Nollywood, is big business in Africa. They are the creators of Nigerian movies, whose popularity and fame have spread fast across the continent. Online streaming platforms Netflix and UNESCO are now seeking a breakthrough for African cinema. Our correspondent Louisa Olaniyi reports.

Redefining Nigeria's Nollywood | World of Africa

Indian-Nigerian restaurant owner Hamisha Daryani Ahuja gave up her long-running business to pursue her dream of making movies. 
Two years later, the 36-year-old will see her first feature film, the cross-cultural love story "Namaste Wahala", debut on Valentine`s Day on Netflix. 
 
The film, whose title translates in Hindi and Nigerian pidgin as `Hello trouble`, tells the tale of a Nigerian woman who falls in love with an Indian investment banker living in Lagos. The young couple faces a series of challenges - including their families - to be together.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wJzCtDD-FDQ" width="560"></iframe>

"I wanted to do something that will be more relatable so it is a full-on Nollywood movie, but I brought in some Indian actors to make it a little bit more fun," Daryani Ahuja, who directed, executive, produced and acted in the movie, told Reuters. 
 
"What I tried to do is the `90s style Bollywood ... the singing and dancing around trees. We have all of that. It is a very cheesy, mushy romantic drama." Born of Indian parents, Daryani Ahuja has lived most of her life in Nigeria.

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"I have lived in an Indian house, I know the Nigerian culture, the pidgin, the food and it is so interesting how even though everybody thinks with `Namaste Wahala` the cultures are different, we are actually so similar," she said. "We are actually all one, and that`s the whole theme of the movie." 
The 110-minute film stars Indian actor Ruslaan Mumtaz and Nigerian actress Ini Dima-Okojie in the lead roles. 
 
"It is very important to make films like this when you show cross-cultural love stories, because in every country ... people just separate each other as far as religion is concerned," Mumtaz said. "Especially in India, you can`t marry somebody if they are from a different religion or from a different caste."

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Mainly shot in English, the movie had a production team of more than 60 people across India and Nigeria. Production was completed before lockdowns made making movies difficult; the original release date was April. 
 
"The thing I love the most is the underlying messages which is the beauty in embracing your similarities, the beauty in embracing love even if you are from different backgrounds," Dima-Okojie said. 
 
Putting out hundreds of movies and television episodes a month, Nollywood is the world`s second most prolific film industry after India`s Bollywood. 
Nigeria has a growing base of Bollywood fans, who watch its sitcoms subtitled in English, and "Namaste Wahala" is creating a buzz online. 
Daryani Ahuja says she hopes to make a sequel in the coming months.

Indian-Nigerian restaurant owner Hamisha Daryani Ahuja gave up her long-running business to pursue her dream of making movies. Two years later, the 36-year-old will see her first feature film, the cross-cultural love story "Namaste Wahala", debut on Valentine`s Day on Netflix.

Indian-Nigerian restaurant owner Hamisha Daryani Ahuja gave up her long-running business to pursue her dream of making movies. Two years later, the 36-year-old will see her first feature film, the cross-cultural love story "Namaste Wahala", debut on Valentine`s Day on Netflix. The film, whose title translates in Hindi and Nigerian pidgin as `Hello trouble`, tells the tale of a Nigerian woman who falls in love with an Indian investment banker living in Lagos. The young couple faces a series of challenges - including their families - to be together. "I wanted to do something that will be more relatable so it is a full-on Nollywood movie, but I brought in some Indian actors to make it a little bit more fun," Daryani Ahuja, who directed, executive, produced and acted in the movie, told Reuters. "What I tried to do is the `90s style Bollywood ... the singing and dancing around trees. We have all of that. It is a very cheesy, mushy romantic drama." Born of Indian parents, Daryani Ahuja has lived most of her life in Nigeria. 'Malcolm & Marie' to 'The Girl on the Train': What to stream this February "I have lived in an Indian house, I know the Nigerian culture, the pidgin, the food and it is so interesting how even though everybody thinks with `Namaste Wahala` the cultures are different, we are actually so similar," she said. "We are actually all one, and that`s the whole theme of the movie." The 110-minute film stars Indian actor Ruslaan Mumtaz and Nigerian actress Ini Dima-Okojie in the lead roles. "It is very important to make films like this when you show cross-cultural love stories, because in every country ... people just separate each other as far as religion is concerned," Mumtaz said. "Especially in India, you can`t marry somebody if they are from a different religion or from a different caste." From Regina King to Chadwick Boseman: Black frontrunners of this award season Mainly shot in English, the movie had a production team of more than 60 people across India and Nigeria. Production was completed before lockdowns made making movies difficult; the original release date was April. "The thing I love the most is the underlying messages which is the beauty in embracing your similarities, the beauty in embracing love even if you are from different backgrounds," Dima-Okojie said. Putting out hundreds of movies and television episodes a month, Nollywood is the world`s second most prolific film industry after India`s Bollywood. Nigeria has a growing base of Bollywood fans, who watch its sitcoms subtitled in English, and "Namaste Wahala" is creating a buzz online. Daryani Ahuja says she hopes to make a sequel in the coming months.

Nollywood meets Bollywood in love tale 'Namaste Wahala'

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