Why Kannywood is making more TV shows – Dorayi

Falalu Abubakar Dorayi is a leading Kannywood movie director, producer and actor. He is co-producer of the TV series ‘Gidan Badamasi.’ In this interview, he talks about the industry’s changing focus among other issues.

Weekend Magazine: ‘Gidan Badamasi’ TV series seems to have taken the attention of Hausa film fans. What really motivated you to go into its production?

Falalu Abubakar Dorayi: I’m known to be deeply involved in the conventional Hausa film making as a producer, director as well as an actor. However, it became clear to all of us in the industry that business is no longer as usual. The market is dwindling badly, our story quality is failing day by day and also patronage has become awful.

It became clear to us that, if we really want to remain in business, there is need for us to come up with a sustainable innovation. That was how I and Nazir Salihi Adam came up with the concept of ‘Gidan Badamasi,’ and lucky enough for us, we got the nod from Arewa24. We were able to have a successful season one and now season two is currently ongoing.

WM: What triggered season two?

Dorayi: As a practitioner, I owe it to myself to carve a way for the survival of Hausa film making. When it was clear that the TV series, ‘Gidan Badamas,’ had become a household name, it then became a task before us to give our best to it. In season two we introduced three new faces and the use of sophisticated equipment for good quality.

All we did was in line with our viewers’ demand. We have opened our doors for criticism, comments and recommendations. We have also made it a point to effectively adhere to constructive critics and implement recommendations.

WM: Has the TV show been worth it so far?

Dorayi: For now, the issue is not about what profit one makes or what amount of money is being invested in it. What we are after for now is to see that other practitioners see the success of what we are doing and follow. As I have stated earlier, the industry needs to be sustained and we have realized that the conventional film making can no longer do so.

We were left with the use of cinemas, online platforms and TV. The cinemas were not yielding the desired results. TV is what we are exploring currently and it has proven to be more reliable and dependable.

For us it is not an issue of making profit but a wake-up call to all practitioners to utilize the opportunity being provided by the TV stations that need to be explored. Moreover, the good news is that some have begun to see these opportunities. For instance, famous producer and director, Malam Aminu Saira, has joined us with his TV series ‘Labarina.’  We are hopeful that more are coming to join the success story wagon.

WM: Does that mean making movies is no longer practicable in Kannywood?

Dorayi: There are still those who produce films for either home or cinema consumption. It is still operational, but only to a certain level. We will not discourage those who still believe in it, but will continue to guide and encourage them to withstand the pressure of piracy which I know will continue to pose a threat. However, I believe gradually, they will come to terms with the need for other alternatives in order to stay afloat in the industry.

WM: What other thing would you say you have done differently in season two?

Dorayi: We camped over 70 artists, including our crew, for a month in Jigawa State to get season two ready. This shows how committed we are to have it done as expected with all the needed ingredients to make it a success.

We have auditioned the actors as well as changed roles for some who were known for a particular role. We have also introduced new characters to well-known Kannywood actors, and to God be the glory our fans appreciate the move we have made.

WM: Can the TV series be sustained over time?

Dorayi: ‘Gidan Badamasi’ TY series is not ours; it has ceased to be ours since. It now belongs to our fans worldwide, and it is for them to decide how long it needs to run. That was why we gave them room to be part of us in framing and making contributions to the show’s making. We try to ensure we don’t use vulgar language or violence in the series as requested by our fans and that has given them a sense of ownership to the TV series.