{
  "id": 2238744,
  "title": "Irfan Zaini recalls drought before hitting the big time",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/irfan-zaini-recalls-drought-before-hitting-the-big-time",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-20T22:10:15.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/groove/2026/08/1515637/irfan-zaini-recalls-drought-hitting-big-time"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Actor Irfan Zaini, whose real name is Muhammad Irfan Mohamed Zaini, recently shared his journey from struggling to find work to achieving stardom. The 31-year-old, born in Kuala Lumpur, recounted a period where he went an entire year without any acting opportunities. He admitted to attending countless auditions only to be rejected repeatedly, a time when he questioned when his big break would come. This introspection was triggered by a supportive message from a fan who noticed several of his films in cinemas at the same time. This fan comment made Irfan pause and reflect on his journey, realizing how much he had accomplished despite the challenges. He emphasized how busy he had been chasing success that he had forgotten to appreciate how far he had already come. The actor expressed deep gratitude for the constant support from his audience, promising to keep pushing forward and creating more. Irfan's career is currently thriving, with recent projects including the Malaysian Tamil crime thriller \"Irumbuth Thottam\", the Kollywood blockbuster \"Jana Nayagan\", and next month's lead role in the sports biopic \"Terbang\".",
  "summary": "Your browser does not support the audio element.",
  "key_points": [
    "Irfan Zaini struggled for a year without acting roles.",
    "Fan's comment prompted reflection on his journey.",
    "Irfan grateful for audience support, continues creating."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}