Hafsat Ahmad Idris: Epitome of hardwork, resilient actress

By Aliyu Askira

Hafsat Ahmad Idris is one of the freshly new faces in the kannywood film industry. Cool, decent and good-looking, Hafsat debuted her acting career in the ‘Barauniya’, a film she played a lead role. She is also billed for another one which is coming out soon, ‘Yar Film’.
Hafsat, who, about two years ago, was a full housewife for nine years and was blessed with two children, a boy and a girl, joined the industry after she tried her hand in business, travelling most time from Oshogbo to Kano for business purposes.
However, despite doing better in business, Hafsat’s desire tilted towards becoming an actress. Originally, over the years, Hafsat had come to admire the acting skills of some Hausa actors and actresses.

She also has liking for some versatile directors and producers, like Ali Nuhu, king of Kannywood, Naziru Ahmad, king of Hausa Music. That liking did not spare prominent actors and actresses like Fati Washa, Jamila Nagudu, Nazifi Asnanic, A.S Maikwai, Hadiza Gabon, Nafisa Abdullahi, Adam Zango, Halima Atete, Fati Yola, Sani Danja, Nura Hussaini and host of others.

Narrating about the incident that led her to the industry, Hafsat said: “One day, when I visited Kano to buy a Handset from one Alhaji Ishaq at Farm Centre, I met some Kannywood members shooting film at the Centre. I there and then told Alhaji Ishaq that now that my marriage has crashed, I want to take up acting career in Kannywood.
Then he promised to link me up with one Yawale who is an in-law to Naziru Ahmad, one of the popular Hausa musicians.
“As God might have it, one day I was at the shop again for business when Alhaji Ishaq said to me: ‘Hafsat you have come at the right time, meet the Yawale I was telling you about that will link you up with Ali Nuhu who will pave way for you to join Kannywood with ease.’
“Two month after, I was informed that A.S Mai-kwai, Nazifi Asnanic and some other actors would be shooting a film somewhere around Tahir Guest Palace and that if I was interested and around, I could come over and meet them. That was how I was introduced to Nazifi Asnanic.

“After some discussion, Nazifi told me that there was a high budget film that would be coming up soon named ‘Barauniya’ that would feature Hauwa Waraka, Fati Yola, Ali Nuhu and several other A-grade actors and actresses and they wanted me to play the lead role.
“Then Abdulazeez Dan-small gave me the script of the upcoming film. I went home and read it over and over again,” emphasised the enthusiastic Hafsat.
Consequently, Hafsat’s promising dream began to look like a mirage as she stayed for about eight months nobody had called her or contacted her about the upcoming film she was to feature in.
Fortunately for Hafsat, her untoward piece of luck stroke when one day, Nazifi Asnanic called her and said: ‘Hafsat this one that you are not calling to say Hi or relate with some of our colleagues here don’t you think you will be easily forgotten?’
That call definitely set the tone for Hafsat’s dream because, “After the chat, Nazifi promised to reach out to me again.

“One day, he called me and invited me for rehearsal. That was the first time I was meeting with A S. Mai-kwai. But I never met Ali Nuhu who also was to play a prominent role in the film,” Hafsat quickly
recounted, nothing that she was earlier told not to be jittery before the award-winning actor, Ali Nuhu.

This concern must have stemmed from the long established fact that whenever budding actors and actresses like Hafsat were to feature alongside Ali Nuhu, they always felt jittery, just like the way Super
Eagles used to feel whenever they face Brazil.
“They then called Ali Nuhu and linked me up with him for a chat. Alhamdulillah, all of them were impressed. That was how I got my role in Barauniya’,” so was Hafsat’s beginning of sojourn into the
industry.
Obviously, this inroad was what had stirred a lot of murmur about how she easily found her way into the industry and was given a lead role in her first film and also a lead role in another film that is coming
out soon called “Yar Film” also by Abdulazeez Dansmall, and Nazifi Asnanic including Mai-kwai movies.

Hafsat did not bat an eyelid about such murmur. In stread, the ‘Barauniya’ and ‘Yar Film’ star stressed that she was impressed by the way she acted the film. Hence, “I would consider myself as a star, not
minding that I have only one film to my credit. Also, I am a long-ranger. I don’t mix with other members of Kannywood, except if we are to go on location.”
Hafsat have been single for the last two years. Speaking of her readiness to take the plunge again, she confessed that if marriage comes her way again, she would grab it with two hands because she
believes in family life. She believed in marriage because, “I came to this world through marriage institution and as a Muslim I will want to marry again and be happy possibly to bear more children again.”

Clearing the air on her decent and breed, Hafsat has this to say: “About my colour, I am not a half-breed. I am an indigene of Kano, born in Shagamu. I don’t bleach and I will not bleach in future. So
the way you see me is real.
“Lest I forget, let me inform my fans that am highly impressed so far with the way they have accepted me. Any where I go these days people would greet me as the star that appeared in ‘Barauniya’. But am not Barauniya ooo, it was just a film,” Hafsat noted.
Talking about her role in the film ‘Barauniya’, especially how she saved Hauwa Waraka from embarrassment when she stole a Handset in the film, she laughed and said, “as a professional thief in the film, whenever I see another thief I will recognize him or her.”