Why Kannywood is lagging behind Nollywood -Rahma Sadau
Rahma Sadau is one Nigerian
actress who is in the eye of the storm due to being banned from acting in the
northern part of the country's film sector known as Kannywood over the simple issue of her being touched by a
man in a music video. The ban has been a sort of blessing in disguise for her
as it has propelled her to the international recognition she had been seeking
but not finding and has made the southern film sector known as Nollywood embrace her. OSEYIZA OOGBODO BLOG met her at the media presentation of the
EbonyLife TV drama series, Sons of the Caliphate, and spoke with her on sundry
issues.
What keeps you going as actress
in the face of challenges?
Focus, determination and just
being myself have helped me pull through. I also avoid getting entangled in
things that will create scandals for me as an actress. You know the Northern
part of Nigeria where I hail from is a bit traditional and very keen on values.
Do you plan to move to Lagos and
feature in more Nollywood productions?
I am not looking to cross over to
Nollywood as such but all I am after is how best to strike a balance between Kannywood
and Nollywood. I believe an actor is an actor irrespective of the industry or
language difference. The only challenges we have in Kannywood are our culture
and traditions, which we hold dearly, and can’t go against. Asides from that,
we have quite a few similarities with Nollywood including the storyline.
Do you see yourself as a brand
that is willing to change certain Northern Nigeria stereotypes?
Well, we are born into the
culture and I can’t say I can change culture but I have to be careful with what
I do. An actor is an actor and this has got nothing to do with religion.
Why did you decide to go into
acting?
I was born and designed to be an
actor. In secondary school, I actively participated in drama clubs. I studied
Business Administration at Kaduna State polytechnic. It was tough trying to
balance school and acting because I started acting when I was in ND 2. I
encountered a few difficulties when I decided to make acting a full-time
profession owing to our strict Northern culture. Acting in Northern Nigeria is
a problem because our people see it as a profession that isn’t normal for
ladies to take up. Thankfully, all that is changing and today I am so proud
that I am like a role model to others.
When did you launch your acting
career?
Three years ago and my parents
were against it definitely. Today, my mum is so proud and she is my greatest
fan. If I weren’t an actress, I would be a model.
Are you picky about the roles you
play?
I am a typical Northern Nigerian
girl and I have roles that I wouldn’t play and lines that I will never cross. I
can’t go nude or wear short clothes in any movie. Whether we like it or not, I
belong to the north, and most of my fans are northerners. So I wouldn’t do anything
that will frustrate my fans or make them my enemies.
In what area do you think
Kannywood is lagging behind?
We don’t have dedicated YouTube
channels for Kannywood movies and this is why we have yet to gain widespread
popularity outside of the north. Most of the impression that non-Kannywood fans
have about our films is as a result of the Kannywood films they were used to
seeing in the 1990s. We shoot newer and more sophisticated movies that most
people are unaware of. I recently told a Nollywood producer that we also have
‘black magic’ in Kannywood and he was surprised. This is largely because we
don’t get to put out our most recent productions YouTube.
How do you handle male attention?
I am so dedicated to my craft and
I am a hard working actress. I don’t get to give attention to the opposite sex.
Can you marry or date a fellow
actor?
Yes I can because I know he will
appreciate my career better and allow me excel as an actress. If I marry a
non-actor and a northerner, from the other side I will definitely stop acting.
Are you in a relationship?
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