Why I featured many upcoming actors in new Kannywood movie – Filmmaker Daniel

Daniel Aboki, the producer of Kannywood’s most anticipated movie, ‘Mai Martaba’ (Your Highness), says he cast hundreds of new upcoming Kannywood actors and actresses in his long-awaited movie.

On Friday, Mr Aboki revealed this to a crowd of movie fans in Kano at the film’s premiere.

He said the film was shot on location in Daura, former president Muhammadu Buhari’s ancestral hometown. He featured a vast ensemble cast of approximately 500 actors, adding to the production’s grandeur and cultural significance.

“The film features prominent Kannywood star Adam Zango alongside rising talents such as Shugaba, Ghali Abdullah DZ, Muktar Aminu Haruna, and Auwalu Isma’il Marshal, highlighting the rich cultural heritage of the Northern region,’’ he said.

Notable performances include young starlet Fatima Mohammed as Princess Sangaya, Tasi’u Ali as MaiKabaas Turaki, and Yahaya Sabo Abubakar as Wakili.

Scone from Kannywood movie Mai Martaba

Big budget

Mr Aboki highlighted funding as a significant obstacle during production, revealing that ‘Mai Martaba’ is potentially the most expensive Hausa movie.

“We spent over N25 million on cutting-edge equipment, most of which had to be brought in from Lagos, not to mention the substantial pre-production, production, and post-production costs,’ he disclosed, emphasising the enormity of the investment.

“The only star actor in Mai Martaba happens to be Adam A. Zango because I initially wanted 100 per cent new actors. So, I built all the actors in Mai Martaba because I wanted to tell a story based on the story’s strength, not on the faces of celebrities,” he said.

Mr Aboki serves as the Group Programme Director of Cool FM, Wazobia FM, Nigeria Info FM, Arewa Radio, and Kids FM in Nigeria.

Mai Martaba

Mai Martaba is a thrilling tale of action and adventure that delves into the complexities of power, love, greed, and betrayal. This captivating story weaves a rich narrative that explores humanity, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats.

The film tells the epic story of an ancient kingdom that flourished through its strategic position in the Trans-Saharan trade but ultimately succumbed to internal conflicts within the powerful Agadashawa ruling clan, leading to the dynasty’s downfall and the demise of an era.

The producer says it is a spin-off of Kasar Jallaba, an ongoing radio drama series on 95.1 Arewa Radio Kano.

“Mai Martaba has been selected for the Septimius Awards, an international award ceremony in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, showcasing feature films, documentaries, shorts, animations, television series, and screenplays,” Aboki said.

Scone from Kannywood movie Mai Martaba

Accolades

Fans of Kannywood cinema who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES praised Mr Aboki for his groundbreaking investment, hailing his commitment to quality and his role in elevating the sector; they celebrated the film as a milestone in Kannywood’s evolution.

According to Anas Musa, the Kannywood film industry needs this revival.

READ ALSO: Kannywood film industry appoints Nigerian senator as patron

He said, “Technically, Kannywood is almost at a point of extinction. You hardly hear anything significant from it again since the piracy issue crumbled the industry. So they make films only for those who can watch on the Internet. But with this kind of movie resurfacing, we have hope now. We want people like Aboki to keep investing in Kannywood.

Hassana Dalhat, a Kannywood enthusiast, applauded Mr Aboki for his excellent job.

“People here have been waiting for this movie, and with the premiere on Friday, we are all waiting to see what he has for us. But I know that with Adam Zango in the film, it will be a bustling and interesting one.