22 November 2004

THE sort of politically correct spiel that avoids any satisfactory engagement of thorny questions is not Rui En’s style. The intrepid singer-actress has, after all, stepped into the role vacated by Steph Song in the sitcom Achar!.
Faced with the fairly generic question of ‘What kind of experience did you have filming Achar?’, she chooses to tackle the unspoken subtext head-on instead.’The experience was quite pleasant,’ says the 23-year-old matter-of-factly in a phone interview last Saturday.
Her experience is in stark contrast to the reportedly tumultuous relationship between her predecessor Song and co-star, Bollywood actor Jas Arora, during the filming of the first season of the Channel 5 sitcom last year.
‘I’m sure everyone has heard all the rumours about the last season,’ Rui En says. ‘When I took on this project, I kept telling myself not to make judgments and to go in with an open mind. And it was fine, really.’
She insists that her screen husband is ‘very well-mannered and gentlemanly in a way that you don’t really see much nowadays’.’He actually does things like opening doors for you. The chivalry is quite refreshing.’
Rui En, who bears some resemblance to Song, first came into the spotlight in 2001, when she appeared in a SingTel TV commercial. She then starred in a Jay Chou music video before releasing a Mandarin album in 2003.
Tackling challenging roles is what she has set her mind on after graduating from her banking and finance course from Nanyang Technological University last year.
‘This character is quite feminine, very different from my previous tomboyish roles and my own personality,’ she recalls.
‘It’s quite a challenge to wear skirts and be graceful. The character’s wardrobe is very different from what I would wear in real life.’
Currently starring in the Channel 8 drama My In-Laws, Rui En has also been nominated in the Most Popular Newcomer category for this year’s Star Awards. ‘I was very surprised when I found out because I’ve only been in a few shows.
‘She adds: ‘I won’t be wearing a dress to the Awards. It’s such a struggle to wear them for work.’
The new season of Achar! starts on Dec 2 on Channel 5 at 8.30pm.

Source: The Straits Times

Categorised in Achar, The Straits Times.