Funke Akindele’s Behind the Scenes Becomes Nollywood’s Fastest N1 Billion Film

Funke Akindele has once again set a new benchmark in Nigerian cinema as her latest film, Behind the Scenes, emerges as the fastest Nollywood movie to cross the N1 billion mark at the West African box office. The film achieved the milestone just 19 days after its release and has since grossed over N1.1 billion, cementing its place as one of the most commercially successful Nigerian films of all time.

Released nationwide on 12 December 2025, Behind the Scenes opened to impressive audience turnout across major cinema chains in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Accra. It recorded one of the strongest opening weekends of the year and sustained its momentum throughout the high traffic Christmas and Boxing Day period. Earlier in its run, the film also became the fastest Nollywood production to reach N500 million.

Story and Themes

Behind the Scenes is a drama centred on Aderonke Ronky Fella Faniran, a successful real estate entrepreneur whose generosity and willingness to help others begin to take a toll on her personal life. As family members, friends, and associates place increasing demands on her time, finances, and emotional energy, Aderonke is forced to confront the consequences of weak personal boundaries.

The film explores themes of emotional labour, family pressure, responsibility, trust, and the hidden cost of success, particularly for women in leadership and high achievement roles. Its narrative has resonated strongly with audiences, many of whom describe it as a reflection of everyday social realities.

Production and Cast

The film was produced by Funke Akindele alongside Wendy Uwadiae Imasuen and co directed by Akindele and Tunde Olaoye. Akindele also served as the film’s writer, supported by a team of screenwriters and creative consultants. Visually, the production blends contemporary urban settings with intimate family spaces, reinforcing the contrast between public success and private strain.

Scarlet Gomez leads the cast as Aderonke, supported by an ensemble of Nollywood stars including Iyabo Ojo, Tobi Bakre, Uzor Arukwe, Destiny Etiko, Uche Montana, Mr Macaroni, Ini Dima Okojie, and Ibrahim Chatta. Funke Akindele appears in a supporting role, adding depth to the ensemble rather than taking the lead.

Audience Reception and Industry Impact

Viewers have praised the film for its emotional depth and realistic portrayal of family dynamics. Conversations on social media have focused on how generosity, when unchecked, can become a burden, and how societal expectations often fall heavily on successful individuals.

Celebrating the film’s success, Akindele wrote in a social media post, Forever grateful to God and my fans. Thank you for the love and support over the years. Big thanks to the distributors, cast, crew, and colleagues.

Behind the Scenes was released during a highly competitive December cinema season, alongside films such as This Is Not a Nollywood Movie, A Very Dirty Christmas, Oversabi Aunty, and Colours of Fire. Despite the crowded release window, the film maintained strong daily earnings and remained among the top performing titles throughout the holidays.

Breaking Records and Ongoing Conversations

While Behind the Scenes continues to dominate the box office, some filmmakers with movies screening alongside it have raised concerns about cinema scheduling and time slot agreements. Producers including Niyi Akinmolayan, Ini Edo, and Toyin Abraham have publicly advocated for distributors to honour agreed screening times to allow all films a fair chance to break even.

The success of Behind the Scenes further solidifies Funke Akindele’s position as Nollywood’s highest grossing producer and director. With this film becoming her third to cross the N1 billion mark, she is now the only Nigerian filmmaker to achieve the milestone three times.

Industry analysts note that the film’s record breaking performance reflects a growing appetite for locally produced content and an increasing willingness among Nigerian audiences to support theatrical releases. As Behind the Scenes continues its strong run, it stands as both a commercial triumph and a cultural conversation starter within Nollywood.