Veteran Nollywood actor Jide Kosoko has opened up about a costly cinema experience that left him and his investors counting their losses.
The actor revealed that his movie, Leko Esu Gbayi, cost more than ₦300 million to produce and release.
Despite the huge investment, the film failed to earn enough money to recover the amount spent.
Kosoko explained that the project was a business deal involving investors who expected returns, not a simple act of financial support.
Speaking during an interview, the veteran actor described how the cinema release ended without the financial success they had hoped for.
“They did business, and we took the film to the cinema. Different things happened.”
When asked about the outcome, Kosoko admitted that the film’s earnings fell short of their investment.
The little revenue generated was shared among those involved.
“We didn’t earn our money, and the little we earned was split,” he lamented.
The actor also used humour to describe how the experience had affected him financially.
He sang about dancing despite being in debt, before clarifying that the situation was not exactly about owing money.
“As I am, if you hear someone with debt dancing, it’s me,” he sang.
Kosoko explained that the people who worked on the production had received payment for their services.
However, the movie did not bring the financial breakthrough its backers expected.
The experience, he suggested, remained on his mind as he reflected on the outcome of the investment.
During the interview, Kosoko was asked about the cinema earnings and how the money was distributed.
He acknowledged the significant costs faced by cinema operators.
“I won’t deceive anyone, but truly, those who own the cinemas have huge investments,” he said.
The revelation highlights the financial risks involved in taking Nigerian films to cinemas.
