Yaseen Auwal is an indigene of Kano State. He did both his primary and secondary school education in Kano before proceeding to Bayero University Kano to study Mass Communications up to degree level. Presently, he works with Kano State Government in the office of the Head of Service.
But because of an interest, he developed a long time ago, to be a film producer, he joined the famous Kannywood industry and was taught the techniques of film directing by some Kannywood directors like Ishaq Sidi Ishaq. Since then, he has become like a hot cake in Kannywood most producers prefer him to direct their films for them but he has other successful directors that he relate within Kannywood namely:- Ali Gumzak Sak, Falalu Daurayi, Adam Zango, Habu Sarki, Ali Nuhu, Mustapha Musty, and Aminu Saira.
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Yaseen Auwal spoke with Neptune Prime’s correspondent, Saleh Inuwa last week in Kano on several issues including his role as director, money, fame, women, challenges, and problems confronting the industry.
EXCERPTS OF THE INTERVIEW
Neptune Prime: Tell us specifically why you prefer to direct films rather than being an actor since you are handsome and your face will sell movies?
Auwal: First, let me thank the likes of Ishaq Sidi Ishaq who taught me the techniques of directing films. My name is Yaseen Auwal an indigene of Kano State and I graduated from Bayero University Kano where I read Mass Communication. Well, I prefer to direct films because as an actor, I will only be interpreting scripts but as a director, if I see a script that is not according to our moral values, I will not direct the film again. As a director, once I read your scripts I will be able to advise you on responsible actors and actresses to use including the costume that they will wear. This will enable me to bring discipline and sanity into the industry.
NP: Your film Mati da Lado is so successful that people wants to know more about your reason for producing the film because in it, you try to educate people about the nitty-gritty of Islamic Religion?
Auwal: The film Mati da Lado was a continuation of another film Wani Gari and in Wani Gari, we try to educate people on some vices that are commonly overlooked in our society that you can even capture from the song which was produced by Naziru Ahmad. When Wani Gari became successful, we later produced Mati da Lado and now we have completed the final part Mati a Zazzau. In some cases, we change the actors and actresses but we try to retain the main characters so that people will not lose interest in the film. After Mati da Lado which we produced in Jos, one Islamic Scholar called me and pointed out some mistakes we made in the film that touches on religion and I quickly realized that it is true. During the shooting of the film, I was hospitalized and after I recovered on my way to the location, I had an accident again.
NP: These days that jobs are not easy to come by pretty ladies all over the North are always trooping to Kannywood for one role or the other, some are even prepared to compromise their body for a role, how do you cope with this?
Auwal: First, I am a Muslim from a humble family. I am married to a woman that I love and let me tell you there is no way you will be going after these girls that people will not know. But generally as a person, I have no time to flirt, I combine Civil Service work with directing and I am always busy travelling from one place to the other to be a successful person in life so I have no time to play around. Once you are good I will give you a role, after the work, we pay you and that is the end. Maybe we may not even see until another work comes up, I directed several films that I have even lost count of my films but go and ask my professional colleagues they will tell you the type of person I am.
NP: These days, Kannywood do produce films that do attract condemnations from the society especially from Ulamaas, actresses these days use tight or transparent costume to expose their body, are you worried?
Auwal: Well, it is good that whenever we produce a film that is not according to the norms of our society, we used to be criticized but as for me, I never directed a film that Kano State Censorship Board had reason to quarrel with it. I told you earlier I always have it at the back of my mind that I am a northerner, a Muslim and a family man. I will not do anything that will embarrass my religion but mind you, because of my confidence in the industry, if in future, my children decide to go into acting I will allow them, but first they have to be properly educated in Islamic and western education. I will also not mind to marry from Kannywood if God wishes.
NP: Tell us the actors and actresses you enjoyed working with?
Auwal: Don’t put me in trouble, we have plenty of respected and responsible actors and actresses in the industry as such, I cannot mention names. About people refusing to marry from Kannywood, please go and watch the film Yar’ Film in which Hafsat Idris played the lead role, some of us here are vast in religious knowledge and were properly brought up. Rahama Hassan has just married a successful businessman from Zaria, he was a former adviser to vice president Namadi Sambo and now he is an adviser to the Taraba State Governor. We also have several female actresses that got married and stay put so we are not what people are thinking of us, some still have the impression that we are here to mess around. We have passed that stage, Kannywood is growing fast with time, and there is a lot of money to be made here, about politics I will not join politics to contest for an elective office but I have a politician that I admire, a very popular politician but don’t ask me his name.
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