Funke Akindele’s “Behind The Scenes” Becomes Highest-Grossing Nollywood Film Ever

Nollywood star Funke Akindele’s latest film, Behind The Scenes, has earned over ₦2 billion at the box office, making it the highest-grossing Nollywood film of all time, its distributor FilmOne Entertainment has said.

In a statement shared on X, the company declared the film the “highest-grossing Nollywood film of all time in Africa, the UK, and Ireland,” noting it is the first West African movie to cross the ₦2 billion mark.

“This is now a movement and we love to see it. From our hearts to yours, thank you for believing in the magic of storytelling and making history with us,” FilmOne wrote.

The film highlights the social and financial pressures faced by individuals providing for their extended family, many of whom feel entitled to support from more affluent relatives.

Reflecting on the creative process, Funke Akindele, who also plays the lead character Edetutu, said:
“Telling relatable stories is quite challenging. You have to put yourself in the shoes of the people who have gone through what you’re writing and it’s pretty challenging, especially when you’ve not experienced that before. You only use someone that it has happened to before. The research is deep.”

Akindele played multiple roles for the production, including actor, production designer, director, and executive producer.

She explained her motivation behind the project: “I wanted to tell an African story. I wanted to tell a story dear to a lot of people’s hearts. I wanted to tell a story that every member of the family has a take-home.”

The film also features appearances from actress Destiny Etiko and comedian Mr Macaroni.