Kannywood Film: Ana Wata Ga Wata
I have been contemplating to write about the above titled film since the day I watched it – about a week or so ago. I have yet to do so knowing that my writing would anger or disappoint some people. Many among my readers would expect to read a fierce criticism, not praise or anything ‘objective’ from me. Hmm.
Since before its release, the film generated a lot of reactions – condemnations and controversies. To remind you, readers, that’s the film in which the actor, Rahama Sadau says something about “haqan rijiya”, which is a graphic insinuation of “the act”, in another word: sex. However, after its release, that scene as well as others were censored, though not by the Kano State Censorship Board. The filmmakers did that.
Generally speaking, the film is a delight watch. Hausa film audience should know one fact that art is in more ways than one incompatible with Islam or religion in general. I have not changed my view of Hausa film, but I have now realised that there’s no way an artist can be wholly didactic. He can yes educate via what’s known as Entertainment-Education format. The origin of art is to entertain, and everything else comes after.
Again, after a thorough research, I don’t think there is any mainstream film industry that produces films in a more compliant way with Islam than Kannywood. There’s still no – and there never will be, in sha Allah – conscious body contact between male and female characters, talk less of hugging, kissing, etc. The female actors still expose little part of their body compared to others, etc. As prudery as we are, many will be shocked to watch Pakistani, Afghan, Egyptian, Iranian, etc films. They are also Muslims, or ‘more’ so than us, as some of us wrongly think.
The subject matter of “Ana Wata Ga Wata is steadily becoming a commonplace in our midst. It’s about infidelity going on between a wife and the husband’s best friend. The duo have had fun before the friend met his tragic end. His wife put a poison when she visited her friend’s (Rahama’s) house and discovered that her husband is in the house. Couldn’t this have happened?
Yes, I don’t approve of the manner the film is presented in total but I doubt if many of us could have done it better. And lest you think somebody influence my thought, there’s nobody. I still oppose anything anti Islam, but I also realised that everything cannot be pro Islam as long as it’s called film/drama/playacting.
To pay our final tribute to the one (Aisha Dan Kano)that has given us endless witty, funny and of course, stunning lines and phrases we cannot stop quoting with family and friends, I have come up with a selection of some of her popular dialogues we cannot forget. It is not only what she says but also how she says it that always leaves people
Kannywood Scene 