In an interview with Arise TV on Sunday February 1, 2026, filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan, says his colleague Funke Akindele, called him on Saturday night and yelled at him over his recent remarks on film promotion strategies within Nollywood.
Speaking during the interview on Sunday, Afolayan said Akindele personally contacted him after media reports interpreted his comments at a film business forum as dismissive of his colleagues movie promotion campaigns through dance-driven.
“She called, and she said, ‘I know you don’t like me, but don’t mention my name in your interviews,’ she was yelling, and she dropped the phone after that”
“It was weird, and I’m like, where is this coming from. She’s like a sister to me. In Unilag, I would go to her hostel, her sister is also my friend, so I am not sure where this is coming from......I never said anything was wrong with it. For me, it’s draining. I have absolutely nothing against it. I’m just saying what I will not do,”
“If for any reason she feels offended, I’m sorry. But one thing she has done, which I think is totally wrong, and I would never do this kind of a thing, is to use social media rats to come after whoever it is.”
“The honest truth is, it was a forum, it was a film business forum, and we had the cinema operators there, and the cinema operators were asking me, when are you coming back to cinema, and I said, I can’t come to cinema if you cannot guarantee that I will make substantial money,” he said.
“I clearly said to them (young filmmakers), that if you want to adopt a model that I think will work for you now, then follow Funke Akindele’s model.
“There is no competition between us. I don’t just want N1 billion or N2 billion in the cinema that I won’t be able to personally receive N10 million from.
I want to make a film if you can guarantee I don’t have to dance to sell. We need to come up with other strategies. How do we sell without exhausting ourselves? I don’t know how the likes of Funke Akindele and others are doing it. Creating skits every day, changing costumes all the time. I can’t do it.”He said in two seperate videos
He acknowledged the actress Funke's success, adding that she started at a younger age, and then she did Jenifa with minimal budget, rolling resources, and from then, her brand has grown.”
Arise TV
“It was weird, and I’m like, where is this coming from. She’s like a sister to me. In Unilag, I would go to her hostel, her sister is also my friend, so I am not sure where this is coming from......I never said anything was wrong with it. For me, it’s draining. I have absolutely nothing against it. I’m just saying what I will not do,”
“If for any reason she feels offended, I’m sorry. But one thing she has done, which I think is totally wrong, and I would never do this kind of a thing, is to use social media rats to come after whoever it is.”
“The honest truth is, it was a forum, it was a film business forum, and we had the cinema operators there, and the cinema operators were asking me, when are you coming back to cinema, and I said, I can’t come to cinema if you cannot guarantee that I will make substantial money,” he said.
“I clearly said to them (young filmmakers), that if you want to adopt a model that I think will work for you now, then follow Funke Akindele’s model.
“There is no competition between us. I don’t just want N1 billion or N2 billion in the cinema that I won’t be able to personally receive N10 million from.
I want to make a film if you can guarantee I don’t have to dance to sell. We need to come up with other strategies. How do we sell without exhausting ourselves? I don’t know how the likes of Funke Akindele and others are doing it. Creating skits every day, changing costumes all the time. I can’t do it.”He said in two seperate videos
He acknowledged the actress Funke's success, adding that she started at a younger age, and then she did Jenifa with minimal budget, rolling resources, and from then, her brand has grown.”
Arise TV
Pre- arranged interview, announcing of call, Funke acting too fast..Abeg this their fight is planned, i can never believe it, Funke has too much respect to cut the phone on Kunle...Make una try harder....I know how this is done naaaaaaaaaaaaa..hahahahahahaha
Stella, I don’t know why you would believe Funke will do a stunt like this to help trend a movie when she can just dance it on!
ReplyDeleteKunle, you know what you did, even the video where u mentioned 2bn, the people around u were uncomfortable about it and insinuated you’ve been at it all day.
You are a good film maker and people will definitely watch ur Netflix movies so all of this is highly unnecessary.
Leave Funke alone! Una don too poke that woman!
I don’t think he meant any insult to her
DeleteThe guy speaks quite directly and I think he would have been up front if that was his plan
Dem go dey alright
ReplyDeleteThere are truths in the lines,read it well.
ReplyDeleteMake N1b or N2b you will not receive N10m from.👍
Do skit,change cloth all the time 👍
Dance to sell it👍
Truth. Funke is not seeing more from the cinema billions profit. Do cut grass for her house, she will owe you. The noise is wash, Afolayan is an Agba in the biz,he knows the truth.
I didn't see any insult in what he said.
DeleteFunke be calming down
I have a bridge in Lagos to sell to u
Delete@ Anon 18.02. Your comment just says "retarded pro max". Agba in which business? Please go and do your proper research. After Figurine please what next. Kunle Afolayan is fond of talking down at other directors/movie makers etc. He should grab a pillow and some pop corn and celebrate the success of his so called colleagues. He is just a shameful hater.
DeleteHe is true with his point. We cannot all be dancing. Funke film are just commercials and hype which suits her models. Kunle na cinematic experience and story telling. Just dey your lane. Genevieve no go do film come dey sing Christmas song on top. Na joke oo
ReplyDeleteStella, you clearly don't know Funke when she's angry. She's like a wounded lion and very unforgiving.
ReplyDeleteLa funky call fire....They will be fine.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds so manipulative...
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Stella.
ReplyDeleteThe whole thing is happening too fast,that's the only reason I don't believe it.Now now,Baba don rush to Arise,okay o
ReplyDeleteWhether true or PR,everyone will be alright