Far from a horror-filled experience

Far from a horror-filled experience

By Shanaz Ramzi  (published in Dawn Images last Sunday)

  

   Attending a press conference held in Dubai for the film ‘Creature 3D’ starring no other than our very own Imran Abbas opposite the sultry Bipasha Basu, for which HUM Network is the Pakistani media partner, I couldn’t help but feel proud at being a Pakistani. For the first time, I was actually witnessing a home-grown star that could sit next to a Bollywood established actor, and not only manage to hold his own, but even steal the show!

   For what transpired at the press conference, which began two hours after its scheduled time and had more star-struck fans wishing to take pictures with the duo than journalists present, was an impressive display of confidence, showmanship and genuineness on the part of the debutant film actor, Abbas.

   The conference started with a short promo of the film and comments from Bipasha Basu, Bhushan Kumar (music and film producer) and Imran Abbas on their experiences of being part in a 3D horror movie. Replying to a query on why she was taking up horror films which still don’t have a sizable audience in our part of the world, Basu responded “Well, supernatural and horror is a genre that is a multi-million dollar industry world-wide, particularly for Hollywood films.  Admittedly, in India it is a relatively new genre but for that very reason it is also very exciting, because it means you are doing something different, and if it is lucrative, then why not? Also, I felt this genre could be explored in many ways. It offers a lot of scope to actors, so it’s a win-win situation for me.”

   I wondered how Imran Abbas would respond when asked if he felt he was directly competing with Pakistani television super-hero Fawad Khan rather than with Bollywood heroes since both their debut films were being launched practically simultaneously. Thank God for this new crop of young, educated stars that the response was a far cry from one Meera would have given. He calmly replied that the genre of his movie is completely different from that of Fawad’s – as his is experimental while Fawad’s is basically a rom-com – so there is no question of competing with each other. In fact, he did not feel he was competing against any of the umpteen established Bollywood heroes either as very few had taken on such a role. He adds “This is something so new for me that I am just excited about it without worrying about anybody else!”

   We have frequently heard Indian celebrities visiting Pakistan speak of our warmth and hospitality, and how much they were made to feel at home here, so it was refreshing to hear Abbas speak about a similar experience in India. “I was made to feel so comfortable both on and off set, especially by my co-star, Bipasha Basu, from day one that I felt like I was in my home-town. We enjoyed great chemistry both on-set and off-set and she made me feel like a friend from the word go.”

   Speaking about her satisfaction level with regard to where her career has taken her in these last 14 years, and whether these are the kind of movies she had wanted to do, Basu states, “I am extremely happy with my progress and the fact that in spite of having being around for well over a decade, my audiences still like to see me is highly gratifying. I had never had a plan in place, but also never wanted to be part of a stale system of work that people keep doing. That is not to say that I haven’t ever done those kinds of films, but the excitement level has to be there for me. I have found that whenever I have done work that is removed from the norm, it has always worked for me. So, yes, I love the way my career has shaped.”

   Notorious for her heavy-work out sessions Bipasha Basu admits she has had to work out a lot more for this film, because of the demands of the role.  She reminisces laughing, “I used to get up at five am every day to work out for two hours, and keep hoping that my hero would join me but no luck! Also, because the movie is action-packed and the role a highly energetic one, there was a lot of running, falling, cutting and bruising on a daily basis. It was freezing and drizzling all the time; we would have to do the same shot over and over again so we would have to be very patient and focused and just follow Vikram’s instructions as everything was in his head, and we had to just trust him.”

   When asked if he had ever imagined in his wildest dreams that he would launch his film career with a bombshell like Basu, Abbas replies candidly and without any airs “No! I had been expecting someone new to star with me, not someone so established like Bipasha who is loved round the globe. When I found out she would be my co-star, I was really excited, and still am!”

   Basu chips in “He is really sweet! I must tell you, the first time we met was on Skype. He mentioned our on-set and off-set chemistry; well, let me tell you we used to be like kids off-set, playing Ludo – very mature! Vikram used to insist I was winning by cheating, which was not true!”

   When I ask her if she would be interested in acting in Pakistani movies, and if she had seen any, Basu responds “I watched a lot of Pakistani serials when I was growing up but I have to admit that all the information I have about Pakistan is thanks to my friend Imran. He told us how deeply we are loved there. And he found out that I love mithai, so he would keep sending them to me to putao me! So, yes, I would love to come to Pakistan and work there if there is an opportunity, but my only point of contact at this point in time is Imran Abbas.”

   Responding to my query of whether she feels at all scared when acting in horror films, considering her reputation of watching this genre with her eyes shut pretty much through the film, she responds “I get sleepless nights and feel scared in my own house. Every time I take on a role in a horror flick I think it will help me overcome my fears like the character I portray, but it never happens!”

   Abbas chips in “The challenging thing about this movie though, was that the Creature was never there before us on the set – we always had to imagine it, and keep our eye-line at a level that would make the viewer feel we were actually staring at him. I am sure you won’t feel at all when you see the movie that the Creature wasn’t in front of us!”

   Nodding her agreement Basu adds “Yes, this is one of the most difficult roles to perform, when your protagonist is not before you. We had to show fear of the same magnitude and react to what we imagined it would sound like, look like and do.”

   The conference, organized by Dream Advertising and Ministry of Events ended with Imran Abbas singing live a song from the movie, leaving everyone totally floored and mesmerized. A proud moment for Pakistanis, indeed!