It's no mystery why Jimi's a success
From his breakthrough role in East is East via a stint in EastEnders and appearances in Hollywood blockbusters such as Blood Diamond and 2012, Jimi Mistry has had an interesting and eventful acting journey. It’s probably not fair, after all that effort, that his latest movie – the low-budget Brit horror, Basement – finds him trapped underground with Danny Dyer. He tells Screenjabber’s Robert Hull about the experience ...
How did you get involved in the project?
Asham Kamboj, the director, sent me the script. The most appealing part was the genre of the film. I’m a big fan of horror and I’ve never done anything like it before. I think he sent it to me knowing that. I read it and thought the script wasn’t just a run-of-the mill story. There was a good twist and the character gave me a different angle to play as an actor.
Your character, Derek, isn’t very pleasant is he?
No, he’s not, and that’s what’s so good about it
Are the bad guys always that much more fun to play?
I think the chance to play characters that are quite far removed from your own personality are the most fun? I’m sure there are a lot of actors out there who are bad guys in real life who like to play the good guys on screen! It was fun to be walking around being slightly misogynistic, effing and blinding.
Did you try to make him any more likeable? His closing words are a kind-of apology.
Yes they are. I was quite pleased with that. If he’d gone out in a blaze of glory without that, then I think people would be saying ‘well, thank goodness he’s gone’.
He’s pretty useless in a fight when it comes to it though, isn’t he?
Yes. Absolutely crap. He’s all mouth and no trousers.
One of the most significant parts of Basement is a claustrophobic feel; did it feel like that to shoot?
Definitely. The majority was shot on one relatively small set in Pinewood. It was quite dark and a bit muggy, and dusty, and there was the smell of fresh paint being put on walls because the set was being made as we were filming. All of that does slightly drive you over the edge. We kept having to run outside to get fresh air because it was kind of full-on but then it was great for the story. The funny thing was that, after a while, after the 300th time of running down a corridor shouting ‘leggit’, you just start laughing because you think ‘how many more days can I go around running away from something I can’t see?’
You’ve said you like horror films, what are you favourites and do you prefer gory or more psychological frights?
I’d say psychological movies but I like them all really. The Exorcist is one of my favourite films. I enjoyed films like The Blair Witch Project; when that came out I thought it was an incredible piece of work and that it presented the formula of a twist ending. I rate those sort of films because I think they’re very clever. It’s not all about sticking it on the screen in the first 15 minutes. However, those films are good fun!
Are you interested in doing more horror movies and what type?
I would love to do another one, and to do something like Blair Witch, one of these diary-esque, naturalistic, handycam-shot movies. That’d be great, and interesting because point-of-view style movies have a very different almost-documentary style.
You’ve recently finished work on the sequel to East is East [West is West], what was it like revisiting the role of Tariq Khan?
I’m only doing a guest cameo as the story focuses on the young boy from East is East – Sajid. The film’s completed and I think it’s going to be at the Toronto Film Festival. The noises are that it’s very good. I know the writing is as good as the first movie. It’s nice revisiting a role but it’s scary at the same time because you’re reviving something that you did a long time ago and that you’re well known for.
How did working on Basement differ from the Hollywood movies such as 2012 and Blood Diamond that you’ve appeared in?
When you’re on a big movie there is a lot of hanging around but you’re also getting the five-star movie treatment, which is quite nice. I actually enjoy and appreciate getting my hands dirty on reasonably low-budget British films because at least you are actually working hard. I like that sort of feeling and think that it brings out the best out of me.
The Tamasha theatre company that you were part of during your early career recently celebrated its 21st anniversary. Do you have fond memories?
Absolutely. It’s such a long time ago now but I’ve always been very grateful to Tamasha, because they gave me my first acting jobs. It was Tamasha who did East is East as a stage play. For me, everything comes from that moment. I went to see their offices recently and when they started they were working out of one room and now they have arts funding and are employing people. It’s great.