears: Vest, Alyx/M Store Lab. Shirt and trousers, both Zalora. Tie, Stylist’s own.
Entering the scene
Nadhir ascended into the entertainment industry via modelling, striding down the runway of Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week from 2016 to 2018 with a charisma that caught the eye of discerning designers and fashion aficionados. In between, he attended numerous casting calls but was consistently turned down. Even so, quitting wasn’t in his vocabulary, which is why he joined Hero Remaja, a talent search in 2020 and, surprise, surprise, emerged as the winner.
His victory not only garnered him numerous job offers for him but also catapulted him into the stratosphere of fame. He soared to new heights when he starred in Projek: Anchor SPM the following year, sharing the screen with huge talents like Daiyan Trisha, Shasha Abedul and Aedy Ashraf.
This year, Nadhir played a major role in Projek: High Council and that drama series alone set him on a far better path than he could have ever dreamed of. When asked what influenced his decision to take on a role, he says: “I think the moral lessons of the drama or film are significant to me. I would like to play a character where I can speak up for the unheard voices and educate the public on the subjects that are being raised.” Indeed, he brought the scripts of PHC to life and conveyed emotions that resonate long after the credit rolls. It’s the hallmark of an exceptional performance—a rising actor whose talent is impossible to ignore.
Taking it all in
In the radiant glow of success, Nadhir has even more to accomplish. Behind the curtain of stardom, there are still dreams that stir his creativity and challenges that entice him to reach even greater heights. “My end-game is to be a director,” he tells me via an audio message.
Many may not know this but Nadhir holds a diploma in mass communication and a bachelor’s degree in broadcasting. It’s no surprise that he intends to explore other aspects of the entertainment business. In fact, he has already demonstrated his remarkable command of cinema by directing a short film titled Villa Rosly in 2022, which was shortlisted for the BMW Shorties from an impressive pool of 93 submissions.
The dashing actor also dabbles in music video production. This year, he directed Saixse’s Malampagi music video, which has amassed four million views on YouTube so far. Despite the controversy surrounding it, he maintains that it is up to the viewers to interpret the video. Having said that, he isn’t embarrassed to admit that he is still evolving as a storyteller. “I’ve learnt a lot from local directors like Razaisyam Rashid, Anwari Ashraf, who directed PHC, and Areel Abu Bakar, who directed Geran,” he says of those he admires in the local film business.
With all of these accomplishments, it’s evident that Nadhir has an unwavering passion for telling tales via the lens and his ultimate dream is to become a versatile filmmaker. We sincerely hope that he will keep on crafting impactful narratives that will stand the test of time and leave a significant mark on the local cinematic landscape.
The future is bright and beautiful
So, what’s next for the burgeoning actor-cum-director? For starters, his debut film will be released in January of next year. Nadhir will appear in a film produced by Kembara Studio alongside some of the biggest names in the scene, such as Namron, Fattah Amin, and Fazura.
Of the prospect of expanding his career to neighbouring nations, he says: “I had a couple of offers from Indonesia earlier this year, but for now, I would like to focus on my career here and do everything I can to support our film industry. As an artist, I’m very grateful for the recent changes in our industry and I believe we can do better”. On the same note, he revealed that he has no intention of turning down opportunities to pursue an acting career abroad. Citing Johnny Depp as one of the actors he looks up to, Nadhir expressed that he is not afraid to take risks and break into Hollywood one day.
In years to come, he also wants to play the lead role in a horror movie. Yes, he has been in a horror movie before, but nothing as eerie as Pengabdi Setan. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Nadhir’s advice to anyone aspiring to make a living out of acting is to never give up. “Trust the process! Have faith in your work, and God will reward you in His own time”.
CREDITS
Editor-In-Chief / SARAH HANI JAMIL. Creative Direction / SARAH TAI. Text and Interview / BENEDICT UNANG. Styling / SARAH HANI JAMIL AND SARAH TAI. Assisted by / EVE LYN LAU. Photography / HERRY CHIA EE | HERRY STUDIO. Assisted by / EURI ERFE, BIRDY LEE AND DAVID ONG. Videography / JIMI RAZAK FOR STUDIO KARYAWAN. Video Editor / DENNIS KHO. Makeup / AYANG KAMELL. Hair / LEX SE FOR GHD.
Check out the 2023 BURO Impact Award winners here.
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