Nollywood filmmaker and entrepreneur, Kunle Afolayan, has revealed that actress Funke Akindele confronted him angrily over comments he made in recent interviews, accusing him of mentioning her name unnecessarily.
Speaking on AriseTV, Afolayan recounted the tense exchange, stressing that Akindele raised her voice during the call.
“Funke Akindele called me yesterday and said she knows I don’t like her, yelling that I should stop mentioning her name in my interviews,” he disclosed.
Afolayan, who described himself as a product of travelling theatre and cinema, explained that traditional film promotion has become exhausting. He recalled dragging his children to cinemas and urging audiences to attend screenings, a practice he now finds draining.
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“I would drag my kids to the cinema and beckon people to come watch our film. I think it’s draining, and I’ve never said anything was wrong with that approach,” he said.
Beyond the personal clash, Afolayan reiterated that he would not return fully to cinema distribution unless operators can guarantee profitability.
“I can’t come back to cinema if cinema operators can’t guarantee I’ll make substantial money,” he added.
The incident reveals growing tensions among Nollywood’s leading figures, as filmmakers debate the viability of cinema releases versus streaming platforms. While Akindele has dominated box office records with her unconventional marketing style, Afolayan insists that the economics of cinema remain unsustainable without stronger assurances from operators.
