Oluwatosin Enesi
Veteran Nollywood actor and filmmaker Antar Laniyan has shared some of the deeply personal sacrifices he made in the early days of his career, underscoring the intense demands of professionalism in the Nigerian film industry.
In a recent interview with media personality Seun Oloketuyi, Laniyan recounted a heartbreaking moment when he was forced to miss his father’s funeral due to a film commitment.
“An uncompromising producer, who had already paid me, insisted I had to be on set, so I couldn’t attend my father’s burial,” he revealed.
According to him, when he informed the production team about his father’s death and his need to travel for the funeral, they rejected his request. Determined to at least witness the event in some form, he arranged for his younger brothers to attend in his place and instructed them to record the burial on VHS.
Laniyan also shared another poignant experience involving his wife. Just before she was scheduled for a Caesarean section, he had to leave her at the hospital to honour a film shoot where industry colleagues like Joke Silva were already waiting on set.
“My wife told me to go and assured me everything would be fine,” he said, noting that renowned director Andy Amaenechi had to fast-track his scenes to enable him to return quickly. “I left around midnight and trekked from Ojuelegba to Mushin,” he added.
Reflecting on these experiences, Laniyan emphasized the importance of discipline and punctuality on set, noting that he has little tolerance for lateness or flimsy excuses.
“If you come late and start giving weak excuses, I’ll simply replace you with someone ready to work. I won’t waste more time, it’s about accountability,” he said.
Laniyan’s revelations shed light on the often-unseen sacrifices actors make behind the scenes and the uncompromising standards many uphold in pursuit of excellence in their craft.
Our Reporter
