Kannywood is the term used for the Hausa language movie industry.It is a part of the larger Nigerian cinema, known as Nollywood, which includes other production centres producing films in many other Nigerian languages.The name “Kannywood” is a portmanteau derived from Kano and Hollywood, the center of the American film industry. “Kannywood” has its origins in the late 1990s, when Sunusi Shehu of Tauraruwa Magazine created the term Kannywood and then it became the popular reference term for the industry in Northern Nigeria.
Just as we have actors and actresses who specialize in Yoruba and Igbo movie industries, we also have some who specialize in the Hausa film industry, popularly called Kannywood. We take a look at the 6 most famous Kannywood actors & actresses.
1.Ali Nuhu
Ali Nuhu is referred to as the “king of Kannywood or “Sarki Ali” by the media.Nuhu made his acting debut with the 1999 film Abin sirri ne. He is best known for his role in Sangaya, which became one of the highest-grossing Hausa films at the time.Ali Nuhu starred in several sequel films, including Azal, Jarumin Maza, and Stinda was awarded Best Actor in a supporting role during the African Movie Academy Awards in (2007). In 2019, Nuhu celebrated his 20th anniversary in the entertainment industry. He has appeared in about five hundred movies.He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential actors of all time in the history of Hausa Cinema, as well as Nigerian Cinema In terms of audience, size, and income, and he has been described as the most successful Hausa film star in the world.
2. Rahama Sadau
Rahama Ibrahim Sadau, rose to fame in late 2013 after joining the Kannywood movie industry with her first movie Gani ga Wane.speaks Hindi fluently. She won the Best Actress (Kannywood) at the City People Entertainment Awards in 2014 and 2015.By 2016 she was recognized as that years “Face of Kannywood. In October of the year,Sadau featured in a movie series on EbonyLife TV. In 2017, she formed a production company named Sadau Pictures where she produced her first movie, Rariya starring Ali Nuhu, Sani Musa Danja, Sadiq Sani Sadiq and Fati Washa.She is the owner of Sadau Movies and also has an endorsement with Maltina as an ambassador.
3. Yakubu Muhammad
Yakubu Mohammed started off in Kannywood in 1998 writing scripts and working behind the scene. Along the line, he got trained on the job whilst rising through the ranks, and in no time found himself calling the shots. Yakubu as a music artist has recorded over 1000 songs for film music and albums in Hausa and English. After working in the background for so long he got his first movie gig in Gabar Cikin Gida in 2013, where he got featured alongside his friend and partner Sani Musa Danja. He made a cross over to Nollywood in 2016 with a debut in Sons of the Caliphate together with his colleague Rahama Sadau, and also got featured in MTV’s Shuga and Lionheart.
4. Hadiza Aliyu
Hadiza Aliyu joined Kannywood after arriving in Nigeria from Gabon.She relocated from Adamawa to Kaduna, after deciding to join the Kannywood film industry. Hadiza made her debut in Artabu in 2009, and she quickly rose to prominence as one of the leading female stars in the Hausa film industry.She serves as an ambassador for MTN Nigeria and Indomie noodles company.Hadiza was named best actress in 2013 Best of Nollywood Awards.She has also won the 2nd Kannywood/MTN Awards in the year 2014,and presently serves as the founder of HAG Foundation.
5. Sani Musa Danja
Sani Musa Danja ventured into the Hausa movie scene in 1999 in Dalibai (student). Danja also produced and directed films, including Manakisa, Kwarya tabi Kwarya, Jaheed, Nagari, Wasiyya, Harsashi, Gidauniya, Daham, Jarida, Matashiya, and others. He made his 2012 Nollywood debut in Daughter of the River.
6. Maryam Booth
Maryam Ado Mohammed, popularly known as Maryam Booth is best known for her role in The Milkmaid (film) (2020), which was Nigeria’s representative for the best international feature category at the Academy Awards. For her role as “Zainab” in the film, she won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Maryam Booth and Rahama Sadau recently featured in a new movie titled, ‘The Two Aishas’. The movie is billed for a nationwide release on April 24 to celebrate the end of Ramadan.
