Not Many People Know, Yunita Siregar and Sultan Hamongan Discuss the Shooting Process of KITAB SIJJIN & ILLIYYIN in KapanLagi Talks

Kapanlagi.com - Yunita Siregar has just discussed the shooting process of her latest film, KITAB SIJJIN & ILLIYYIN, in KapanLagi Talks. Together with Sultan Hamongan, they shared exciting experiences and challenges faced during the shoot.

This film is not just an ordinary horror film, but combines drama with horror elements. Yunita explained that the audience will be taken on an emotional journey before diving into the thrilling horror moments.

In this film, witchcraft is one of the main themes presented in a unique way. Yunita revealed that the film's script is very interesting and different from the usual witchcraft stories.

1. What Makes the Book of Sijjin & Illiyyin Different from Other Horrors?

KapanLagicom/Muhamad Hifzilah

Yunita Siregar: "Okay, for me, the Book of Sijjin & Illiyyin is not just horror, but what drives this horror is the very strong drama. So I think the audience in the cinema will experience a lot of emotional ups and downs. It’s like being guided first by the drama before moving on to the very intense horror. Also, the witchcraft in this film is different from other witchcrafts. It’s a bit outside of common sense; when I read the script, I thought, can this really happen? How will the execution be? So the witchcraft here is not just like, for example, blood vomiting or anything; it involves animals that are somewhat outside the realm of logic."
Sultan Hamongan: "Maybe because it’s also my first time with Director Bu Hadra. I was surprised because I often suddenly got different scenes in the script. And Bu Hadra is a very nurturing person, very kind; when we’re tired, she says, 'Just take a break, eat first, drink first, that’s fine.'"

2. What Exactly Are the Books of Sijjin and Illiyyin?

KapanLagicom/Muhamad Hifzilah

Yunita Siregar: "Initially, we as the cast, when we just started reading, we were just explained about the Books of Sijjin & Illiyyin, and coincidentally, there was Abuya. Abuya was played by Mas David Khalik, and he understood about it, and we were explained, and it was like, oh, I see. Then, from yesterday, there were so many people asking what the Books of Sijjin & Illiyyin are. It turns out that not many people understand it, right, those who know it. The Book of Sijjin & Illiyyin is the book that records good deeds in the Book of Illiyyin and bad deeds in the Book of Sijjin. Yes, so when I found out, I was like wow, this information is packaged as a film so people can know, right, this information that they previously didn't know what the Books of Sijjin & Illiyyin were. Now, hopefully, with this film, that information reaches more people. Yes (the Books of Sijjin & Illiyyin) in our Quran, it’s okay, there are always new things to learn, it’s not a problem."

3. What Don't Many People Know When You Are Shooting a Horror Film? 

KapanLagicom/Muhamad Hifzilah

Yunita Siregar: "Maybe the fun fact is that the blood is sweet because it looks scary, right? So when we have bloody scenes, it actually tastes sweet, making it fun. Then technically, the most challenging part is that it has been very well thought out in terms of safety. What else is a fun fact we have on set is that if you’ve seen the trailer for this film (Kitab Sijjin & Illiyyin), there are bones and all sorts of things. Those bones also taste sweet because they are made from white chocolate. So it’s enjoyable, you know, what appears on camera is not as scary as when we execute it; it’s really fun to shoot with many tricks that I was also a bit amazed by when on location, oh wow."

4. But According to You, Is It Harder to Shoot a Horror Film or a Drama?

KapanLagicom/Muhamad Hifzilah

Sultan Hamongan: "Horror, it depends on the horror itself. Here, my horror is more about screaming, blood, and the scenes are really intense. So we have to really maintain our energy because my scenes are a lot of 'wow' moments. In drama, it's okay to cry, and maybe there's a trick to hold back emotions for 15 minutes or so. But in horror, it has to be immediate, so from maybe being happy to suddenly screaming, yes. So 'wow', I think horror is definitely harder."
Yunita Siregar: "Each has its own difficulties, I think, because drama is also hard since it’s more emotional. Emotions that can't be camouflaged, that can't be faked. Because at least, for example, horror is also difficult. But I think it's more physical, more about our endurance, like the fatigue, yes, but they both have their challenging points. But maybe if we have a scene where we hit our heads, that can be camouflaged, it can be acted as if. But in drama, it has to be pure, it really has to be sincere, the emotions have to be used at the right moment. But in drama, there might not be screaming all the time or hitting heads falling on the floor, technically speaking. Horror is definitely more challenging, maybe horror and action, yes, that’s where the fatigue really leans more towards the physical, I think."

