Ayushita Nugraha has found success and satisfaction in both the acting and music worlds, and she says she is determined to continue immersing herself in both. (Photo courtesy of Ayushita Nugraha)
The emcee enlivens the audience and keeps them fixated on the jewelry collection in an auction at the Namaaz fine dining restaurant in South Jakarta’s Senopati area. She deftly highlights the pieces’ aesthetic qualities and spiritual energy, an element made tangible by the various motifs of the chakras that represent the individual’s well-being. Most emcees would only skim the surface and not take on the intricacies and complexities of the designs. But this one, Indonesian actress and singer Ayushita Nugraha, is at ease taking them on. For the 24-year-old, the gig epitomizes how all the world is a stage that she’s deftly a part of.
Starting out in show business
“I’ve been working in show business since I was 3 years old, when I was featured on the cover of Ayah Bunda [Father and Mother] Magazine. Even then, my parents noted that I was at ease and happy on set,” Ayushita says. “But then again, when you’re little the job is more of a hobby.”
TV appearances followed not long after, and she was featured in commercials for instant noodles and pharmaceutical products. But it wasn’t until middle school that she tried her hand in acting.
“I was inspired to try acting after I saw the movie ‘Petualangan Sherina’ [‘Sherina’s Adventure’] in 2000. I was raised on Disney cartoons, so this movie expanded my outlook, as it showed me how much potential there was in live-action movies,” Ayushita says. “It also showed me that a career in acting was quite viable, as Indonesian filmmakers were capable of quality films.”
It didn’t take long for Ayushita to get back into the limelight, courtesy of the folks who made “Petualangan Sherina.”
“I went to a casting call in 2002 by Miles Productions, the production house of local filmmaker Mira Lesmana. They were looking for people for their TV movie ‘Bekisar Merah’ [‘Red Hen’], and I got the part. It was a pretty tall order, because it wasn’t just my movie debut, it was also for the female lead,” Ayushita recalls of the film, based on novelist Ahmad Tohari’s tragic love story. “I was part of an ensemble cast that featured Ria Irawan, Cornelia Agatha and Enno Lerian. Working with them was an unforgettable experience, as was the thorough, serious approach that marked the film and my role in it.”
Ayushita did more than hold her own. Her turn in “Bekisar Merah” earned her the award for best newcomer at the Festival Film Indonesia, or FFI, the local equivalent of the Emmy Awards, as well as a nomination for best actress.
Developing acting skills
Since then, Ayushita has gone on to higher-profile and more commercial projects, including 2005’s “Me vs High Heels,” which followed a tomboy hiding a painful secret, and “Bukan Bintang Biasa” (“No Ordinary Star”), a film and recording project two years later. The musical “Langit Biru” (“Blue Skies”) followed in 2011, following a four-year hiatus to finish high school and attend the London School of Public Relations to major in film and performing arts. However, this relatively slow period was still a constructive one.
Ayushita starred in the 2008 soap opera “Zahra” and contributed to the soundtrack of the movie “Ketika Cinta Bertasbih” (“Prayer Beads of Love”) a year later. She also honed her acting skills, notably at actor Slamet Raharjo’s Teater Populer troupe.
That time was invaluable in preparing her for her most challenging role to date, in 2013’s “What They Don’t Talk About When They Talk About Love.” A commercial success and critically acclaimed love story between a blind girl and a deaf man, the movie broke new ground by becoming the first Indonesian film to be featured at the Sundance Film Festival. Playing alongside arthouse heartthrob Nicholas Saputra, Ayushita explains that her role as Fitri, whose blindness proved no bar in reaching out to and falling in love with Nicholas’s deaf character, Edo, opened her eyes to the challenges faced by her character.
“The preparations for my role included learning Braille and spending over three months at a school and dormitory for the blind to observe them firsthand. Like many people, my first impulse was to pity them because of their limitations,” she says.
“But I grew to respect their determination and independence, as well as their resourcefulness and ability to transcend their limitations by improving other senses,” Ayushita adds.
“My turn as Fitri also epitomizes the approach I take with my roles. I try to know her and other characters I’ve played in the past, just like one would get to know another person. But while others might just make their acquaintanceship, I have to go further and be the person. What makes acting unique is that a character’s interpretation differs from one person to another. The character is also a parable for life, in that they can highlight what makes us similar and different as individuals. Playing different roles also makes me receptive to playing various characters, learning new things, and embracing new possibilities.”
Crossing over to music
Aside from movies, Ayushita has also made a name for herself as a recording artist. Like her acting career, she started out with small steps, namely by performing at school shows. Since then, she jointly recorded the album for “Bukan Bintang Biasa” with fellow actor Raffi Ahmad and the brains behind the project, Indonesian singer-songwriter Melly Goeslaw. She also recorded the single “Tuhan Beri Aku Cinta” (“God Give Me Love”) for the soundtrack of the movie “Ketika Cinta Bertasbih,” alongside Melly and Indonesian diva Kris Dayanti, among others.
Not content to rest on her laurels, Ayushita took her music career a step further by recording her first solo album “Morning Sugar.”
“I released ‘Morning Sugar’ in 2013, following a concept that I worked out with my older siblings and ‘White Shoes and the Couples Company’ bassist Richard Virgana. We opted for the indie pop genre, as it features a distinctive sound,” Ayushita says of the album, which she also executive produced. “The sound is also influenced by input from American recording executive Jim Powers, as well as other musicians like former Sore Band keyboardist Ramondo Gascaro and Indra Pradana. The process of making the album was akin to that of movies, as we had to find the common ground that would tie the songs together, despite the different sounds of the various songwriters behind the album.”
Featuring singles like “Fufu Fafa” and the eponymous “Morning Sugar,” the songs are highlighted by a salsa-like sound that is as fast-paced as it is eclectic. Ayushita adds that making music and making movies might have different challenges, but they are all similar in the way that they all highlight the performance arts.
For now, Ayushita says she intends to re-engineer “Morning Sugar” and release it to a wider market. She also recently wrapped up filming the comedy “Gila Jiwa” (“Crazy Soul”). The movie, which marks comedian Aming’s directorial debut, is set to be released later this year. But whichever field Ayushita opts to move in, it’s not too much to say that the sky seems to be the limit for this rising star.
By Tunggul Wirajuda on 12:01 pm Jun 16, 2014
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