Folagade Banks to release first of Mama Deola’s franchise with star actors

Popular skit maker and filmmaker Folagade Banks is set to release the first instalment of his Mama Deola movie franchise, A Mama Deola Wedding Story, featuring an array of Nollywood stars and what he described as one of the industry’s most ambitious productions.

The entertainer, whose real name is Abiri Tobi Folagade and who is widely known for his comic character Mama Deola, announced the project on his Instagram page, saying the film marks the beginning of a movie franchise centred around the beloved character.

The forthcoming movie boasts a star-studded cast including Shaffy Bello, Toyin Abraham, Bukky Wright, Akin Lewis, Erica Nlewedim, Omowunmi Dada, Rotimi Salami and veteran actress Idowu Phillips, popularly known as Mama Rainbow, among other actors.

One of the movie’s highlights is a lavish wedding scene involving more than 600 cast members, which Folagade Banks described as the biggest wedding sequence ever staged in a Nollywood production.

According to him, the elaborate wedding between the lead characters, Demilola and Femi, took about 20 hours of continuous filming and required the coordination of hundreds of actors and extras.

Expressing excitement over the production, the filmmaker said the project surpassed his expectations, especially as a first-time movie producer.

“I am so proud of myself! This is the biggest wedding scene you have ever seen in a movie. We created a whole wedding. We had over 600 cast on set yesterday and shot the scene for 20 hours straight. For a first-time movie producer, I can’t believe I handled all of this. Thank you Lord,” he wrote.

Folagade Banks described A Mama Deola Wedding Story as a landmark production that would deliver a cinematic experience unlike anything audiences have seen in Nollywood.

“A Mama Deola Wedding Story is a monumental movie. You won’t believe how amazing this movie is. Something like you have never seen before,” he added.

The film is directed by veteran actor and filmmaker Femi Adebayo, whose recent productions have earned commercial success and critical acclaim, adding to expectations surrounding the project.

Folagade Banks also appreciated Whitestone Place for hosting the large-scale production and Decors and Colors for creating the elaborate wedding set, noting that their support helped bring his vision to life. Although a release date has yet to be announced, the combination of a star-studded cast, large-scale production and the launch of the Mama Deola franchise has already generated excitement among movie lovers and industry stakeholders.