Epic Movies Should Do More – Basketmouth Critiques Nollywood’s Cultural Representation

Nigerian comedian and filmmaker, Bright Okpocha, popularly known as Basketmouth, has criticized his colleagues for failing to showcase Nigeria’s rich culture in their films.

In an interview with Hip TV, Basketmouth expressed his disappointment with recent epic movies, claiming they do not adequately promote the country’s culture. He stated that many of these films lack authenticity and resemble stage plays rather than epic portrayals of Nigerian heritage.

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“I believe we still have the chance to get it right, but we’ve already had a great opportunity to showcase our culture, and most filmmakers blew it. I watch these epic movies, and I’m disappointed,” he said. “They just ruined a great chance. When I see them, they look like stage plays. Very few movies have impressed me so far, and I believe we can do better.”

Basketmouth also expressed hope that Nigerian filmmakers will have another opportunity to properly capture and represent the country’s culture through their work.

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In a separate interview with Arise TV, Basketmouth made shocking revelations about the mismanagement of funds by some Nollywood producers. According to him, streaming platforms allocate large sums of money to producers for movie production, but many filmmakers only use 10% of the funds for production, diverting the rest for personal luxuries such as buying houses and cars.

He also alleged that some producers pressure actors into sharing their earnings when streaming platforms bypass them to pay directly. While Basketmouth did not name specific individuals, he stated that the producers involved are well aware of their actions.

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