CELEBRITY

The Sweet Smell of Possibilities With Eyka Farhana

By Pravin Nair

CELEBRITY

The Sweet Smell of Possibilities With Eyka Farhana

By Pravin Nair

It’s especially interesting to me that I’m able to swap lives momentarily and experience the lives of my characters.

Scent holds itself at a place of significance for Eyka Farhana. Her favourite bottle of perfume at the moment is Hibiscus Mahajad, a beautiful concoction coming from the house of Maison Crivelli. Standing around her or being by her side is intoxicating. For the last two months, she has been emitting a sweet, powdery-smelling floral musk allure while carrying out her day-to-day errands. From afar, you first get a burst of sweetness in scent, which eventually settles on a nice bed of floral musk clouds. The projection demands a presence, and the longevity carries on for days, even after you’ve tried your hardest to wash it away. Even in its loud, bold state, it remains hidden in subtleties. You have an idea of what it is, but you can never really understand the full image. If a colour was associated with this scent, it would be in the same shade of orange-red as the perfume. Eyka Farhana’s energy is the same, similar to that of her perfume of choice.

When I met her for the first time, not having seen any of her work or even really grasping her social media presence, my first question to her was, “Are you wearing Maison Crivelli?” Her eyes gleamed wide, twinkling, and with a picturesque smile, she nodded and said, “Yes. Do you know it?” I did, of course. A strong Extrait de Parfum sitting in an almost inconspicuous bottle with a silver cap. Everything about that moment explained what I needed to know about the starlet–she was understood, she was most definitely seen, but no one’s really gotten her figured out. Except for her family, of course. Seated right next to her was her younger sister, Dyba, who also happened to be Eyka’s assistant. In the case of a confusing question, she would re-explain things to make it easier for her sister to understand.

“How would you introduce yourself to someone who’s not familiar with your work?” I asked. The question was a ploy, of course. I needed to get to know her as quickly as possible to keep the conversation going. Not thinking much too of it, she answers me with a sense of familiarity, almost as though she’s been practising this her entire life. “I think I would start with a smile. It depends on the person I’m speaking to, but I would start with a smile and a handshake if the situation calls for it. I would introduce myself with my name and compliment them on their outfit or the perfume they’re wearing. A compliment goes a long way, and it’s a good way to start a conversation!” She sits down in conversation with me on an off day, a reprieve from her strict and busy working schedule. She tells me that she’s currently filming a television show. “It’s called Cikgu Diva. She teaches Bahasa Malaysia, and the title of the show could not be more accurate to the character I’m playing. I’ve never played the role of a teacher before, so this was fun,” she explains.

For the young starlet, acting was something that she found both comforting and compelling–a feeling that first bloomed into fruition when she began taking on much more serious acting roles. In the aughts of her career, when she was still a novice, she would unwittingly accept roles–an understandable anxiety many creatives face when first starting out. She was seventeen when she first began acting. At twenty-nine, mindfulness and intention come into play–the determining factor in choosing her roles. What interests her is the ability to step into different lives and explore the machinations of others’ realities. “When I’m in front of a camera, I get to step into a different life altogether. I never saw myself having a career in education, but this role that I’m currently in has been fun to do. It’s exciting to be able to act and explore my creative side, but it’s especially interesting to me that I’m able to swap lives momentarily and experience the lives of my characters.”

She explains her career choice, one that she made certain she was going to achieve way back in her primary school years. Her peers were interested in being doctors, lawyers, and engineers–jarring in comparison to her interests. When she mentioned that she wanted to become an actress, she was met with hesitation, her desire for the arts cast aside. But she persisted anyway. But like anyone walking the newfound path, she too met challenges. There were moments on the job that left her so spent and overwhelmed that she considered leaving the profession altogether. “My family is my support system. My mother, especially. She keeps me going, keeps me grounded, and motivates me to keep pursuing my career in acting.”

From her acting stint on the Indonesian version of Pretty Little Liars to acting in truly frightening horror movies, Farhana has since come a long way. “You know I scare easily. But on the set of that horror movie, I was truly in awe of the process that goes into making scary films. As for Pretty Little Liars, it was such an interesting role. I learned how to speak in Indonesian and assimilated myself into the local Balinese culture. I’ve visited Bali every year since the series wrapped,” she shares. For now, Farhana keeps herself busy–even on off days. I wonder if she’s a Sagittarius. I ask her sister to confirm this. “Nope! She’s an Aquarius woman!” I suppose these Air signs like to keep themselves occupied, too. There’s still so much more to learn about Eyka Farhana. Like her fear of the sea and still liking beaches. Or maybe, her secret love for cooking stellar Malay Kampung dishes. But for now, this is enough, all while remaining sweet and fragrant with possibilities.