5. What Are the Technical Aspects of This Film That Impressed You?

KapanLagicom/Muhamad Hifzilah

Yunita Siregar: "When I was shooting yesterday, and it was the first day, there was a scene where I immediately met with the shaman. So he showed me what the ritual was like on set, there was like a tray, and there were needles, I didn't know if it was already set up like that, the system moved on its own, oh it turned out there was a magnet. So it was like, hey, I was quite surprised that it moved by itself. Well, that was during rehearsal, so during rehearsal it was like 'eh why is it moving by itself, oh there must be a machine' okay, that part was funny."

Sultan Hamongan: "There was a scene where I was banging my head, I was actually banging my head on something that had styrofoam, but because it was too tight, it made me a bit dizzy, and the scene was like tak tak tak, you know. I don't know if this is a spoiler or not, but anyway, just watch it later."
Yunita Siregar: "But it's in the trailer, right? I was quite amazed by your scene with the photo frame, it was quite good, yes, it's in the trailer, I wasn't on location. So I was curious about how that scene would turn out."
Sultan Hamongan: "There’s a scene where I bang my head quite a few times because technically the blood keeps dripping onto the camera. So, oh no, the blood is on the camera again, oh no, it's on the camera again, it just keeps happening, so we have to control the blood too."
Yunita Siregar: "That was the challenge when we were in action, maybe technically, the blood didn't come out very naturally, so we had to do it a few times, and then on set, everything had to be cleaned up again."

6. What Do You Like and Dislike About Your Character?

KapanLagicom/Muhamad Hifzilah

Sultan Hamongan: "Dean is a mischievous person, naughty, hard to talk to, basically a bratty kid, that's what makes me dislike him, he's hard to communicate with. I'm not really someone who believes in mystical things. But he's really obsessed with the mystical world. So I'm like 'what's up with Dean, he's so unclear.'"
Yunita Siregar: "No, he's actually very chill, very calm. Because when we were shooting he was fasting, he really made sure to stay full, he's really cool. Even when he's tired, he still keeps his energy saved in the corner. What I like about Yuli is that he loves his parents very much. What I don't like is a lot, but actually Yuli can't be considered a bad character in my opinion. Because he has his reasons for becoming the way he is. He was originally a sincere person and accepted how he was treated. But eventually, he felt it had gone too far, and he tried to seek justice for himself. Yeah, because I think revenge, what is it, this film is also a reminder that resolving something with revenge won't end well. So, evil returned with evil won't lead to anything positive, right? No one is born destined to be evil; there must be a background behind it all."

7. Is There a Scene That Looks Easy But Turns Out to Be Difficult?

KapanLagicom/Muhamad Hifzilah

Yunita Siregar: "It looks easy but the execution is actually hard, maybe it's the opposite. Because that scene, which is also in the trailer, has me reading a mantra while being wrapped up. I was thinking about how the camera would get in there. In the end, it was explained that we would set everything up and it looked exactly like my grave. I was really amazed at how everything was so sticky and exactly like that, it felt real, and I think I was given a glimpse of my future, it was a true simulation, this is so real, it was really nerve-wracking. That was one of the scenes that I really noted, like, when is this being filmed? So I was really looking forward to that day because I had to prepare myself, even though the scene might not be long. But it was very memorable for me, the discomfort of feeling helpless, just asking for water, having to ask for help, there were mosquitoes, there were ants, I couldn't do this alone, it was really uncomfortable. Yes, I was really tied up and even my nose was covered. So when it was time to take, I had to take a deep breath first to read the mantra. And that happened quite a few times because, you know, I ran out of breath."

8. Is There a Set That Gives You Goosebumps?

Yunita Siregar: "Oh this really gives me goosebumps. So there’s a scene in the trailer where I’m with Mrs. Ambar and then with Mrs. Jenar, but Mrs. Jenar is already lying stiff, actually it’s prosthetic. Wow, that really gives me goosebumps because it looks so much like Mrs. Ambar. It’s really beautifully made, so every time a person exits, the energy also feels uncomfortable even for Mrs. Ambar. I also have a scene with Mrs. Ambar and the prospect, so when Mrs. Ambar is on set, she feels really uncomfortable and she says. Then she felt like she was getting dripped on, like, 'Don’t give me water, no one is giving water,' yeah that’s pretty terrifying."

(kpl/cvn)