Funke Akindele’s ‘Behind The Scenes’ redefines Nollywood Box Office success

By Perekeme Odon

FILMONE Entertainment, the West African distributor of Funke Akindele’s Behind The Scenes, has announced that the film has now grossed five hundred and fourteen million naira (₦514,000,000), making it the fastest Nollywood film to reach the five hundred million naira milestone.

What is it about Behind The Scenes that enabled it to break box office records, achieving such a feat in just 12 days? Is Funke Akindele employing strategies that her peers are yet to master? And why has no other film surpassed the seven hundred million naira mark, even in the absence of a new release from Akindele?

The previous benchmark was set by Toyin Abraham’s Alakada: Bad and Boujee, which grossed five hundred million naira, securing its position as the fifth highest-grossing Nollywood film of all time. The announcement was made on Tuesday, March 19, 2025, by FilmOne Entertainment, the distribution company behind the film.

Akindele’s success is no accident. She has consistently demonstrated a mastery of the Nigerian box office landscape, one that could easily be taught in business schools. As I often tell my students and colleagues, the best films do not always achieve commercial success. Popularity, emotional connection with audiences, and strategic promotion determine a film’s performance.

Since July 2025, Akindele has actively marketed and promoted Behind The Scenes, despite its scheduled release in December 2025. Her early and meticulous efforts included daily social media campaigns, visually striking promotional materials featuring the cast, and the organisation of watch parties in cinemas and private venues. This approach ensured constant audience engagement and anticipation.

A closer look at her strategy reveals a combination of professional marketing and personal involvement. Beyond hiring marketers, advertisers, and influencers, Akindele and her team personally reached out to fans both online and on the streets, distributing merchandise such as t-shirts and caps to cultivate loyalty and excitement. In contrast, many filmmakers have released films with minimal promotion, relying solely on their reputation, only to be surprised by disappointing turnout.

The recurring claim that Nigerian cinema houses are undermined by clandestine deals or unfair practices is, in reality, a convenient myth. Such narratives absolve filmmakers from the hard work of understanding their audiences, planning releases, and investing in promotion. Industries do not grow on rumours; they grow through discipline, strategy, and a clear understanding of market dynamics. Nollywood will not be strengthened by suspicion but by filmmakers who take responsibility for their craft and business acumen.

The commercial triumph of Behind The Scenes comes amid rising production costs and increased pressure on filmmakers to justify budgets through box office returns. Its rapid success underscores the enduring appetite for Nigerian stories that resonate with wide audiences. This is not the first time Akindele has dominated the commercial box office. Her record-breaking titles include Everybody Loves Jenifa (2024), grossing over one billion eight hundred million naira (₦1,800,000,000), A Tribe Called Judah (2023), the first to surpass one billion naira (₦1,000,000,000) and Battle on Buka Street (2022), which earned approximately six hundred and sixty-eight million naira (₦668,000,000).

Cinema, fundamentally, is a business. Screens are limited, overheads are substantial, and operational costs are high. Programming decisions follow audience demand. To attribute underperformance to conspiracies is to misunderstand both economics and history. Exhibitors prioritise audiences, not sentiment, and commercial success or failure is often a reflection of preparation rather than misfortune.

Likewise, attributing success to supernatural or unethical means diminishes the accomplishments of filmmakers. Achieving repeated commercial triumph is rarely a matter of luck; it is the product of audience trust, compelling storytelling, targeted marketing, and strategic timing. Nollywood must learn to recognise visible achievement as a result of discipline rather than dismissing it through speculation.

The future of Nollywood lies in the hands of filmmakers who invest in quality scripts, understand their audience, budget responsibly, and select appropriate distribution channels. Not every film is suited to theatrical release; some stories thrive better on streaming platforms or online, where consistent engagement matters more than opening weekend hype. Sustainable growth demands strategic discernment.

Infrastructure expansion is also crucial. Nigeria requires more screens, community cinemas, and modest local auditoriums alongside luxury mall-based venues. Such an ecosystem would democratise access, reduce scheduling pressure, and create space for diverse content, ensuring that success is determined by quality rather than scarcity of exhibition.

Akindele’s dedication extends even to the minutiae of production. Her investment in photoshoots alone exceeds the combined marketing budgets of all December 2025 cinema releases. She ensures that every aspect of her films—from wardrobe to set design—is meticulously executed, enhancing the overall appeal.

Professional maturity demands abandoning the myth of persecution. Industries more often penalise incompetence than honesty. Filmmakers who invest adequately in promotion, respect their audiences, and deliver quality are rewarded by cinemas. Word of mouth remains the most decisive regulator. No marketing can salvage a weak film, and no conspiracy can suppress a strong one for long. Audiences make their choices with wallets and time, not obligation.

Successful industries operate on portfolio thinking. Not every project must succeed individually, but a strong body of work builds resilience and leverage. Funke Akindele’s consistent strategy, disciplined approach, and willingness to invest heavily have made her an unstoppable force, one on whom investors can reliably count for return on investment.

Nollywood now stands at a crossroads. The industry can either professionalise its conversations or sensationalise its anxieties. Cinemas are not adversaries, platforms are not conspirators, and fellow filmmakers are not rivals by occult. The true threat is stagnation masquerading as moral panic. By prioritising growth over grievance, investment over insinuation, and strategy over suspicion, Nollywood will not merely survive; it will mature into the global cultural force it has always promised to become.

* Odon is a Nigerian filmmaker