Already drawing in the hearts and minds of Kapamilya viewers, Ejay Falcon skillfully portrays the character of SPO1 Usman Sabdani, an individual heavily conflicted with the dilemma involving his identity as a Maranao Muslim and his duties as a police officer in the National Law Enforcement Agency (NLEA).
The dilemma originates from the ongoing false speculations of Datu Rahman’s (Jaime Fabregas) involvement in gun-smuggling operations all over the country, causing doubts towards a fellow Muslim like Usman for allegedly supporting the destructive acts of his people.
In this exclusive interview, Ejay reacted and readily elaborated on his experience which depicted Usman’s multilayered characterization, hoping that viewers would better understand the pivotal messages written into his character that together contribute to the entirety of “Blood vs Duty.”
When asked about the particular scenes in the show that strengthened his appreciation for Usman, Ejay undoubtedly chose the high-pressure moment when Datu Rahman escaped from Usman’s supervision amid his transfer to another facility. “Kasi ang bigat-bigat sa loob ni Usman… Ako ‘yung sinisisi ng mga kapwa ko pulis [kasi] feeling nila sinadya ko [na pakawalan] ‘yung kapatid ko [or fellow] na Muslim,” Ejay explained.
WATCH: Jalil, naitakas si Datu Rahman sa gitna ng kaguluhan | Blopd vs Duty
Frustrations associated with the discrimination against Usman are also inevitable to address for the actor. In particular episodes, Ejay felt the hurt for his character more profoundly whenever Usman’s outstanding performance was drowned out by prejudice imposed even by his colleagues. “May ganun pala na ‘pag Muslim, may mga hindi nagiging priority… [Tulad ni] Usman [na] SPO1 pa rin kahit ang galing niya,” Ejay added.
Ejay also looked at Usman’s troubling circumstance in a constructive way, saying that this would definitely propel him even further to evolve into a stronger person. “At the same time nagbibigay [ito] sa kanya ng lakas. Nacha-challenge siya at andami niyang gustong patunayan [para] sa sarili niya,” he mused.
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As a way to ensure that viewers connect with Usman more strongly, Ejay encouraged them to focus on the unwavering sincerity of Usman to both his religion and profession as well as his complexity. “Siya ‘yung taong hindi masalita pero ramdam na ramdam mo ‘yung sinseridad… Sana maintindihan n’yo ‘yung conflict na nangyayari sa sarili niya… Na hindi lang basta siya pulis at Muslim,” he stated.
Make sure to check out Ejay Falcon’s impressive depiction of Usman Sabdani’s dilemma in “Blood vs Duty,” streaming on iWant and airing weeknights at 8 PM on ABS-CBN sa ALLTV2, A2Z, Kapamilya Channel, and Kapamilya Online Live (KOL).