Northern actors uncomfortable acting in the south — Ali Nuhu

Ali Nuhu one of the known Hausa-actors in Nollywood though with a Kannywood base, has revealed that most northern actors uncomfortable acting in the south.

In his interview with Sunday Scoop, the actor said the cultural and religious differences makes most northern actors uncomfortable with the roles they are given in the southern film industry.

He said, “There is a disconnection between the film industries in the northern and southern part of the country. There are many reasons for this; one of which is the market. In northern Nigeria, the stories usually have Muslim themes with Hausa tradition, while in southern Nigeria, it is mostly Christian stories with either Igbo, Yoruba, Benin or southern cultures. As a result of different cultures and backgrounds, northern actors are not usually comfortable with the roles they are given in the southern film industry. That makes it uncomfortable for them to be part of the industry.

“Having said that, I don’t think the dichotomy is healthy for the industry because when movies cut across both axis, they tend to attract a wider audience. If there is a way the gap can be bridged, it would be of immense importance to the industry.”

On Kannywood regulators being very strict and banning actresses from hugging on camera, Nuhu stated,

“I wouldn’t say that the industry is too strict, but the background and culture an actor comes from matters a lot. If you’re from a particular area and are loved by the people of that area, if you do things your audience is not comfortable with, you would be automatically rejected. And if you’re rejected in the North, even the producers in the south would not want to work with you.”