Veteran Nigerian filmmaker, producer and actor Sunny Alli has criticised the frequent portrayal of witchcraft and money rituals in Nollywood, describing such storylines as unrealistic and disconnected from reality.
The veteran actor made the remarks during a recent interview, where he spoke about his approach to filmmaking and the kind of stories he believes audiences deserve to see on screen.
According to Alli, he deliberately avoids including witchcraft, ritual wealth and other supernatural themes in his scripts because he does not believe in them and considers them unrealistic.
He maintained that his passion lies in creating films that reflect everyday life and experiences rather than relying on fictional depictions of the supernatural.
“I love making realistic movies,” he said.
Explaining his position further, the filmmaker questioned the authenticity of many popular Nollywood depictions of witches, arguing that there is no credible basis for how such characters are portrayed in films.
“There are certain things I can never write in my films,” he said.
“Things like witches having meetings. How? Who has ever been to their meeting before or know where they meet? What did they look like?”
According to him, many filmmakers create elaborate scenes involving witches gathering in forests or mysterious locations without any factual knowledge of what they are depicting.
He argued that such portrayals are products of imagination rather than reality and should not be presented as though they accurately represent real-life events.
Sunny Alli also criticised scenes in which illnesses are instantly cured through dramatic spiritual encounters, saying such depictions often lack realism.
He cited the common Nollywood trope of a sick person being taken to a religious leader for prayers, after which an object or mysterious substance emerges from the person’s body before they are declared healed.
To the filmmaker, such scenes may be dramatic but do not reflect the type of storytelling he wishes to promote.
He was equally dismissive of the recurring theme of money rituals, one of Nollywood’s most enduring genres.
The veteran actor said he does not believe in the concept of supernatural forces producing physical money for ritualists.
Questioning the logic behind such narratives, he asked how spirits could supposedly generate cash.
“I don’t believe in money rituals,” he stated.
“Because they said it is the spirit that is supplying the money, and I asked if the spirit has its own printing machine. Or is the spirit bringing the money from the central bank or from the bureau de change?”
His comments have sparked conversations among movie lovers, with many agreeing that Nollywood has relied heavily on ritual-themed productions for decades.
Some viewers argued that excessive focus on witchcraft and money rituals has become repetitive and that the industry should invest more in realistic stories exploring social issues, family life, history, crime, politics and personal relationships.
Others, however, defended supernatural storylines, noting that they remain popular among audiences and often draw inspiration from traditional beliefs, folklore and cultural narratives that have existed across different Nigerian communities for generations.
They argued that fiction does not necessarily have to reflect reality to entertain or communicate moral lessons.
Sunny Alli’s remarks add to a growing conversation within Nollywood about the future direction of Nigerian cinema.
In recent years, many filmmakers have increasingly embraced genres such as psychological thrillers, romantic dramas, historical epics and crime stories, reflecting the industry’s expanding creative ambitions.
Streaming platforms and international collaborations have also encouraged greater experimentation with storytelling styles that appeal to both local and global audiences.
Despite these changes, supernatural themes remain among Nollywood’s most commercially successful genres, continuing to attract millions of viewers across television, cinemas and digital streaming platforms.
For Sunny Alli, however, storytelling should be rooted in realism.
He believes films have the power to reflect society and inspire critical thinking, which is why he chooses to focus on narratives that audiences can relate to in everyday life.
While opinions remain divided over the place of witchcraft and ritual-themed stories in Nigerian cinema, the veteran filmmaker insists that such subjects will never find a place in his scripts, as his commitment remains firmly with realistic filmmaking.
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