Saeed Muhammed, a.k.a Funky Mallam is a graduate of Mass Communication from Bayero University, Kano. He has featured in a lot of movies but he is more popular as the TV series Mallam. He recently spoke with Naij.com the gains and pains of being an actor plus how being an actor broke his first marriage. He also unveiled his wife-to-be.
Funky Mallam
How has been the movie industry?
It has been great and a lot of things have been happening, more investors have been coming too, a lot of improvement.
You are more of a TV series actor than movie actor?
That was before Nollywood pick up to international level. I have shot a lot of movies, prominent one among them is October 1, The Department, Unspoken, among others.
Being stereotyped in the industry how good has it being for you?
It has its positive part and at the same time the negative. If you are being stereotyped in a particular role, you end up having no competitor. So it takes you to a lot of places but limits your ability and opportunity of getting so many other things to do. Sometimes people think that is the only thing you can do. And thank God I was able to break that jinx when I started doing some other things even in the TV series if you watch Emerald you will see I played a police detective who spoke very fluently,in The Department, I played the role of a multibillionaire who just came back from abroad.
What have been your challenges so far?
My challenge so far has is being stereotyped. Most producers don’t believe that I can switch to any other role because of that mallam thing. The other challenges are what we all know like you spending more days than you are supposed to spend on location.
How much has the movie industry fetched you?
The movie industry has fetched me a lot. Sometimes you don’t count the monetary aspect; at times the gain is the publicity aspect and the endorsement that comes with it which then transforms to millions for you. You know you can compare the money you make in movies to the one you make when you are endorsed.
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How many endorsements do you have?
I have two so far, Glo and then so many other things are still coming.
Which movie brought you to the limelight?
What brought me to limelight is a sitcom, Paradise Park that was my debut in sitcom and after that was TV comedy show, Laugh Line after that came Face2Face that shot me like a catapult to limelight.
How do you juggle being a family man with the movie industry?
I was married before now but we got divorced about 4 years ago though I am planning to get married this year. What happened was that my ex-wife said if she had known that I am into acting or I am a celebrity she wouldn’t have married me. But that is a flimsy excuse because I told her the truth before she got married to me and she knows what I do. But the main problem was incompatibility so we decided to free ourselves since we were no longer compatible again.
Do you have children together?
We have a son.
So who is the lucky lady?
She will soon come in and when we get married you will know her. I could have married her this December but for some things. Not to worry, early next year we are getting married. I love to have a quiet marriage; sometimes making too much noise affects marriages. I have seen a lot of marriages that make too much noise and it doesn’t last.
But I will keep your wife name secret?
Ok, I am getting married to Aisha Ahmed Bello.
Where did you meet her?
We met in Abuja but she is from Adamawa state, Yola.
Where are you from?
I am from Adamawa/ Kano. She grew up and lives in Abuja.
Now that you are getting married to Abuja big girl, where are you guys going to settle down after your wedding?
We are settling in Lagos.
What was the major attraction?
The major attraction is that she is nice, understanding and very educated and she appreciates everything that I do.
Is she also an entertainer?
No, she is not but she follows all my movies and she really appreciates it.
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