Renowned Nollywood actress, Toyin Abraham, disclosed that she was hospitalized due to panic attacks triggered by the unauthorized distribution of her latest movie, Malaika.
The high-budget film had its exclusive cinema release on December 15, 2023. Abraham, sharing her distressing experience of stumbling upon the movie on a social media platform, expressed the emotional toll it took on her. Speaking at the Federal Investigation Department of the Nigeria Police Force in Alagbon, Ikoyi, where individuals linked to the illegal distribution were paraded, the actress lamented the leakage of a movie that cost nearly N500 million to produce.
Recounting her shock at finding Malaika online, she stated, “If you look at me, you will know that I am actually not okay. I had to come from the hospital. I have been having panic attacks. It is not easy shooting a movie close to N500 million and you just see it out there.”
Abraham described her reaction upon discovering the unauthorized release as if her “whole world was coming to an end.” She shared her desperation to the extent of pleading with one of the culprits on Telegram.
Expressing her dismay, she recalled, “I don’t know what to do; this is my life, this is the only thing I do. That is why I decided to take it upon myself, upon my manager and Filmone to fight piracy, and this is not about me; not about Malaika, not about any movie in the cinema, not about tribe but about the creative industry. It is about the entertainment industry because this is the only thing we do.”
The actress highlighted the financial loss she incurred as people opted to wait for the movie to be released for free online. Despite the setback, she emphasized that her motivation was not about the money but about championing a cause for the entertainment and creative industry.
