If you were around in the 90s, you would have known about Javed Iqbal, the man of your nightmares who assaulted and killed more than a hundred children in the most grotesque way. And while many filmmakers don’t dare to step into the territory of crime and serial killers, Abu Aleeha has delved right in to give us The Untold Story of A Serial Killer: Javed Iqbal.

All set to release on 28 January, the film is based on the real-life investigation into Javed Iqbal, who was responsible for abducting more than a hundred young boys between 1998-1999. Not only did he assault them, but he also dismembered them and put them in acid to get rid of the evidence. And to take us into the twisted mind of the psychopath, Yasir Hussain has stepped into Javed Iqbal’s shoes, narrating his master plan that will send shivers down your spine.

As we spoke to the acting maestro on signing up for a role as dark as Iqbal’s, Hussain told us that he had no reason to say no to the script; “It was about a man who killed many children, so imagine how big of a psychopath he must have been. I have never played a psychopath before and looking at the notoriety of Javed Iqbal, it has been a treat to play him as an actor.”

After seeing him be the heart and soul of Karachi Se Lahore in 2015 with his effortless stutters, and then taking on difficult roles on TV, it is an established fact that Hussain does not shy away from such roles. But with having to play a man so twisted, we asked Hussain of the challenges he faced performing Iqbal, and let us tell you, it wasn’t an easy ride: “It really is a challenging character because no one in their right mind would even think of doing something that Iqbal did, but to step into Iqbal’s shoes and consider the acts he committed as right, from his perspective, is difficult.”

Expanding on the challenges he faced with almost no real-life footage to take cues from, Hussain said: “What helped me step into his shoes was Abu Aleeha’s narration and writing; playing a character as dark as Iqbal was a tough journey for me as an actor. The credit goes to Aleeha’s thorough research because he has written books on him. I am a theatre actor and when a theatre actor prepares himself for a role, he gives his best to step into the skin of the character that he’s playing and that is how I’ve been doing it, be it my character in Moti or my character in Baandi – I always try being one with the person that I am playing.”

As an audience, we can clearly relate to what the star means when he describes the toll Javed Iqbal took on him because whenever we watch something serious and heavy, it lingers on our conscience for a long time. And for the actor playing the part, that emotion is multiplied exponentially, so it’s only natural for an actor to take their time recovering from the trauma of it.

Talking about shedding away Iqbal’s skin, Hussain shared the journey that it was; “After I did Javed Iqbal, it took me time to step out of his shoes. I had to shave my beard for the role and until my beard grew back, every time I would look into the mirror, I would see Javed Iqbal and not Yasir Hussain. So yes, it did take some time but knowing how to step out of the character is very important and my experience performing at the theatre eased the process for me. But I’ve seen a lot of actors associate themselves to a certain character they’ve played and I think it’s very important for an actor to know when to step out of a certain persona and get back to being themselves. And a lot of actors around us need it!”

Joining Hussain in the cast is Ayesha Omar who plays the cop in pursuit of the lunatic, breaking away from her on-screen persona of Khoobsurat in Bulbulay, the starlet is ready to steal the show and Hussain couldn’t help but laud her efforts: “I have worked with Omar in Karachi Se Lahore and working in this film with her was a lot of fun because she put on a completely different facade than what she had in our previous project and she really nailed every aspect of her character. You will love her in Javed Iqbal because both of us pulled out all the stops to breathe life into our roles and when both the actors are willing to give their best, the energy is just contagious.”

Looking at the trailer, we cannot deny what the actor had to say about her co-star, and as we tracked down Omar, our very own Khoobsurat, both literally and figuratively, we wondered what her first reaction was when she got offered the part. “My first reaction was YES! I want to play the part. My face has been associated with Bulbulay for 12 years now and my identity has been taken over by Khoobsurat. So it is always great to pick up scripts that break the mould.” And for Omar, it was a big change in terms of the seriousness of the character she’s playing.

Moving from a comical role to a portrayal so serious, we asked the actress if serious roles was a territory she liked treading into: “I always try to look for scripts and stories which are completely different from what I am doing otherwise. So when I was approached by the director for this character, I immediately knew that I wanted to do it because, for an actor, the more challenging the role is, the more fun it gets to perform it,” reveals the actress as she smiles. “I love doing serious characters too, with my name being associated with comedy, I get offered a lot of comic roles. But I love it when serious roles are also offered to me because that means that the director or the producer can see that potential and that passion in me. So it’s also very humbling and gratifying when a director thinks that you’re worthy enough to do that character.”

