KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — Malaysian actor Evertts Gomes has his sights set on portraying former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in a biopic, a role he believes would challenge him to push his acting abilities further.

Speaking to Malay Mail at the media screening of Kudrat 1968 at TGV Suria KLCC on October 26, Gomes said he was keen to explore Dr Mahathir's life and his role in shaping Malaysia.

“I would like to play Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“Having grown up witnessing Tun M's success, I would like to study in greater depth how he brought Malaysia to where it is today.

“It would be a very interesting subject for me to explore,” he said.

Gomes acknowledged that portraying a real-life figure would require extensive preparation, particularly in studying the person's mannerisms, speech and behaviour.

“As an actor, copying someone's body language, way of speaking, etiquette and everything about them is not an easy job.

“It is basically about becoming a clone of that person, which is difficult,” he said.

Apart from his interest in biographical roles, Gomes also hopes to work alongside veteran actor Bront Palarae, whom he considers an inspiration.

He said he admired Bront's journey from smaller roles to international productions and hoped to learn from his experience.

“He started with small roles and gradually landed bigger ones, and now he has become an international actor.

“He is on another level and has reached a different tier.

“He is recognised not only as an Indonesian actor but also as a Thai actor, and I would say he is an all-Asian actor.

“I would like to be the next Bront.

“I want to learn more languages, learn more about cinematography, explore more and travel more because travelling broadens our minds.

“I would love to learn as much as possible from him if given the opportunity,” he said.

For now, Gomes is appearing as Tunku Ghafar in Kudrat 1968, which he said explores themes beyond school bullying and violence.

He believes audiences will find more to appreciate in the film's storytelling, cinematography and depiction of life in 1968.

“The reason Kudrat 1968 is a must-watch is that the story is no longer just about schools, children, teenagers, or schoolboys fighting.

“It is much bigger than that.

“It is more impactful, more important, and its messages are much deeper.

“Every character conveys those messages, both directly and indirectly.

“I would like everyone to watch it because there is a lot we can learn from its cinematography and the depth of its writing.

“We can also learn about how people thought back in 1968.

“I hope everyone will watch and enjoy it,” he said.

Kudrat 1968: High Council opens in Malaysian cinemas tomorrow, October 29.