Toyin Abraham’s Yetunde Animashaun from the Alakada franchise is returning to our screens. The franchise has been a cash cow for Abraham, so this is hardly surprising. While Fate of Alakada: The Party planner comes with the usual comic star—Broda Shaggi, Sanyeri, Alex Ekubo and Instagram comedian Sydney Walker—the surprise here is the critically acclaimed director of Oga Bolaji, Kayode Kasum, who’s been hired to direct.
“My journey into filmmaking started from watching Yoruba films at home with my mum and grandma,” an excited Kasum wrote on his Instagram. “The smile those films put on their faces inspired me to go into filmmaking. Through this journey of honing my skills and learning my craft, I have opened myself to taking on challenges; so when Toyin Abraham contacted me to direct Alakada: The Party Planner, I saw it as a privilege to take on a new challenge.”
Kasum is not new to comedy, but an indigenous comedy with a famous caricaturist central character is new for him. However, the Sugar Rush director is enthusiastic about the challenge. “It made me nervous at first because this meant I had to make a better story with a character that the audience is familiar with,” he writes. “But I am confident and excited about the outcome because the scriptwriters have done a great job!”
Kasum will be working with a screenplay from Ozioma Ogbaji (Winner, Accelerate Filmmaker Project 2018) and Moshood Yakub Olawale. His friend, Emmanuel Igbekele Odihiri, will be handling the film’s cinematography.
It will be interesting to see what this crew of young filmmakers will bring to a franchise that has always been faulted for being unimaginative. Fate of Alakada: The Party planner will be in cinemas from April 10, 2020.