THE real-life drama has finally ended, after a four-year run.

And the two lead women in this much publicised catfight are Malaysian, actress Nur Fazura Sharifuddin and socialite Geraldine Mariana Wong.

Nur Fazura was accused of hitting the other woman but her constant refrain was that she did it in self-defence.

For the last four years, the 25-year-old Malaysian actress has been in and out of court over charges that she had voluntarily hurt Ms Wong.

She was accused of hitting the housewife, then 32, with her high-heeled shoe in December 2004 in a nightclub.

Ms Wong is the ex-wife of a Malaysian minister's son.

Last week, the Kuala Lumpur Magistrates Court acquitted Fazura of all charges.

In an interview with The New Paper on Friday, the actress said she had never denied hitting Ms Wong.

But she insisted she had been the victim first and she was only trying to defend herself.

'It was never my intention to hurt her. I was provoked and I hit her in self-defence,' she said.

The fight between her and Ms Wong erupted over Ms Wong's ex-boyfriend, Mr Ahmad Razman Ahmad Razali.

Like her ex-husband, this man also happens to be the son of a politician, a former Selangor chief minister.

During the court proceedings, Fazura disclosed that at the time of the incident, she had been seeing Mr Ahmad for four months.

Both women happened to cross paths at the Luna Bar at the Pacific Regency Hotel and Apartments in Kuala Lumpur.

In court, Fazura claimed that Ms Wong was drunk and trying to seduce Mr Ahmad.

When Fazura confronted her, the two exchanged some harsh words.

Fazura said she had been dancing and had taken off her shoes - a pair of gold and silver stilettos.

But as she was about to leave, she said Ms Wong suddenly pulled her hair and tore her black dress.

She said: 'At that moment it felt like my hair was being ripped out.

'I hit back out of instinct to protect myself.'

Ms Wong claimed she suffered a blood clot in her left eye.

She made a police report about the incident.

Fazura also made a police report claiming that Ms Wong made a death threat.

The court case ended up dragging on for almost four years, Fazura said, because of the numerous adjournments and delays, such as days when the prosecution did not show up or.

'There was a point where I really thought it was never going to end.

'Every night I would go to bed wanting it to end soon,' she said.

To make matters worse, the incident left her reputation in shreds and emotionally drained her.

RELIEVED: Fazura outside the court after the judge acquitted her of charges of assault.

Bad reputation

She said that it affected her career especially with the media attention on her case.

A celebrity catfight in a bar cannot fail to grab public attention and the case was chronicled in Malaysian newspapers.

And Fazura was often shown as a wild party girl.

She said she decided to lie low for a while and as a result her star dimmed.

When she was charged, the Pahang-born model-turned-actress and former MTV host was a rising star.

Fazura made a winning debut in 2004 after her maiden role in the film Bicara Hati (The Heart Decides) won for her the Most Promising Actress Award at the 17th Malaysia Film Festival.

She found popularity playing Putri in the 2005 film Gol & Gincu (Lipsticks and Goalposts) - about futsal-playing young women - that spun off into the popular television series.

She was also hosting MTV Asia's show Boom showcasing bands from Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia until last year when she left to concentrate on her acting career.

Fazura is probably best known among Singaporeans as Asian Idol Hady Mirza's ex-girlfriend. Their one-year relationship hit the limelight last year.

While both initially denied they were dating, they came clean after their break-up last year.

Fazura said she is thankful she had an army of supporters throughout the courtroom saga.

Gol & Gincu's co-producer, Ms Lina Tan of production company Red Films, told a Malaysian entertainment magazine, StarMag, that because of who Fazura is, the industry tends to judge her more harshly.

She said: 'The thing in this industry is, when you are female, young and beautiful, people judge you more.

'People look at her, she is gorgeous and beautiful, and so people just assume she will also be arrogant. But when you get to know her, she is warm, smart and funny.'

Supportive fans

Fazura said her Singapore fans had been very supportive, sending encouraging messages on Facebook.

She said: 'I just want to tell all of them: 'Thank you and I am back'.'

With the last few years living under constant scrutiny, Fazura said it was a huge sense of relief when the verdict was finally handed down last Monday.

She said: 'I was really trying to control myself. But I couldn't. I broke down and cried like a baby.

'I couldn't believe this day finally came, and especially during Ramadan and before my birthday.

'When I woke up the next day I thought I was still dreaming that it was over.'

Some people have also been asking if she intends to pursue a fresh civil case against Ms Wong for the emotional distress caused.

She said: 'I have no plans to do that for the moment. People have come up to me and said I should.

'But I want to calm myself first and start a new chapter.'

Fazura is currently working on several films, one with Aaron Aziz and Maya Karin and another with her Gol & Gincu co-stars Sharifah Amani and Pierre Andre.

And she is bracing herself for jokes about her footwear.

She said: 'I had someone ask me the other day if I was wearing heels or flats. I am prepared for that.

'I don't think I will live it down so I just have to laugh about it.'

This article was first published in The New Paper on Sep 29, 2008.