Ace filmmaker and director, Kunle Afolayan has revealed details of a conversation between him and film producer, Funke Akindele who he claimed called him and accused him of disliking her, following comments he made about film promotion strategies.
Afolayan noted that he made the comment on film promotion strategies while speaking at a film business forum
Speaking in an interview on Arise News, he revealed that Funke phoned him after the event and alleged that he intentionally mentioned her name negatively during interviews.
“Funke called me yesterday and that is why I felt maybe there was more to it.
“She said I know Mr Afolayan I know you don’t like me but don’t mention my name in your interviews and she dropped the phone after that.”
The filmmaker, however, insisted that he has nothing personal against Akindele and that his comments were purely business-driven.
He explained that his remarks were taken out of context, stressing that he never criticised cinema distribution or Akindele’s approach to filmmaking.
“I am a product of travelling cinema, and I have said it before that it is great. For me, it’s draining, but I never said anything was wrong with it,” he said.
Afolayan noted that during the forum, cinema operators asked when he would return to cinema releases.
He responded by stating that he could not commit to cinema distribution unless there was a clear guarantee of substantial financial returns.
Breaking down the economics, Afolayan explained that even a film that grosses ₦2 billion may not yield much profit for filmmakers after revenue sharing, taxes, and other deductions.
“After the sharing, tax deductions and all of that, what comes to you will probably be about ₦500 million. If you have stakeholders and investors that are more than two or three, what comes to you at the end of the day?” he asked.
He emphasised that his position is based on simple financial calculations and personal capacity, not rivalry.
“What I was saying is that I cannot do what they are doing because they have so much energy, and it’s working for them,” Afolayan added.
The filmmaker concluded by reiterating that he harbours no ill feelings towards Akindele, describing her success as a result of hard work and a model that works well for her.
NPO reports that Funke is well known for her high-energy promotional style, often leveraging social media skits, dance videos, and cast-led challenges to market her films, which has become a signature part of her brand.