Bay Lu Wa gets a hug in a scene from a recent film.

HE may not be as handsome as other big-screen stars, but for a funnyman, that hardly matters.

After years slogging it out with supporting roles and bit parts in Myanmar films, comedian Bay Lu Wa finally scored a hit with last year’s feature film Biluu (Ogre).

His lead role as a feisty, troublesome villager had audiences across the country laughing out loud. But for him, comedy is just a job like any other.

“I’m an ugly comedian and don’t have good looks like other actors,” he says. “So I don’t want to be called a star. I’m just an actor.”

That attitude shows through in Bay Lu Wa’s hard-working ethic. He said his big break came only after a long years of effort.

“Some people say my success comes from luck. That’s not true,” he says.
For 10 years he has been a minor force in the entertainment industry, lending his expressive face and comic timing to a variety of films and advertisements.
It wasn’t until director Mee Pwar offered him the lead role in Biluu that his big break came. But at first, Bay Lu Wa says, he hesitated to seize the opportunity.
“I was nervous about my performance as a lead, but I had faith that the director would use my talent in the right way,” he says.

For the Yangon native, who says he’s “around 40”, his newfound fame ended years of struggling in obscurity. With a wife and son to support, he says he had trouble making ends meet.

“As a comedian, it was rather difficult to get by on my income. But now I can enjoy the fruits of my efforts because of that film’s success,” he says.

His success in Biluu has led to a string of new gigs in films and TV advertisements, but no further lead roles yet.

Asked where his talent comes from, he says his sense of humour emerged at a young age when he found that people hung around to hear more of his wit when he was talking.

He found a mentor in Gandawin Maung Waing, a screenwriter-turned-director who taught him the trade. Bay Lu Wa started writing his own scripts, then switched over to acting 10 years ago. He has also dabbled in directing, shooting 10 videos.

He says one key to being a successful entertainer is lifelong education.
“I never waste my time and always keep reading,” he says. “Because of reading, I have a good grounding in moviemaking.”

Some others in the industry don’t share the same habit, he says.
“I find that some comedians don’t even know how to spell AIDS. The spell it AITS,” he says with a laugh. “It’s really awful.”

His love of reading has prompted him to take up writing. He’s already written a few short stories and says he’d like to make his living at it some day.

“For me, finding stories isn’t difficult because of my 20 years of experience in various careers,” he says.

For others in the entertainment industry who are waiting for a breakthrough, he advises patience.

“There’s no shortcut other than hard work,” he says. “You have to take it step by step.”