Aziz Mirzan Murad, also known as 'Jit', was a multifaceted Malaysian individual who left an indelible mark in the realms of acting, writing, playwrighting, and theatre activism.
Born on 17 January 1960, Aziz was the eldest son of Murad bin Mohamed Noor, the former Director-General of Education of Malaysia. He was educated at Victoria Institution in the 1970s, before pursuing higher education in the United States, where he studied sociology and urban planning in Chicago, and later obtained a master's degree in 20th Century Art History from San Francisco.
Upon his return to Malaysia, Aziz co-founded the Instant Cafe Theatre Company in December 1989, which gained popularity for its thought-provoking social and political satire. His first play, Gold Rain and Hailstones, was staged in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Singapore in 1992.
In 1993, Aziz played a pivotal role in establishing Dramalab, an arm of ICT dedicated to nurturing new writing talent. His acting debut was in Mat Gelap (1990),directed by Zarul Albakri, and he later made his Hollywood feature debut in Beyond Rangoon (1995),a drama film directed by John Boorman.
Throughout his illustrious career, Aziz penned numerous notable works, including Storyteller (1996),Visits (2002),and Spilt Gravy On Rice (2002),which won four awards at the inaugural Cameronian Arts Award in 2003. He was also an accomplished standup comedian and scriptwriter.
Aziz passed away on 12 February 2022, at the age of 62, due to cardiac arrest, in his home in Kuala Lumpur. He was laid to rest at the Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery in Kuala Lumpur.
