Nollywood actor Gabriel Afolayan has emphasised the importance of constructive criticism in the film industry, stressing that honest feedback is essential if Nollywood is to evolve and reach greater heights.
Speaking in an interview with Punch, the thespian underscored the need for honest feedback in Nollywood. He said, “Criticism is needed. How do we get better if people are not ready to talk about what we are doing? Both the audience and filmmakers have to come together.”
Afolayan further noted that the Nigerian film industry can explore every genre, including action films. He said,
“Nollywood is ready for everything. Trust me, we need to keep serving. You don’t know how intelligent people are until you create something that will blow their minds. Even if you believe you’ve made a great film, until an audience watches it and decides whether it’s good or not, nothing else really matters. I feel our audience is ready for everything we have to give them.”
The actor went on to commend the intelligence and discerning nature of Nigerian audiences across all walks of life. He said,
“The taste buds of Nigerians when it comes to different movie genres are very sharp. You see people in the medical field analysing films as if they were part of the production. Ordinary people dissect movies, and you’ll be amazed. You know why? Because we make these films for them. A film doesn’t belong to the filmmaker; they are just instruments the universe uses to put it together. And because they love the film, they’ll put money in your pocket as a filmmaker. But even after you release a film, you won’t make anything from it until the audience says it is good enough.”
