International
Top five reasons to watch ‘Imaginary’
Mumbai: Looking for a horror movie that breaks the mould of a haunted house narrative? Look no further than the upcoming horror masterpiece “Imaginary,” a chiller take on childhood imagination and the potential danger which lurks behind the surface. The movie dives into the dark depths of a child’s fantasy. This gripping movie goes above the realm of cheap thrills to create an engrossing mystery that will keep you on your toes. The movie is set to release on 22 March 2024 in your nearest PVR INOX cinemas. Come along as we reveal five strong reasons to put “Imaginary” at the top of your watch list.
An Un‘IMAGINARY’ suspense & mystery:
‘Imaginary’ presents a gripping storyline filled with mystery and suspense. Follow Jessica, a successful children’s author, as she delves into her haunting past while dealing with the eerie presence of her stepdaughter’s imaginary friend.
Yet another must-see horror from Jeff Wadlow:
Directed by Jeff Wadlow, known for his work in the horror genre, ‘Imaginary’ promises a thrilling cinematic experience. Wadlow’s expertise in crafting tension-filled narratives ensures audiences will be on the edge of their seats throughout the film.
Unravelling psychological complexity:
The movie hints at a deep connection between Chauncey and Jessica’s past, setting the stage for a psychological journey into the depths of trauma and its lasting effects. As Jessica uncovers the dark secrets surrounding her childhood imaginary friend, Chauncey, the film delves into the supernatural realm. With twists and turns at every corner, “Imaginary” offers a fresh take on the horror genre, seamlessly blending psychological thrills with supernatural elements.
Compelling performances:
Prepare to be captivated by the stellar performances of the cast, including DeWanda Wise, Tom Payne, Taegen Burns, Pyper Braun, Matthew Sato, Veronica Falcón, and Betty Buckley. These talented actors bring the characters to life with their amazing acting skills. From Jessica’s journey of self-discovery to the menacing presence of Chauncey, each performance adds depth and authenticity to the story.
Conversation starter:
Beyond mere jump scares, Imaginary sparks meaningful discussions about childhood fears, the eternal struggle between good and evil, and the haunting power of buried memories. Its exploration of these themes ensures that the film lingers in the mind long after the credits roll.
If you’re drawn to the eerie realms of horror and appreciate stories that intertwine suspense with raw intensity, don’t miss the premiere of ‘Imaginary’ this Friday at your nearest PVR INOX cinemas.
LOS ANGELES: Acting has never been an easy profession, but in recent years, it has acquired a new existential anxiety. Artificial intelligence can now mimic faces, clone voices and, in theory at least, speak any language it is fed. The fear that actors may soon be replaced by algorithms no longer belongs exclusively to science fiction. And yet, despite the rise of digital inauthenticity, some performers remain stubbornly resistant to replacement. The reason is not celebrity, nor even talent. It is language.
On paper, this should not be a problem. AI can translate. It can imitate accents. It can string together grammatically correct sentences in dozens of languages. But acting, inconveniently, is not about grammatical correctness. It is about meaning, and meaning is where AI still falters.
Machine translation offers a cautionary tale. Google Translate, now powered by neural AI, has improved markedly since its debut in 2006. It can manage menus, emails and airport signage with impressive efficiency. What it struggles with, however, are the moments that matter most: idioms, metaphors, irony, and cultural shorthand. Ask it to translate a joke, a threat disguised as politeness, or a line heavy with emotional subtext, and it begins to unravel. Acting lives precisely in those gaps.
This matters because film language is rarely literal. Scripts, particularly in independent cinema, rely on figurative speech and symbolism to convey what characters cannot say outright. Pedro Almodóvar’s Volver is a useful example. The film’s recurring use of red operates on multiple levels: grief, desire, repression, liberation, and memory. These meanings are inseparable from the Spanish cultural context and emotional cadence. A translation may convey the words, but not the weight they carry. An AI-generated performance might replicate the sound, but not the sense.
This is where multilingual actors gain their edge. Performers such as Penélope Cruz and Sofía Vergara do not simply switch between languages; they move between cultural logics. Their fluency allows them to inhabit characters without flattening them for international consumption. Language, for them, is not an accessory but a structuring force.
Beyond European cinema, this becomes even more pronounced. Languages such as Hindi, Arabic and Mandarin are spoken by hundreds of millions of people and underpin vast cinematic traditions. As global audiences grow more interconnected, the demand for authenticity increases rather than diminishes. Viewers can tell when a performance has been filtered through approximation. Subtle errors, misplaced emphasis, and an unnatural rhythm break the illusion.
There is also a practical dimension. Multilingualism expands opportunity. Sofía Vergara has spoken openly about how learning English enabled her to work beyond Colombia and access Hollywood roles. But this movement is not a one-way export of talent into English-speaking cinema. Multilingual actors carry stories, styles and sensibilities back with them, enriching multiple industries at once.
Cinema has always thrived on such hybridity. Denzel Washington’s performances, for instance, draw on the cultural realities of growing up African American in the United States, while also reflecting stylistic influences from classic Hollywood and Westerns. His work demonstrates how identity and influence intersect on screen. Multilingual actors extend this intersection further, embodying multiple cultural frameworks simultaneously.
At times, linguistic authenticity is not merely artistic but ethical. Films that confront historical trauma, such as Schindler’s List, rely on language to anchor their moral seriousness. When Jewish actors perform in German, the choice is not incidental. Language becomes a site of memory and confrontation. It is difficult to imagine an automated voice carrying that responsibility without hollowing it out.
This is why claims that AI heralds the death of language miss the point. Language is not just a delivery system for information. It is a repository of history, humour, power and pain. Fluency is not only about knowing what to say, but when to hesitate, when to understate, and when to let silence do the work. These are not technical problems waiting to be solved; they are human instincts shaped by lived experience.
AI may one day improve its grasp of metaphor and nuance. It may even learn to sound convincing. But acting is not about sounding convincing; it is about being convincing. Until algorithms can acquire memory, cultural inheritance and emotional intuition, multilingual actors will remain irreplaceable. AI may learn to speak. But it cannot yet learn to mean.
In an industry increasingly tempted by shortcuts, language remains stubbornly resistant to automation. And for actors who can move between worlds, linguistic, cultural, and emotional, that resistance is not a weakness, but a quiet, enduring advantage.
