CONTROVERSIAL celebrities Aliff Aziz and Ruhainies Zainul Ilyas, who were caught for khalwat last March, finally have their much-anticipated drama series out on iQIYI.
Singaporean singer-actor Aliff and Penang-born actress Ruhainies play Faliq and Nadia respectively, in this gripping drama about two spouses whose lives are endangered as a result of the gambling habits of their partners.
'Terjerat' which means "trapped" in Malay is directed by Azmi Hatta and began screening on the video streaming service on June 21.
The original series has been the "talk of town" since the duo's controversy on March 9, as both of them were filming it when they were nabbed by the authorities.
Screened four days after Hari Raya Aidiladha, 'Terjerat' also stars popular actor Fendy Bakry. He was last seen in the drama series 'Mr Grey' and the late Mamat Khalid's comedy drama 'Amir Dan Loqman Pergi Ke Laut'.
Azmi said his series promised "lots of excitement, suspense and emotion".
"It's a combination of melodrama, thriller and romance, which is what many viewers enjoy," he said.
"And better still, it is a cautionary tale which highlights red flags that women need to realise when dealing with men."
Azmi described Aliff, Ruhainies and Fendy as a "hard-working team" who went the extra mile to make their characters realistic.
"I have worked with the three of them in different projects before this. I know their abilities and am confident that they will go far."
Azmi added that Aliff, Ruhainies and Fendy discussed their character developments with him from time to time and he greatly valued their inputs.
He described Ruhainies as a versatile actress who worked well with both Aliff and Fendy.
"Ruhainies is very talented and focused, and has great chemistry with Aliff.
"In addition, Aliff and Fendy helped each other a lot in each scene of the drama," said Azmi, adding that the show had lots of conflicts and issues affecting modern married couples.
Azmi said viewers ought to refrain from being sceptical or judgmental about the series merely because of what transpired between Aliff and Ruhainies off-screen.
"This drama highlights human weaknesses with honesty. It also challenges viewers to look at the bigger picture.
"They should watch each episode to find out what is actually happening, for things are not what they seem."
Aliff said he enjoyed playing Faliq and was grateful to iQIYI and Azmi for their faith in him.
"This is a very interesting story, and I can strongly identify with my character.
"There are many important messages found throughout the story that viewers can learn from and appreciate."
Aliff added that his character was a man whose marriage underwent lots of ups and downs, and culminated in his getting kidnapped.
"'Terjerat' has a great plot twist. I love unpredictable stories, and so do many viewers.
"I am confident 'Terjerat' will be well-received by Malaysian fans of action thrillers."
Fendy said his character Izham was a habitual gambler who wanted to "get rich quick".
"Izham believes in an easy life without sacrifice, and this leads to him becoming addicted to games of chance.
"As a result, he puts his wife in danger," said Fendy.
"'Terjerat' is a great eye-opener for all of us, that highlights the social evil that is gambling.
"Nobody will be safe if he or she wants to get rich quick."
Ruhainies said her character Nadia was a "realistic victim" of her husband's bad habits, and she admired the character's determination to help Izham get rid of his gambling addiction.
"Gambling is a serious social phenomenon that can lead to many more crimes such as kidnapping and violence," said Ruhainies.
'Terjerat', which streams at 9pm every Friday and Saturday on iQIYI for 12 episodes tells the story of Nadia and Faliq, who are kidnapped for a week by loan sharks as a result of their spouses' inability to pay their gambling debts.
Throughout their captivity, Nadia and Faliq develop a close bond, offering each other support to help their respective spouses overcome gambling addiction.
Izham is not only a gambler but a womaniser, and has an illicit affair with Nadia's younger sister Anis played by Jaja Iliyas.