KUALA LUMPUR, June 18 — It’s been an eventful 2025 for Astro with a string of successful original series including cyber-thriller One Cent Thief Season 2 and the crime comedy First Wives. The momentum continues with a new original series, Honey Trap, set to premiere this Friday.
Directed by Imran Sheik, Honey Trap expands the KUDETA universe – Astro Originals’ acclaimed 2022 premium drama starring Vanidah Imran – and is being touted as Malaysia’s first espionage thriller series.
At its core, however, the show tackles deeper issues, including the complexities of mental health.
The story follows Surya, a skilled female spy who suffers from schizophrenia, as she embarks on a personal mission to dismantle a rebel group in the fictional city of Masraya. To succeed, she must recruit an asset who shares close ties with her enemies.
The inspiration for Honey Trap came from director Imran Sheik’s personal experiences caring for a family member living with schizophrenia.
“This project isn’t about sensationalising mental illness but rather fostering empathy for those living with such conditions.
“Despite the challenges, people with mental health conditions possess remarkable inner strength, something often overlooked,” he said.
The cast, producer, and director share their thoughts on Astro’s spy thriller series ‘Honey Trap’ at a news conference on June 17, 2025. — Photo by Yusof Mat Isa
Astro is no stranger to portraying mental health issues, having explored the theme in earlier titles such as Projek: Exit and the recent Keluang Man film.
The show’s associate producer and writer Syakir Zakii explained Astro’s ongoing commitment to these narratives.
“It is a universal thing experienced by nearly everyone around the world.
“Especially in the regions of Asia and South-east Asia, awareness isn’t as high as it is in the West.
“So the media is a powerful tool, and it can shape how the public perceives any topic – mental health or otherwise,” he said.
“It feels like a responsibility for us to address this topic and do our part for society.”
Honey Trap features a strong local cast, including Syarul Ezani, Ungku Ismail, Adlin Aman Ramlie, Siew Pui Yi, and professional wrestler Ayez Shaukat Fonseka Farid.
Taking the lead as Surya is Sarawak-born actress Nina KSC. She shared that the role came with unique challenges, including navigating the language barrier and portraying a character with a complex mental condition.
“One of them was my background in the Chinese entertainment industry, as I only began speaking Bahasa in the past two years.
“Then there was a scene we shot in the river, and yes, portraying a character that has schizophrenia,” she said.
“I’m really thankful because the whole production team was very supportive.
“We also had training sessions with actress and acting coach Susan Lankester and Ayez Shaukat, including fight scenes, so in terms of both acting and action, we all had the opportunity to improve,” she added.
Nina KSC stars as Surya in ‘Honey Trap’, marking her debut in a lead role. — Photo by Yusof Mat Isa
Actor Irfan Zaini, known for his breakout role in Blood Brothers: Bara Naga, takes on a very different role as Megat – a character far removed from his usual action fare.
“Initially, I had doubts, to be honest.
“I wasn’t confident because I’m playing someone 20 years older than me, and I was afraid I might not be convincing enough for the audience,” he said.
The support from the production team helped ease his concerns, particularly in mastering the character’s language and tone.
“I’m still pretty new when it comes to Malay production, so I was worried because Megat’s dialogue has many words in Bahasa and has very professional words because he is a leader.
“If I ever felt like I was going off-character, director Imran would help guide me back, along with Susan’s support,” he added.
As for why Malaysians should tune in, Irfan pointed to the show’s unique blend of complexity and clarity, and how familiar espionage tropes take on fresh meaning in a Malaysian context.
“If Malaysia has a spy team that is protecting the government, how would it feel like, and this is the experience you can have when watching Honey Trap,” he said.
The series spans eight episodes plus two specials, all of which will be available on Astro On Demand and sooka.
Catch Honey Trap – an espionage thriller with a beating human heart – when it premieres June 20.
