#SHOWBIZ: Mhia Firdaus finds strength in late father's memory while filming 'Sayang Sayang'

Actress Mhia Firdaus found a profound connection while filming her latest movie, Sayang Sayang. The underwater scenes evoked memories of her late father, Pitt Hanif, a filmmaker who tragically drowned in October 2019. Mhia, 20, reflected on her father's drowning, noting that her father had been on a boat when strong currents pulled him away from a friend he tried to save.

Pitt's body was found four days later with his hands resting on his chest, a position Mhia interpreted as him praying. The actress wondered how her father could have found the strength to surrender to God in his final moments while choosing to save a friend. Mhia admitted that while she was not with her father at the time of his death, his actions during the filming of Sayang Sayang gave her strength.

Her father's encouragement, "Dad knows you can do it. This is who you are, this is what you have worked for, and this is what we have taught you as a human being. This is your time," continues to motivate her. Though physically absent, Mhia feels her father's presence through the water and the sea. Sayang Sayang, a Malaysian-Taiwanese co-production, opens in cinemas today.