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Despite all the negatives associated with Nigeria, one aspect of Nigeria has continued to thrive and place Nigeria in a positive light. The Entertainment industry has always found a way to relieve Nigerians of all the stress as a form of escapism.
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Especially, Nollywood stands out in all of these. It is all back to back awesome projects that should be competing on the international stage in no distant time. The focus today is Namaste Wahala (Hello Trouble), a movie that was released on the 1st of December 2020 and made its Netflix debut on the 14th February 2021, Valentine’s Day. Directed and produced by Indian born, Nigerian based Hamisha Daryani Ahuja, Namaste Wahala is a Bolly-Nollywood combo. The story is very much relatable as it deals with intersectional marriage restrictions. Two people (Didi and Raj) try to manoeuvre the hurdles associated with marrying across races. In the Nigerian system, we see it in inter-ethnic marriages. Though times have changed, however, restrictions in relation to inter-ethnic marriages still persist.
Netflix
Raj(Ruslaan Mumtaz) is an Indian who works in Nigeria but meets Didi (Ini Dima-Okojie) by fate while taking a run at the beach. They both connect immediately and would have to weather every storm that attempts to separate them.
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Raj’s mother, Neera (Sujata Sehgal) wants her son to get married to Sunita whom she has prepared for him back home in India. While Didi is a product of an intersectional marriage; her father is an Igbo man who got married to her mother, a Yoruba woman, however, Ernest(Richard Mofe-Damijo), Didi’s father mandates her to get married to Somto (Ibrahim Suleiman), a top lawyer in his firm.
Hamisha Daryani Ahuja Namaste Wahala
LifeStyle Asia
He doesn’t have a son, so he wants Somto to continue his legacy as a son-in-law. Thus, he wouldn’t hear of an Indian as a son-in-law. Ironically, Ernest and shola (Ajoke Silva), Didi’s mother are both product of the struggles and restrictions associated with intersectional marriages. While Did’s father is worried about family legacy and a lawyer son-in-law, Raj’s mother is worried about maintaining the Indian culture and tradition, which she feels Didi would not fulfil to the best of her abilities. This romcom is a fusion of the typical Nigerian love story and the colourfully beautiful zee world shenanigans. The acting is original and the storyline is relatable and not convoluted. NAMASTE WAHALA (2021 NEW NETFLIX NOLLYWOOD/BOLLYWOOD MOVIE) - LATEST NIGERIA MOVIE - YouTube This is a must-watch. You won’t regret it as at the end of the day, Hamisha Daryani Ahuja was able to reiterate the fact that we are first humans before whatever, religion, ethnic group, race or profession we belong to. Namaste Wahala, since appearing on Netflix, has reminded in the top 10 both internationally and in Nigeria. Featured Image Source: LifeStyle Asia
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This article was first published on 24th February 2021

chidozie-ahaneku

I am a poet. I am a moderate thinker who abhors radicalism on every front and believes that most things are relative. I am a social and political critic. I love writing, reading and international politics.

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