Mathias tries to be efficient

Sat, 01/10/2009 10:19 AM | People

JAKARTA: Actor Mathias Muchus is trying to be more efficient in everything he does, including his work as an actor, because of his age.

"I'm introspecting myself and trying to be more efficient in everything I do because no one can avoid that the more they grow old, the more they lose their capability," 51-year-old Mathias, who was born in Pagaralam, South Sumatra, told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Giving the example of the film industry, he said that no one can make their ideal film anymore, because meeting the bottom line has become the primary concern.

"In the eighties and nineties, we didn't have much competition so we concentrated on making good work. But now, no one can produce anything without looking at the business side of things," he said.

"It's not easy to mature in the industry, after we were washed away by the invasion of foreign products in the 1990s. The new generation of our film workers are just in the early stages."

Mathias gained popularity for his role as Tarjo in one of the country's first generation soap operas, Losmen, in the 1980s. He was named best actor at the 1998 Indonesian Film Festival for his role in Istana Kecantikan (Beauty Palace). -- JP/Matheos V.Messakh