Exclusive Niken Anjani Struggles To Conquer Fear Of Playing Horror Films

Niken Anjani (Photo: Savic Rabos, DI: Raga/VOI)

JAKARTA - Niken Anjani is again filling a big screen film with her first horror film, entitled Sijjin directed by Rapi Films in collaboration with Sky Media and Legacy Pictures. In this film, Niken will compete acting with Anggika Bolsterli, Ibrahim Risyad to Delia Husein as Nisa, is a wife who loves her family and is also obedient to her husband because she is an orphan who misses a family figure.

"Here I play Nisa. Nisa is actually an orphan, she is a woman who is very obedient and loving and she also studies nursing school. She loves her family very much because she misses family figures because she is an orphan from childhood and for people who herself she has never been angry, she is very dedicated to her family, especially to her mother-in-law, Galang's mother, played by Elly Lutan. That's her story. sick in this film and Nisa in addition to taking care of her busy life, she also takes care of her mother-in-law while Galang is busy outside of making money," said Niken Anjani when met in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, not long ago.

Having a story background in the 90s in Banten, Niken, who is the first time playing in a horror film, explains that she is a coward and has never watched a film with a horror genre. Not without reason, this fear arose when Niken deliberately watched one of the films entitled Punk Jelankung when she was still in elementary school which eventually made her think about not being able to sleep until now.

This fear made Niken at first still hesitant to accept his role as Nisa, even when the scenario was sent, Niken told that he still had to be accompanied by his family members and read it during the day because of his great fear of horror things.

"For character, I had a hard time because I thought it was all difficult because basically I was a coward child and I never watched horror films. I remember the horror film that I last watched when I was in elementary school, stabbed in the back, and because of that I didn't want to watch horror films because I couldn't sleep alone, I couldn't imagine that," said Niken Anjani.

"So once I was offered this film, I seemed to be back and forth, because I was a very coward. So the challenge is how tocope with the script. Because I remember very much when I was sent the script, I didn't dare to read it alone, I felt like I had a Ms. at home, or had a husband, or my child. 'I'll be friends with you first', 'Why?' 'I want to read the script' and it has to be during the day. So actually to play in this film I challenge myself to be brave or not and can't or can't?" he explained.

It didn't stop there, the trauma of horror films also became an obstacle for Niken to carry out his role in this film adapted from the Turkish film entitled Siccin. He explained that his role in the film Sijjin experienced a lot of depletion. As someone who doesn't like horror films makes it difficult for Niken to find references to people who are degenerate.

However, after trying and undergoing the scene, Niken admitted that he was even addicted to the scene of the Order, even though previously there were concerns in Niken that made him feel insecure that he could play the scene of the Order well and accordingly.

"If the real challenge exists, because actually for the SIJJIN film I'm one of the most scenes of its dissipation, so my challenge is how for people who have never watched horror films, how can I be a sick person, as real as possible. The challenge is that I tried to watch horror films but only briefly, 'Ah, I can't, I'm afraid', that's it. So what's difficult is how I make something from my own imagination, "said Niken.

"So that's the toughest challenge, for the reog scene. But it turns out that I actually like it. So before filming I was anxious, 'oh, can I do it or not? I'll be in ruqyah, I'll be sling, it'll be all kinds of things', while infiltration, but after being processed, I'm even happy, even fun, yes, even'more, please'. Hahaha. In fact, it's more happy, it can be explored," he joked.

Despite having a considerable fear of horror films, Niken finally decided to take on this Sijjin film project. For Niken, being brave to take the thing that scared him was a challenge to get him out of his comfort zone in acting. In addition, the story made in the film Sijjin is also another reason Niken entrusted himself to play.

"So, at first I went back and forth before sending the script until finally I read the script and then I met Mr. Sunil, I also know who directed Hadrah Ratu's mother, I immediately felt calm, because the important thing is that when shooting it's not that we like the script, and this script is very interesting because what I said earlier is yes, this is not just horror, I'm afraid that there is a base for fire, there is a family drama, oh this is strong enough to be horror," said Niken.

"In addition to the script, shooting with Mrs. Hadrah and Mr. Sunil can make the atmosphere safe and comfortable, so we live it too so delicious, so finally I want to try it, and I also want to try to challenge myself 'this can't be, I play horror films well and correctly?' Now that's the reason for the script, I feel like shooting it is everywhere and comfortable, and I'm trying to challenge myself," he said.

After playing in a horror film, Niken wants to try something new again by trying out the action genre. He said this because recently he had just finished one of his latest film projects which has action scenes in it.

"If you want to play, like this I like all genres, but finally I just finished finishing the action genre and I once thought it was good that next time I really wanted to get an action film," he explained.

