Bisola Aiyeola, Ikubese, others star in A Simple Lie

It’s another exciting season for the cineaste and movie lovers alike in Nigeria, as renowned Nollywood filmmaker, Biodun Stephen, is back with another blockbuster flick dubbed, A Simple Lie.

And for those who were impressed with her directorial input on Breaded Life, A Simple Lie becomes that one movie that ups the ante for Stephen, and for Nollywood, ultimately.

This romantic comedy is in collaboration with David Wade production. And it is coming four months after Progressive Tailor’s Club, an Anthill Studio’s satire movie she directed.

Debuting recently in cinema halls across the country, A Simple Lie starrs Bisola Aiyeola (Boma), Emmanuel Ikubese (Azeem), Bolaji Ogunmola as Dona, Bukunmi Kiekie Adeaga as Fade and Kachi Nnochiri as Xvavier. It follows the narrative of five friends, who are currently or have had an affair with one other, but their secrets and lies are blown open when Bisola told her boyfriend that she’s diagnosed with cancer and all the friends showed up at her house.

In a chat with Weekend Beats, Stephen said apart from selecting the talented actors, the chemistry between the five main characters was what she considered.

On the inspiration behind the flick, she said: “The story was inspired by my friends and imagination and embellishment followed. A friend of mine, Ronke passed on five years ago from cancer and I thought about the relationship we had and we decided to work and twist things. The big lesson I want people to take away from this is that a lie we consider small and harmless can cause damage and lead to chaos. We worked on the screenplay in 2020 and we finally filmed in July 2021.”

Responding to the critiques that Nollywood movies influence vices in the country, she said: “Nollywood mirrors what is happening in the society. Nollywood makes films and shows that there is a consequence for every action. Nollywood does not glorify negativity, so we need to look back at society and not blame Nollywood for moral decadence.”