Aisha Tisha Mohammed is an actor and a producer. Her movie ‘My name is Kadi’ got 3 nominations at the Hollywood African Prestigious Awards, 2017 in California. It won “the Most Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture” category. In this interview, she tells us more about ventures in the movie industry.
Weekend Magazine: You studied a different course in the university, why did you decide to start acting?
Aisha Tisha Mohammed: Studying Sociology did not kill my passion for Acting. I was just not opportune to study Theatre Arts but I attended some acting schools after my degree programme.
WM: Tell us about your educational background
Mohammed: I attended Federal Government Girls College, Gboko then went to Nasarawa State University, Keffi where I studied Sociology and also bagged a Master’s degree in Industrial Sociology. After my first degree, I attended High Definition Film Academy in Abuja and then City Academy in London two years afterwards, to study Acting.
WM: Were there objections to your becoming an actress from your parents? How did you overcome that challenge?
Mohammed: Yes, there were. Some parents always want their children to be what they want them to be and are inconsiderate of their children’s choices. My father was like that but he is becoming receptive. My mother has been supportive and I appreciate all she’s been doing to ensure my growth.
M: How was your first day acting?
Mohammed: My first time acting, was amazing. I wasn’t nervous at all and wanted more. I had few scenes to shoot so I finished mine and was always hanging around the set to watch others. That was in the movie ‘School pool party’ in 2013.
WM: You are a producer, tell us about the first movie you produced, ‘My name is Kadi’?
Mohammed: ‘My name is Kadi’ is a fictional story I created to not only entertain but to also enlighten people on some morals of society. It was my first production but it did exceptionally well. It got three nominations at the Hollywood and African Prestigious Awards, 2017 in California and won “the Most Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture” category.
WM: What inspired you to do the movie?
Mohammed: The fight against corruption in our society inspired me to do the movie.
WM: You just premiered ‘Let Karma.’ What is the movie all about?
Mohammed: ‘Let karma’ is about infidelity. I read an article online where a woman said she would stay in her marriage regardless of her husband’s infidelity because husbands are hard to find and that caught my attention because I think it’s wrong to cheat for whatever reasons and no one should condone infidelity in marriage. That thought gave birth to ‘Let karma,’ a movie where I highlighted the consequences of infidelity. It featured the likes of Daniel k. Daniel, Blossom Chukwujekwu, Bisola Aiyeola, Keira Hewatch, Wole Ojo, Chuks Chyke and myself.
WM: Tell us about your latest movie, ‘Almost Perfect.’ What inspired you to do the movie?
Mohammed: ‘Almost Perfect’ is a political story inspired by the ongoing elections in the country. The story emphasizes the need to elect leaders who would have their followers’ interests at heart.
WM: What challenges have you faced as a producer and also as an actor?
Mohammed: As a producer, the challenges vary with each production but it has never been anything too much to handle. At times, it is with suitable locations to shoot and some financial challenges. As an actor there has not been any that I can remember.
WM: Having produced about three movies, have you started making money from these productions?
Mohammed: Yes, I have.
WM: Do you think the movie industry in Nigeria has reached its mark, in terms of production quality and also acting?
Mohammed: Reaching its mark depends on what yardstick you measuring with. All I can say proudly is that the Nigerian movie industry is far from where it was five years ago and it Is advancing over time.
WM: Have you starred in other movies apart from the ones you produced?
Mohammed: Yes, I have, in quite a number. Some are ‘Just the two of us’ where I was a good friend to a lady whose husband didn’t want her to be self-employed but I encouraged her by buying a sewing machine so that she could start sewing. I also starred in ‘School pool party’ where I was a student who sneaked out of school with some friends to attend a party that became disastrous.
I acted in ‘As crazy as it gets.’ There I was a girlfriend who was dumped for another woman. In ‘Filth’ I played the role of a lawyer handling cases of domestic abuse and rape who eventually became a victim as well. In ‘No more love’ I was a friend sleeping with my friend’s husband’s and ruined her wedding. (Laughter) It was crazy.
WM: Which big Nigerian actor would you like to act with and why?
Mohammed: The Nigerian actor I’d like to work with is Olu Jacob’s because I grew up having great admiration for his works.
WM: Who inspires you in the Nigerian movie industry?
Mohammed: Rita Dominic inspires me because it’s hard to rise in the industry and stay relevant for a long period of time but she has been able to do that. She inspires me to keep pushing.
WM: Where do you see yourself as a producer and actor in the next few years?
Mohammed: I see myself investing in other talented people who have been looking for an opportunity to showcase their talents either in acting or filmmaking and doing a lot of collaboration with Hollywood.
WM: You look very fashionable. Do you also have flair for fashion designing? Who designed your outfits for this photoshoot?
Mohammed: I love fashion a lot but not considering fashion designing yet. Producing and acting is a lot of work already so I’ll rather focus on that for now. I see a lot of Nigerian designers doing great and inventing their fashion and I admire them a lot. One of my favourites is Rare Vogue Couture and she made the clothes I used for this photoshoot.
WM: You are also into modelling, could you tell us about it?
Mohammed: I don’t model anymore and when I was, I was much younger. I just had a flair for models on covers of magazines and billboards and wanted to be like them.
WM: Tell us about your first day on set modelling. What was your experience like?
Mohammed: My first experience was incredible. It looked like I had been preparing for it all my life. It was for Vitafoam. So, all I had to do was sit, pose on a Vitafoam mattress with two other girls. We were three models sitting pretty on the mattress and it came out well.