We can’t use NDC actors –Kumawood producers

The Twi movie industry, Kumawood, has gained an unenviable reputation for blacklisting players, especially actors who don’t live up to the status quo.

Actor Clement Bonney, popularly known as Mr Beautiful learned this lesson the hard way when he was frozen out of the industry for declaring his support for the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

And while the criticisms may hurt them, Kumawood producer, Paul Adjei of Paul Gee Films has disclosed that it is not their fault for not casting NDC actors because Kumasi is a New Patriotic Party (NPP) stronghold and it will be difficult to sell movies with them in it.

“Kumasi is a strong NPP base so if you are an actor and you come out to support the NDC, you are likely to get sidelined which is no fault of ours.

“It is the aim of every movie producer to make money and if the producer knows the movie won’t sell then it is better it doesn’t come out at all,” he told Graphic Showbiz recently.

Paul Gee explained that movie lovers in Kumasi have no problem with actors who have not come out publicly to support a political party but once an actor shows his/her preference public, especially if it is for the NDC, then he/she must be ready to bear the consequences.

“The marketers of our movies make us aware that because there are some characters in the movie who belong to the NDC, they don’t want to buy the movies. We have no option than to stop casting such actors,” he said.
 
Paul Gee advised actors not to make their political affiliation public because it will cost them. “The non partisan actors are living their lives, making all the money, while those who have publicly come out are suffering.”

Mustapha Adams of A.A Productions expressed similar sentiments, saying if the masses are against a particular actor, there was no way he would use such an actor.

“No serious producer will continue using an actor the masses are against. No matter how good the actor is, if he campaigns for a political party, especially the NDC, because Kumasi is an NPP stronghold, there is no way I am going to use that actor,” he said.

Sharing his opinion on the issue, movie producer Ola Michael said the marketers are the main problem.

“I stopped producing movies for two years because of the sabotage. Because I speak for the NDC, the marketers told me the movie lovers will not be interested in purchasing my movies.

“I produced about nine movies before this whole thing started. It was a deliberate attempt to kick me out so I had to put a stop to producing movies because I was told they will not buy them,” he said.

According to Ola Michael, who is also an entertainment pundit, most of the marketers in Kumasi are members of the NPP and they rather decide for the public.

“It is the people from the Western Region who purchase our movies more followed by the people of Ashanti. The marketers cannot think for the public but unfortunately, that is what they do. I don’t know if things have changed because I stopped producing for two years and just came back this year,” he said.