Hilda Dokubo makes a return to the big screen with ‘Locked’

Locked

In the early 2010’s Hilda Dokubor, one of Nigeria’s most prolific actresses and an integral part of what we’ve come to refer to as ‘Old Hollywood’ today took a break from film to enter politics. She worked as a special advisor for Governor Peter Odili of Rivers State, leaving Lagos for Port Harcourt. Save for her award winning turn in the Nollywood drama ‘Stigma’ and a confusing role in Kunle Afolayan’s award grabbing vehicle, 2016’s ‘The CEO’, Hilda hasn’t held a leading role in nearly a decade. She is long overdue for a comeback, and we just might get one with new psychological thriller, ‘Locked’.

Locked’ is exciting for several reasons. For one, Hilda Dokubo is finally shedding the stereotyping that has led to her being typecast in heavily dramatic roles that require her to be some kind of stoic victim, waiting for salvation from external sources. In ‘Locked’ she is essentially a villain, one who commits murder when she is provoked by her husband’s infidelity. There is also the suggested subplot of suspected mental illness, a possible explanation for why Dokubo eventually kidnaps her daughter and her paramour, holding them hostage in their cushy apartment. We hold out hope that the themes of mental illness will be handled with the nuance and understanding that it deserves, considering it could make or break the movie. Hopefully, the Mazi Akinola screenplay lives up to the mandate.

Sunny Nneji provides the soundtrack and also features in the movie, a double whammy that will delight the older crowd that fell in love with Dokubo in her hey days. Alvin Abayomi, Belinda Effah and Charles Granville (who also produces) round out the core of the very compact cast and Simon Peacemaker directs. Locked’ debuts on the 9th of August 2019.

Watch the trailer here. 

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