Nigerian comedian and filmmaker Bright Okpocha, famously known as Basketmouth, has sparked intrigue with his recent revelations about Funke Akindele and his journey to creating his debut film, A Ghetto Love Story. During a candid interview with Arise TV, Basketmouth opened up about the highs and lows he faced while venturing into filmmaking, shining a light on his admiration for Akindele and the eventual shift in his plans.
Basketmouth shared that Funke Akindele was his first choice for a mentor on the project, given her immense success and experience in Nollywood. Their initial conversation in August was filled with excitement, and he felt optimistic about collaborating with her. However, as the project progressed, he encountered hurdles—numerous calls and texts to Funke went unanswered, leading to a prolonged period of silence. While reflecting on the situation, he acknowledged that her lack of response might have been due to her busy schedule or other commitments within her thriving career.
Realizing he needed to adapt, Basketmouth decided to take a different route and reached out to Mo Abudu, a renowned media mogul and powerhouse in the Nigerian entertainment industry. Mo was quick to lend her support, bringing her expertise and resources to the table, which played a pivotal role in moving A Ghetto Love Story forward.
Basketmouth’s openness about his experience highlights the realities of navigating the competitive world of filmmaking, even as a successful entertainer in another field. His perseverance, combined with Mo Abudu’s timely intervention, ensured the completion of the film, which is now eagerly anticipated by fans.
The anecdote underscores the collaborative yet challenging nature of Nollywood and serves as a testament to Basketmouth’s determination to expand his creative horizons, while also spotlighting the crucial roles industry veterans play in nurturing new talent.
His words in parts;
“With collaborations with filmmakers, it was dramatic. When I started calling all these like Mo Abudu and the rest of them, you know, I had a plan. I was going to start with Funke Akindele, and just run it all through.
“But when I called Funke, she was excited and that was in August, and then the next thing, she never picked up my calls again. But she was making a movie, maybe she was busy, or her phone is on silent, or maybe the phone got spoilt. But yeah, I hope she pick up or responds to my messages
“I’ve sent over like 25 messages or whatever, but she didn’t respond. So I had to change the whole plan and re-strategize. I had to go to Mo, this and that, but the rest of them came through.
‘I called Mo and normally she doesn’t do stuff like that, but she jumped on it. Sooner or later, I believe that filmmakers in Nigeria will get to understand that collaboration is the new competition”
Watch the video below: