Beatrice Auta is an upcoming star in kannywood. The Taraba state born actress, in this interview with ALIYU ASKIRA narrates how she got into kannywood, the warm reception she received and other sundry issues.
Tell us briefly about yourself and how you get yourself into Kannywood
Well, let me start from the beginning. My names are Beatrice Auta from Taraba State. I am 30 years old. I attended Adeyemo College, Kaduna before proceeding to Kaduna State University where I obtained a degree in English Literature. One day, on may way to Kaduna State Ministry of Youths, Sports and Culture, I met with a crew of Kano-based Dadin-Kowa and Arewa 24 Television Houses. They actually came to audition new artist. I then decided to try my luck and luckily for me, I was the only one chosen and since then, I have been getting offers from the main Kannywood. I think so fat I featured in ‘Talatu Number 1’ alongside Ali Nuhu and later did another film with Adam A. Zango. I also participated in other films that are yet to be released but basically, I do television series for Dadin Kowa TV.
How fluent do you speak Hausa, because to act in Kannywood, one must speak Hausa fluently?
Well, I told you I am from Taraba but based in Kaduna. I am fully a Northerner and I speak Hausa Very well. One thing that even surprise me was that as a Christian, I was easily accepted into Kannywood which is 99.9% dominated by Muslims. Even from my first film, I related very well with the likes of Adam Zango, Ali Nuhu and other senior nembers in the industry. Ali Nuhu, for Example, that I used to hear people say all sort of things about, that he is pompous and what have you, but people need to meet Ali in person and know the type of person he is. He is a complete gentleman, very friendly and relate very well with whoever comes his way. I am looking forward to featuring in many films with him or other members of Kannywood that are first class stars.
You have a Degree in English language, and speaks the language with ease, if offer comes your way, will you act in Nollywood?
Well, I have very good friends in Nollywood, people like Emeka Ike, but the truth is, I am not interested in acting in Nollywood. The story I am hearing is that for a beautiful lady to be successful in Nollywood, she must be ready to sleep with directors or producers. Secondly, even if one will not compromise her body, the way they act and interpret their script is more or less like having real sex, one will not mind if it will end at only kissing and hugging. That is why I prefer Kannywood because one will marry one day and have children. You will be embarrassed if they watch your film with a man both of you almost naked in bed, though it is stage managed. Children may not understand, in Kannywood, we don’t even hold each other’s hands.
Are you married?
I have a fiancé, am into serious relationship. But definitely, there are some things about me which I don’t want people to read them on pages of Newspapers. However, I can only say I have a boy friend, he is more or less part of Kannywood. If I settle down and have children, if they want to take acting as a profession, I will allow them.
Can you marry a Muslim?
Well, it depends. I told you my grandfather was a Muslim, my father went to Islamiyya School later converted to Christianity and died as a Christian. So anything can happen but the truth is I am into serious relationship with somebody who promised to marry me and he is a Christian.
Most times on location, directors suspend activities temporarily to go and pray. How do you feel as a Christian?
First, I am deeply grateful that I was easily accepted into Kannywood in spite of religious background and since then, nobody has ever shown me differences based on religion and discriminate against me. In fact, as a lady, some of our colleagues do come to me for casual relationship without minding the fact that I am a Christian. But I think this is why it is always good for government to invest in entertainment industry so that they can use this opportunity to integrate Muslims and Christian. Government can use artists to easily pass messages to the society, including even their achievements and what they want to achieve. So Kannywood as a very big entertainment industry can be used by government for many purposes.
Whenever you go for film production outside Kaduna, you are normally put in hotels. How do you feel as a single lady staying in a Hotel?
When we go on location, we do things uniformly. If it is Hotel, the whole crew will stay in a hotel, when it is time for eating, we eat together. So far, I visited only Kano and Kaduna for film project. When am in Kaduna, I normally stay in our house. Also, when we are shooting film in Kano, I also have where I do stay, not necessarily in a Hotel. But basically, for one to put up in a hotel, does not mean that one is wayward.
You are 2 years old in Kannywood, what will you name as some of your material benefit?
First, I have fans all over the North. Whenever I go for shopping, people mostly pay my bills for me. Some will even ask for my number, some will tell me openly that they like me. Financially also, I won’t say I gained much because I am still new here but honestly I am not complaining. The way offers are coming my way, give me time you will see how I will blow. When you come here next time, I will be choosing which car to use to go and drop you, lolz. There is good money in the industry, and please tell those watching us that we are not prostitutes or cheap. We are only interpreting roles given to us by directors, so our life on stage is different from our real lives. After all, people do all they could to associate with us, some even marry us just to brag that they married a Hausa film star. So whoever is coming to us, please come with clean mind.
Before approaching you for this interview, I did my own investigation and discovered that you have two children both of them boys, is that true?
Hmmm. At times these are some of the things that scare us from talking to the press. If one has children, whether through wedlock or not, there is no way you will deny your children the motherhood or motherly love after all. The fact that I don’t live in isolation, I live in the midst of people and definitely one cannot hide if one marries before or one has children. As for your question, I have no comment but that’s a topic for another day.
Your colleagues have been commenting on the controversial Kano film project. What is your opinion about the cancellation of the Film project that was to be located in Kofa, Kano State?
I learnt that it was a Federal Government Project which was to be located in Kofa, Bebeji Local Government Area of Kano State, it will cost N3.5 billion and it will employ over 10,000 people, according to reports. I think these are projects that religious leaders, community leaders, and even state governors should struggle to ensure that such projects are located in their states, because it will create employment, cement cultural harmony, religious tolerant and what have you. As far as I am concerned, to kick against sighting such project in any state of the Federation is wrong. We have it in countries like Egypt and South Africa, our people use to spent lot of Dollars to go and train their people there. Now that President Buhari decided to establish one in Kano, we should be grateful to him. Unfortunately, the project was politicized and now I was told it has been relocated to Lagos. To me, it is a big loss if they don’t want it in Kano. We can have it in a state like Jos but all the same, since it was canceled based on religious consideration I will prefer to mind my business.
Apart from acting, what other things do you do for a living?
I am into petty business. I do travel to Lagos to buy goods and sell in the North but these days I am always on location doing one film or the other. I love acting, I am praying hard to be popular and be accepted by the society like Ali Nuhu, Sadiq Sani Sadiq, Sadiq Ahmad, Mai Shinku, Tijjani Asase. Then on the side of female artist, I want to be like Jamila Nagudu, Nafisa Abdullahi, Fati Washa, Halima Atete, Hadiza Gabon and host of others. They are many, that means I have a long way to go but I am growing steadily. In fact when I joined Kannywood newly, my mother used to go to our location and chase me away but with time, she has accepted that I can continue.
