Folagade Banks sets Nollywood record with 600-cast wedding scene in new movie – Daily Trust

Popular skit maker and filmmaker, Folagade Banks, has announced what he described as the biggest wedding scene ever staged in a single Nollywood production, revealing that more than 600 cast members participated in a major sequence for his forthcoming movie, ‘A Mama Deola Wedding Story’.

The entertainer, whose real name is Abiri Tobi Folagade and who is widely known for his comic character Mama Deola, disclosed the feat in a post shared on his Instagram page on Wednesday.

According to him, the elaborate wedding sequence, which centres on the union of the movie’s lead characters, Demilola and Femi, took about 20 hours of continuous filming and involved hundreds of actors and extras.

Expressing excitement over the achievement, Folagade Banks said the scale of the production surpassed anything he had previously undertaken, especially as a first-time movie producer.

“I am so proud of myself! This is the biggest wedding scene you have ever seen in a movie. We created a whole wedding. We had over 600 cast on set yesterday and shot the scene for 20 hours straight. For a first-time movie producer, I can’t believe I handled all of this. Thank you Lord,” he wrote.

The filmmaker further described A Mama Deola Wedding Story as a landmark project, promising audiences a cinematic experience unlike anything previously seen in Nollywood.

“A Mama Deola Wedding Story is a monumental movie. You won’t believe how amazing this movie is. Something like you have never seen before,” he added.

The ambitious project is directed by veteran actor and award-winning filmmaker Femi Adebayo, whose involvement has further heightened expectations for the movie. Adebayo is widely regarded as one of Nollywood’s leading directors, known for delivering commercially successful and critically acclaimed productions.

The wedding scene, which depicts the highly anticipated marriage ceremony between Demilola and Femi, is expected to serve as one of the central highlights of the movie, bringing together an unusually large gathering of cast members in a bid to recreate a grand Nigerian wedding atmosphere.

Folagade Banks also acknowledged the contributions of key partners who helped bring the ambitious vision to life. He praised Whitestone Place for accommodating the large-scale production and commended Decors and Colors for designing the wedding setting.

“Thank you so much @whitestoneplace for joining to achieve this. Your space was built to accommodate this dream. @decorsandcolors, thank you for this beautiful decoration and for doing this with us,” he stated.

The forthcoming movie boasts an impressive lineup of Nollywood stars, including Shaffy Bello, Toyin Abraham, Bukky Wright, Akin Lewis, Erica Nlewedim, Omowunmi Dada, Rotimi Salami and Mama Rainbow, among others.

Industry observers say the production reflects the growing ambition of Nigerian filmmakers, who are increasingly investing in larger sets, expansive casts and more elaborate storytelling in a bid to raise the standard of local productions and compete on a global stage.

Although an official release date has yet to be announced, anticipation is already building among fans of the Mama Deola brand, many of whom have followed Folagade Banks from his social media comedy skits to the big screen.

With Femi Adebayo directing, a star-studded cast and a record-setting wedding sequence, A Mama Deola Wedding Story is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated Nollywood releases of the year.