Myanmar Times : Profile - Myo Thandar Htun
U Tun Lin
March 25 - 31, 2002 ,
Volume 6, No.108
Profile : Myo Thandar Htun
Myo Thandar Htun won last year’s Myanmar Academy Award for Best
Actress for her role in Hnote Khan Htet Ka Dar Twar (‘The edge of the
sword on lips’ ) in which she was also the producer. Veteran actor U
Kyaw Hein recommended she audition for the role, at a time in her life
when she was experiencing personal upheaval of parallel circumstances
to that of the character she took on; raising her child on her own
after divorcing film director Maung Pyay Wa. Myo Theingi Cho spoke to
her about her award, and the Myanmar film industry.
What made you become an actress?
Enthusiasm; love of the job.
Your character and your life at the time of filming Hnote Khan Htet Ka
Dar Twar are very similar. Is this the reason you chose the role?
Not really. U Kyaw Hein chose the role for me and, just like in other
films I try to act as best I can, indifferent to my own life and its
problems. The other reason was that I do not want to act teenage roles
anymore, as I am getting older. Playing the middle-aged businesswoman
was more apt for me.
Why did you choose Kyi Phyu Shin as your director on the movie?
Kyaw Hein was the supervisor of cast and crew, and suggested Kyi Phyu
Shin because he advised me it would be better to choose a female
director. Because of what was happening with the divorce, it would
have been difficult to be seen with a male director at the time,
because of reasons of gossip. Kyaw Hein advised me that it would be
more appropriate to choose a female director as I, as producer, would
be spending a lot of time with them.
Did you think that your performance would win the award?
Not at all. All I had on my mind at the time was doing something
special, something challenging, and the fact that I wanted to produce
films. Of course, when the first stage nominations were announced and
Hnote Khan was included, I was so excited but I still didn’t think
that my name would come up later for Best Actress.
Some people say that Hnote Khan was just purely for entertainment,
using beautiful actors, rather than a good story and that’s why it won
awards.
Everybody has different perspectives. For myself, I enjoy presenting
audiences with material that I want. I think I was able to give young
women the message that wrong decisions made quickly can be disastrous.
(Myo Thandar Htun’s character got married and became pregnant to her
boyfriend without her parent’s consent.
Do you think the Myanmar film industry is for the thinking person or
only flimsy entertainment?
Well, it’s not wrong to say it is entertainment; movies are
entertainment. Some films are educational, and some are mixed. They
are not all light.
Would you like to see more demanding roles for women in the Myanmar
film industry?
Yes, definitely. But it depends on the demand from audiences. Years
ago such roles were around, but nowadays they are not so accepted. But
if this demand grows, such roles will be produced.
Many of your peers are upset about the discrimination between the
recognition given to male actors and that of their female
counterparts. Is it frustrating for you?
I put this opinion down to luck – whether these women get due
recognition or not. I am neither jealous nor sorry for either. My
intention is to act, and I will act whether the number of roles is
large or small, well-recognised or not.
How do you prepare for your roles?
When I acted in Tahnar (‘Craving’) I arrived on set without having
seen a script. This used to happen in the earlier days of Myanmar
film, but not so much these days only occasionally. I wore only a
little make-up, and received instructions on set and it seemed to be
okay. But mostly, I study the script and then I choose my costumes,
make-up (not all film sets will have wardrobe and make-up crew) and
character expression before going to the shoot. Sometimes I act with
on-the-spot ideas, and often I don’t feel I act very well even with
intense preparations. Sometimes I am in the mood, sometimes not. But I
try my best.
In your Academy Award acceptance speech you thanked Daw Hnin Zi, who
played your mother-in-law in Hnote Khan and Kyaw Hein. Why?
As I’ve said, Kyaw Hein was a great help and so was his wife Aunty Mie
Mie. Aunty Mie Mie was my wardrobe consultant. And without the help of
my co-star Daw Hnin Zi, I would never have been able to act as well as
I did.
What are you doing at present?
I am looking into continuing my producing efforts, and I am now
arranging some movies that I think the Myanmar audience will
appreciate. In the future I hope some of my works will be released
internationally.