Do Duc Thinh on the set of the upcoming reality show Hanh trinh ket noi nhung trai tim (Journey where hearts connect)

After taking the theater world by storm, Do Duc Thinh is trying to make his mark on both sides of the TV camera.

Do Duc Thinh first became known for leaving his audience in stitches as a comedic actor on the stage.

After winning acclaim for his many humorous roles, Thinh then went on to become Ho Chi Minh City’s leading stage director of serious dramas and love stories.

“Love is the area I feel most confident about. Comedies and horror plays are the most popular genres now, but I have no reason to imitate them. We can’t succeed if we do something we don’t like or aren’t good at.”

He says his plays don’t offer morals and instead “simply reflect everyday life and human bonds.”

First changes

Thinh graduated as an actor from the Ho Chi Minh City College of Theater and Cinema in 1997, but couldn’t find work at any local theater for three years.

In 2000, he and Thai Hoa and Khoa Nam – now a director-actor and director respectively – formed a comedy group that became popular and has since played all over southern Vietnam.

He said the group provided him with invaluable early experience that he has since incorporated into his later work.

“I observed the audience every night and sharpened my artistic sensitivity and flair. It’s all really helpful to me now as a director.”

After a series of hit roles as an actor, he directed his first play in 2004.

But it wasn’t until he made Em va ngoi sao (You and the star) in 2005 that he came to full prominence.

The play revolves around Son, a scheming, selfish pop star who is wildly idolized by his fans and his younger brother, Binh, an honest, kind-hearted young man.

Binh takes responsibility for a fatal accident that his brother caused and is sent to prison.

When he is released from prison, he is shocked to find out that his brother has wooed his girlfriend Thuy.

When the truth is revealed, Son loses his fans and Thuy’s love and spends the rest of his life in remorse.

“The play contains my own life experiences and reflections. The ‘star’ in the play was the image of myself at that time. I was selfish and loved no one else except myself back then,” Thinh said.

He then directed and starred in Canh dong gio (The windy field), which received high critical acclaim in 2006.

The play explores the psyches of several people living in the poor rural countryside.

Soul searching

Thinh hasn’t staged any plays this year, saying that he has yet to read an inspiring script and doesn’t want to let his audiences down with shoddy work.

“A director shouldn’t be afraid of being forgotten by not appearing often. Directors that replay the same old themes and lack originality and creativity will be the ones who are easily forgotten,” he said.

But Thinh’s also been busy.

His skilful portrayal of a clumsy womanizer has struck a chord with audiences across the country in the hit TV series Co gai xau xi (The ugly girl), based on the show “Ugly Betty” which first appeared in Columbia and then in the US.

After a taste of TV, the 33-yearold now aspires to become a TV and film director.

Thinh is currently directing the reality series Hanh trinh ket noi nhung trai tim (Journey where hearts connect), based on the Japanese show “The Love Bus,” which will air on HCMC Television’s HTV7 Channel early next month.

The show features young men and women who want to find their true loves.

The youths and the crew travel on pink buses across the country filming their adventures as the characters look for love.

Those who find partners will leave the bus and give up their spot for a new player.

“The difficulty is that this is a reality show, and everything doesn’t follow the script. I talk to the players and read their diaries at the end of the day to figure out what may happen the next day,” Thinh said.

“It’s quite different from theater directing,” he said, adding that the show might provide him with interesting material for a new play.

Reported by Diem Thu