Mystery 6, or M6, is Kuala Lumpur’s very own group of intrepid youngsters living out our childhood fantasy of playing detectives and solving crimes in a local television series.
AS A child, you would have probably fantasised about belonging to a group of superheroes, crime-fighters, do-gooders who had special skills and talents, and went on exciting adventures all the time. Long before Heroes, our imagination was fed by the likes of Enid Blyton’s Secret Seven and Famous Five, and Alfred Hitchcock’s Three Investigators.
Perhaps you’d imagined doing spectacular things that caught everyone’s attention, but no one would know your identity.
Somewhat reliving this very childhood dream are six youths in a new television series called Mystery 6 (think Enid Blyton’s Famous Five plus one, all human) who find themselves caught up in exciting adventures every time they come together.
An abandoned mansion in a fictitious dwelling called CyberTown (no prizes for guessing where it was filmed) is where the six accidental friends gather to hang out.
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Non-caped crusaders: The cast of Mystery 6(from left): Razif Hashim, Inessa Irdawaty, Lisa Surihani, Branavan Aruljothi and Ryan
Lee Bhaskaran with director Na’a Murad and guest star Joanna Bessey. Usamah Rõhner is not in the picture. |
After several adventures, a blog about their experiences appears on the Internet; only no one in the township knows who is behind the entries.
Typically, every episode involves our heroes stumbling upon an adventure that throws them into playing detectives.
In one episode, a lecturer at their college starts receiving threatening letters and the team take it upon themselves to find out who is behind it.
In another, some very sought after satellite technology needs to be recovered. The six, aided by guest star Joanna Bessey or Marina X, set out to locate the all-important microchips.
The show’s creator, actor/writer/director Na’a Murad, thinks this is a show that everyone will enjoy, from teenagers to adults.
“Almost every episode has a lesson, and all the kids are outcasts with something special about them. At the end of the day, the friendship allows them to become more than they thought they could, as a group. Together they find companionship,” says Na’a. Mystery 6 (or M6 for short) is set in modern day Malaysia, and incorporates many everyday elements into the lives of the six characters – there are video games, blogs, computers, and all the other bits and pieces that make up regular urban living.
M6 is “very KL”, according to Na’a, and what will appeal to the public are the diverse characters in the show.
Getting into the act
Playing the six adolescent outcasts are young actors not unknown to the stage, silver screen and television.
Razif Hashim, Inessa Irdawaty, Ryan Lee Bhaskaran, Lisa Surihani, Usamah Rõhner and Branavan Aruljothi make up the main cast.
For nine months last year, these now best of friends spent almost every weekend and public holiday together doing script readings, rehearsals and filming.
It was hardest for Inessa Irdawaty, who is 17 and still in school.
“It was hectic – I’d come home on Friday, do my laundry and I’d have to iron my clothes for school on Monday as well as the ones I’d wear during filming,” says Irdawaty, who says she has no regrets about doing the show, but adds half-jokingly that she might not do it again.
Getting into character wasn’t particularly difficult, except for the scientific terms she has to memorise.
“I play a science geek with an eccentric older brother who’s an even bigger science geek. Being an arts student, I wasn’t used to the terms Zai (her character) uses in her everyday conversations,” she says.
Playing her older brother is Razif Hashim, a rising star who has acted in Goodbye Boys, Gol & Gincu the TV series and most recently Jeff’s Place.
“He’s a super robo-nerd who wears baggy clothes (because they’ll fit forever), thick glasses and has gelled hair,” says the 23-year-old, adding that the biggest challenge was maintaining Omar’s squeaky, high-pitched voice.
Like Irdawaty, he had to memorise scientific terms and sound convincing when he said his lines.
“I made it my homework to watch science-based shows like C.S.I.,” he says.
Branavan Aruljothi, who plays the actor Ganesan (or affectionately Gan), talks about the storyline and writing.
‘‘It’s a deep story with many layers – the writing is just so ... smart. It’s not something that’s been done much before on Malaysian television,” says the 19-year-old Mass Communications student.
Coursemate Ryan Lee Bhaskaran who is a skater dude on the show, nods in agreement.
“It’s witty. Something that isn’t just for kids and the jokes are very ... interesting,” he says. Bhaskaran’s character skateboards, something he himself didn’t do much of, until he was on the show.
“I had basic skateboard knowledge, so that helped.
“One exciting thing about the show is there’s a cool chase scene on skateboards in the pilot,” says Bhaskaran.
Would they watch the show if they weren’t in it?
Law student by day Lisa Surihani, who plays Zen girl Suraya, wants people to give the show a chance and form their own opinion on it.
“I think it’s different from all the rest of the shows on television, something that people will find refreshing and new,” says the 20-year-old.
Currently shooting on location in Indonesia is model/actor/host Usamah Rõhner, 28, who plays the sixth character, Fred.
Rõhner is not unfamiliar to Malaysian stage and television, having most recently performed in M! The Opera.
On M6, he plays a rich kid who tries too hard to fit in; his head in the clouds most of the time.
Appearing regularly as a “freelance agent” is Joanna Bessey, who describes the show as having a “fun feel” to it.
“The character development is interesting. I think it will appeal to young adults, as the main cast are all young people,” she comments.
Adventure, mystery, fun and games – ask any kid (or kid at heart) and they’ll tell you these are things that make life worth living for.
Mystery 6 airs over RTM2 on Sundays at 4.30pm.