THE Mawi mania started in the mid-noughties when he won Season Three of the reality talent show Akademi Fantasia (AF).

       Scroll through the newspaper headlines in August 2005 shortly after his triumph and you would find phrases such as “Mawi euphoria”, “the Mawi show”, “Mawi runaway winner” and “Clean sweep for Tsumawi”.

       In fact, an entertainment report in The Star back then pointed out that no one saw “the power of Mawi” coming.

       Mawi, whose real name is Asmawi Ani, was just 24 then.

       And now, if he could turn back the clock, Mawi said he would have been just as contented to be a “normal person”.

       Recalling his unexpected rise to stardom 16 years ago, Mawi said he was under tremendous pressure as his life was never the same after winning the competition.

       No regrets: The aspiring film director says he learnt much about the entertainment world. — Pix from @cahayaasmawi Instagram

       “There was no longer privacy as everything must be shared with the fans.

       “I prayed every night to turn back time. I was scared of that life, feared that I would lose myself. I would rather live normally. I would rather live the kampung life,” said Mawi, who hails from Felda Taib Andak in Kulai, Johor.

       All the fame and “glamour”, he recounted, were alien to him then.

       In an interview with mStar, The Star’s Malay portal, Mawi, who has a nine-year-daughter with actress Ekin Rahmat whom he married in 2008, was candid about the pressure that came with fame.

       Nicknamed “Raja SMS” during the AF phenomenon that swept the country, he said: “People might think that my life back then was fun – plenty of jobs, photo shoots, adoring fans and frequent TV appearances. But that is only what the public saw.”

       “In truth, I really could not manage the stress and the pressure,” said Mawi, 40.

       After about four years, he gradually got better at it.

       “I could adapt,” he said. “I saw all of that as a memory and experience. I learnt a lot about the entertainment world.”

       And he has no regrets venturing into show business.

       Mawi, known for the hit song Kalah Dalam Menang, among others, said success cannot be achieved without effort.

       “My principle is simple. We have to work hard. We must know our goals and plan to achieve them.

       “Don’t do it blindly and get swept away by the fame. Seek knowledge and never stop learning,” said Mawi, who has been a radio presenter since 2017.

       Mawi, who has also begun directing movies, said he was touched that his fan club – Sahabat Dunia Mawi – formerly known as Mawi FC, had always been supportive of him through his ups and downs in the past 16 years.

       “And I am always grateful to have received good coverage from the media as well.

       “I cried when I saw my face on the front page of newspapers, including The Star,” he said.

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