KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — Malaysian actress Mimi Lana, whose real name is Mimi Rozaiana Zainal Abidin, has steadily built her journey in the entertainment industry over the years.
The public first caught a glimpse of the star through the popular Malaysian reality television talent search Dewi Remaja, where she was a participant.
Since then, she has ventured into acting, expanding her portfolio with dramas such as Seindah Kasih Cinta, Persepsi, Andai Tiada Dia and, most recently, First Wives: Sisters Before Misters.
Her ability to portray strong characters on screen was further showcased in the critically acclaimed 2019 horror film Pusaka, in which she played Nur Ishak.
More film projects followed, including The Experts, Mencari Ramlee, and now the latest horror release, Polong.
Mimi embodies Fatima in this horror thriller, a journalist searching for the truth behind old crimes, only to face a terrifying force that begins haunting her.
Speaking during a media interview session, the Malaysian Film Festival nominee shared that she became immediately interested in the film after reading the script for the first time.
One of the biggest challenges, she explained, involved the makeup effects, as the process required a highly subjective creative approach.
As it is a horror feature, she added that she did not experience any supernatural disturbances on set, noting that this was the first horror project she had worked on without such incidents.
She did, however, share a strange incident where her bedroom door suddenly slammed shut.
“I did not experience any supernatural disturbances on set, but there was one strange incident when I first received the script from the director.
“The first time I read the script, I fell asleep before being startled awake by the sound of my bedroom door slamming loudly.
“When I woke up, I found the door wide open even though it had been tightly shut before I went to sleep.
“At first, I thought it was just a dream or my imagination because I had just finished reading a horror script,” she said when met at the film’s premiere event recently.
Mimi added that the same experience happened again after she returned home from a second discussion session with the production team.
“I’m not sure whether it was some kind of disturbance or just my feelings playing tricks on me because I was thinking too much about the character and storyline of the film, but it was definitely strange,” she said.
Speaking to Malay Mail, Mimi shared that the team had already set a high benchmark for Polong, approaching the film with the quality and intensity of an international production.
“This film is very gory.
“Everything feels real because we did not rely heavily on CGI, or visual effects,” she said.
“What audiences are going to experience feels like the real thing.”
Mimi also hoped viewers would appreciate the message behind the film.
“I hope audiences enjoy the movie, take the good lessons from it, leave the negative parts behind, and give it a chance,” she concluded.
Polong will be released in cinemas nationwide starting tomorrow and has already received positive early reactions from audiences who attended the gala premiere on May 20 at 10 Star Cinemas, Petaling Jaya.
The grind continues for Mimi as she continues to make a strong impact in the local entertainment industry.
The dedication in every role she portrays has earned the appreciation of audiences over the years, a recognition that continues to grow today.
Moving forward, she is also set to appear in more movie projects such as Mojoku Hilang and Astro Shaw’s newly announced film HAK.