Given the grotesque, yet true, elements of the plot, we asked Omar how she dealt with the gloom attached to it all: “The film touches on details of a very horrific story. Whoever was around that time remembers that entire series of incidents, and was obviously traumatised by it.” It was not an easy journey to embark upon, recalls the actress: “Even while shooting for the film, it was very traumatising and dark for me, there were moments where I was feeling very anxious and horrified. But I had to keep reminding myself that this is just a story.”

But given her calm demeanour and the positive energy that the actress radiates, Omar shared how she dealt with the anxiety and after-effects that the film brought her: “It’s always tough for an actor to deal with the aftermath. And, of course, it affects us because, in our industry, we don’t have many acting coaches, and we actors are not actively getting therapy, which is much needed because we live the character’s feelings and emotions. So it affects you, it affects your mood and your mental state. I do have certain people that are like my mentors who guide me, there is a very spiritual person in my life who helps me navigate through difficult times. So yeah, that’s what I do to unwind from a character. And I calm myself down by reading and watching positive stuff that changes my mindset.”

Playing a vehement cop, we asked Omar how she prepared for the part as she fondly spoke of the efforts she had consciously put in, from makeup that was a few tones darker than her skin colour to carefully visualising her body language and her getup, a lot went into it: “I wanted the tone of my character to be very straight up and no-nonsense. I didn’t want the body language to be sluggish but rather stoic. You’ll notice how I present very alert and very anxious on-screen, the expressions too are very straight and gritty. We also kept the clothes simple and the accessories minimal, even when I am not in uniform.”

Fans are excited to see the two in such an intense plot and the trailer has been receiving tons of love. However, some people seem to have reservations about the theme of the movie and we asked Hussain how he feels about it. “Everyone wants to play it safe, everyone who is investing in the industry wants the money to return immediately, and it is especially tough in a country like Pakistan where cinema isn’t quite as established. Making a film is a risk in itself. I think filmmakers are a little hesitant to delve into genres other than comedy because the only way your investment is going to return is when people actually go and watch the film, and we know comedy sells.”

Keeping in mind what Omar shared about the lack of making films on genres other than comedy, we’re hoping Javed Iqbal inspires and paves the way for filmmakers to step out of their comfort zone, and so does the actress: “I do hope that this film will pave the way for more films which tackle more serious topics. I’m so glad that these conversations are being initiated. I signed this script because I think that these issues are so important to talk about. I would always prefer plots that are weaved in a meticulous way that shows the audience why things happen, why people turn into monsters, or why human beings do horrifying things when there’s so much kindness and love in the world. I want to tell stories of what the driving force is behind these motifs and how to deal with them. Crime and psychological films should be a major part of the content we produce.”

Keeping in mind the reservations the trailer has received by a handful, the actress elaborates that the entertainment factor is important by all means, laughter is important too, but so is stuff like this.

The film has promotions in full swing, and Yasir Hussain commented on his experience promoting the project: “Cinema needs every bit of support it can get. We tried reaching out to various channels and shows for promotions, and while some really welcomed us wholeheartedly, others blatantly refused to promote our film. I think big channels, especially the ones that air morning shows for masses, should promote all films regardless of their production houses. Social media too should promote all films because the majority of the entertainment pages run on the content that is based off the actors.”

Hussain also revealed that the film was offered to another actor before him who refused to take on a script as risky as Javed Iqbal; “The director had someone else in mind, I won’t take any names but he refused the role on the notion that it was a risky move, but I think it is because some actors don’t want to ruin the heroic persona attached to them. It’s unfortunate because an artist is like a blank canvas that you can paint any picture on. Actors should not hesitate from taking up such characters and I think that a sensible actor would not have let go of an opportunity like this.”

Learning of the thorough attention to detail in the film by the actors, the challenges they had to face shooting Javed Iqbal and how the psychological film took a toll on them, the anticipation has only sky-rocketed for us. Add to that the chilling trailer featuring Hussain’s cold, no-remorse expressions, the graphic narration and Omar’s burning dedication to unveil the truth, Javed Iqbal is a movie you cannot afford to miss!