Arifin Putra

Putra Arifin Scheunemann (born 1 May 1987),^[1][2] known professionally as Arifin Putra,^[1] is a German-born Indonesian actor. His international recognition is largely attributed to his role in the Indonesian action film The Raid 2: Berandal, which was released in the United States and other major markets around the world. He also starred in the 2009 Indonesian horror film, Rumah Dara (released internationally as Macabre).

Early life[]

Arifin was born on May 1, 1987, in Mainz, Germany.^[1][2]

Acting career[]

Although he initially did not intend to pursue a career in the entertainment industry, Arifin showed interest in acting from an early age, often reenacting scenes from films he saw on television at home for his family.^[3]

In 2000, Arifin tagged along with his sister to a television commercial shoot and was offered to be an extra, which he accepted on this occasion. At the end of the shoot, Arifin found himself motivated by the fact that he could earn a bit of extra pocket money while having fun. In the same year, he was a finalist in a cover boy competition hosted by a popular Indonesian teen magazine.

Arifin was also in the running for MTV Indonesia’s VJ Hunt in 2003. Despite being unsuccessful in that particular competition, one thing led to another for Arifin, and so began his acting career.

Television (2000 – 2007)[]

After landing his first major television role as a nerdy high school student on the national TV series "Kisah Kasih di Sekolah" (lit. High School Love Story) in 2004, Arifin was catapulted into fame. Weekends were dedicated to promoting the series in different parts of the country, and he soon became an instantly recognizable face. He has described this initial exposure to fame as “surreal and flattering, but very odd”. Deciding that he could pursue this as a career, Arifin enrolled at notable local acting school Sakti Aktor Studio to receive formal training. He juggled a rigorous schedule of school, shooting and refining his acting skills for one-and-a-half years.

Film (2008 – present)[]

His first film in 2008 was Lost in Love, the sequel to teen romance flick (2003). In Lost in Love, his character was required to speak in French, English and Indonesian interchangeably.

His first antagonist role as Adam, a psychopathic cold-blooded cannibal in Macabre (2009), was a departure from the characters he portrayed in previous works. Arifin's performance in the thriller caught the attention of moviegoers and film critics alike, and earned him a number of nominations and awards including Best Supporting Actor from KUFI Film Awards.

In short, Arifin could be summed up as a highly curious individual. This is apparent in his deliberate choice of film roles. He is particularly drawn to roles that challenge his comfort zone, as first seen in Macabre and subsequently in Berandal.

In Berandal, Arifin portrays the son of Jakarta's most notorious mob boss who is engulfed in his ambitions. He was first offered the part in 2009, but production of the film was delayed until 2012 due to financial issues. He endured three months of intense training in preparation for the physically demanding role and combed through various mafia movies to gain a deep understanding of his character in the film.

Picking up from the success of Berandal, Arifin is concentrating on film from here on out. His next big project, Supernova: Ksatria, Putri dan Bintang Jatuh premiered in December 2014. The film adaptation of Dewi ‘Dee’ Lestari’s bestselling novel of the same title is based on the first installation of the Supernova series.

Filmography[]

Accolades[]

References[]