Niken Anjani started his career in acting by accident in 2007 when he was still actively studying. He recounted how he was finally able to enter a world where he never really thought about it before, namely the world of acting. Niken admitted that all of this started from the trap of his best friend, Dena Rachman, who asked him to join the casting of an FTV soap opera.

"It's been a long time. I think that's when I was in college, yes, I haven't even graduated. 2007 I'm still in college. Ok, so the story has been a long time ago. So in the past, I was really shy, I didn't have a basic acting, but coincidentally, my friends are all players. And they encourage me to join casting, one of them is my friend Dena Rachman, she has been an artist since she was a child, so 'Come on, Niken you have to shoot, you have to shoot', so because I was framed, at first we went home from college to accompany him, usually if college students like to hang out, 'OK, I want to casting first', the anterin in casting finally I was pulled, I casting it first there. I remember very well if I'm not mistaken it's for FTV. For the first time," explained Niken.

As someone who never knew the world of acting before, Niken was confused when he was in the situation. Although he admits that he is a film lover, he is only a connoisseur, not a perpetrator. Even Niken explained that he did not come from a family that had artistic blood.

"It's confusing, 'What if I casting?' I'm really lay layman, I've never read scripts, so all this time when I've watched movies, I've never looked at movies, just watch movies. Love with movies, but as a connoisseur. I don't understand what the shot is, what's the acting, what's the story, I don't understand it, but since I casting, I've actually learned a lot oh a lot, it's like this, a good acting like that.," he said.

"Not yet. It's really empty. Coincidentally, my family is not from a creative family either. So my mother is more of a bank person, my father too. So it's like everyone is math, so it's very different from my field now, so yes, my family is not used to the creative industry until now," he said.

Not coming from an art family had made the choice of a 36-year-old woman to build a career in the acting world had been hampered. Because of this choice, Niken never spoke to each other with his biological mother. But with a strong determination, his family was finally able to open their eyes to Niken's choice in the film.

"Oh, if you remember, I wasn't supported in the past, 'It's been a true school, the work is right' because you used to think about office work, even if you thought about it, I didn't talk to my mother for almost a year because I knew I wanted to try filming, but in the end, I didn't mean what to say, but 'Yes, you've been filming, shooting', so my mother seemed annoyed because, 'Why don't you want to obey her child?' But at that time I was already big, 'I didn't want to try', but finally after a year she saw that it turned out, 'Oh my child is determined to be unanimous, not half-hearted', from there I started to be talked to again. Really remember how much I got blessing but half-heartedly. After there was a new result," he said.

Now, Niken feels very grateful to finally enter the world of acting which, according to him, teaches a lot of knowledge that is not necessarily possible in other fields of work. Niken said that in the art world this role he is not only for making money but a source of life science for himself.

He felt that while he was in the world of acting he became more understanding of every feeling felt by every human being. This is always obtained from the characters he has played while playing movies.

"As for the knowledge obtained, I am very grateful that I am in this field because I have learned a lot from films, from acting itself. Many say oh, acting is just to earn money, if I don't think so, because apart from money there is a lot that we can learn. For example, I learned a lot from the characters I play, I learned a lot about human feelings, about human relations, about humans themselves, which is complex, I learned more, understand better," said Niken.

"And it's not just about humans, but I also learn a lot, for example, simple things, I just finished playing action films so I learned how to hold a gun, or I played in this film playing SIJIN, I'm a Muslim, but maybe the Muslims are not that good. But from this film I learned many verses of Islam, verses of al-Quran that I can use to pray every day. So I'm very grateful, so every time I get a new film there is something new that I can learn from as a human being, "he added.

Finally, even though at first he felt trapped in acting, now the mother of one child has fallen in love. There was even a moment when this woman who was born in Jakarta felt that acting was a way for her to be 'healing'. Niken felt that when she could do a job she could take care of herawa.

"That's right (in love). So we always keep learning, yes, every time there is a new film, a new character, we become new people again, we learn something new, that's what makes us never bored," he said.

"That's now, yes, if it wasn't in the past, if I used to come home from work, I went home time, if now I have children, right. So I'm the one at home and I'm the one outside, it's really different because I have a child, I'm still 2.5 years old, so I need extra attention, so I really need to stay at home, when I'm with my child, when I'm out of the house, that's my time for me, yes, about my heart, or whatever and filming is one of them, so I really enjoy my time outside the house. It doesn't mean I don't want my child, but let us be sane. For the body, at home with the child, outside, yes myself, "said NIken.

16 years in the world of acting, especially film, there is a mission that is now being carried by Niken Anjani. He wants to prove that all women who work in the film industry who are married and have children can still work like people in general.

"I hope that in the world of acting, especially in the acting industry in Indonesia, I want to prove that new mothers or women who are married and already have children can still work, and can still have a career as an actor," said Niken closing the interview with VOI.