'Roohi' star Alexx on being a part of a horror-comedy: 'I tend to avoid real horror films'

Roohi actor Alexx O’Nell spoke to Republic World in an exclusive interview sharing his feelings on his latest film. He discussed why he preferred being part of a horror-comedy as opposed to a serious horror film. O’Nell also expressed his feelings on being part of Dinesh Vijan’s horror-comedy multiverse.

Alexx O’Nell’s take on working in a horror-comedy

"Well, ‘Roohi’ marks my first time working in this 'horror-comedy' genre, and the ‘horror’ side was certainly, in some ways, a new experience. I’m happy to have stepped into a genre that has an element of horror, but also the levity of humour, and which therefore appeals to viewers like me who don't generally watch serious horror films", Alexx O'Nell said. "You see, I find that most of what I watch leaves a lasting impression on me, and to avoid having disturbing imagery and especially traumatising story lines continually playing out in my mind long after the credits have rolled, I tend to avoid real horror films."

"So ya, it's nice to be a part of something that gets your heart racing and gives you a bit of a fright, but also gives some laughs and generally a nice positive feeling throughout. And though I haven’t worked in horror before, I am certainly no stranger to comedy. Not only did I work on some lovely comedies on stage, but I even started my Indian film career with small roles in two back-to-back comedy movies that you might remember - ‘Cheeni Kum’ and ‘Loins Of Punjab Presents’ way back in 2007."

"But yes, it's been a while, this is my first comedy since Joker in 2012, when Akshay Kumar and I faced off as rival scientists. Overall it was a wonderful experience and nice to have had some laughter while shooting ‘Roohi’. It was certainly a nice break from the heavy dramatic content I’ve been used to shooting. After ‘Aarya’, ‘Main Aur Charles’, ‘Bose’, ‘Yeti Obhijaan’, ’21 Sarfarosh’, etc., it is truly wonderful to I have a funny film releasing for a change!".

O’Nell on his inclusion in Vijan’s multiverse

"It feels great! I've said it many times before, but I have a career only because of directors like Hardik Mehta, and producers like Dinesh Vijan & Mrighdeep Lamba who have the imagination and are willing to take the risk of including an actor like me in their projects". He continued, "Just like it would've been easier for Ram Madhvani to have cast an Indian to personify the Bhagavad Gita in 'Aarya', similarly, it would've been easier to have had an Indian journalist in 'Roohi'. I only hope that what I bring to my projects, by way of a unique perspective and perhaps an unexpected performance, continues to be worth the additional work and the additional risk."