ANYBODY THAT IS INTERESTED IN BECOMING A SUPERSTAR IN ACTING DANCE
AND MODELLING SHOULD CONTACT ME ON.... SAYS THEATRE ICON. CHIEF SEGUN REMI
(POPULARLY KNOWN AS KANRAN).
Question:
Sir how did you embrace acting and your educational background.
I can say
my own was like a bit extraordinary, I got a parent who was a magician who
travels to Europe and America to perform, he also perform for top government officials
in Nigeria, my mother love to sing and dance a lot though a medical practitioner
we had a big black and a white box in our house, in the evening people gather
in our living room to watch one or the other plays on WN TV not NTV or NTA.
So one day I wanted to know how grown
up people could enter into the box so I used a knife to open it and disconnect
wires and small iron which ended in my destroying the box in which I love
watching America soap operas.
For the
educational aspects: I follow my brother Yemi Remi to centre for African
studies at university of Lagos there was no theatre arts department then in UNILAG
it was from there that I left for the university of Ibadan to study Cinematography
and university of Ife. It was while working as a freelance artist that I meet
the doyen of Nigeria theatre Chief Hubert
Adedeji Ogunde who watch me in Femi Phillips Script, the late Femi Phillips was
the husband of Mrs. Idowu Phillips
popularly known as Mama Ranibow. He ogunde invited me to some of his plays.
Question:
The name Karan How did you come about it.
We where told to produce a play for the
opening of Lagos state Television and radio Lagos this was during the time of
Alh Lafeef Jakande unfortunately our leader Femi Phillips Passed on and the cassette
we recorded was burnt, we where told to go and shoot another one in Ajido
Badagry so all Femi Phillips role fall on my shoulders but people where not
happy, we were told to produce a two hours epic Yourba play for independence known
as Alafin Karan which gave me my break through
and brought me to limelight in
acting but since 1971-1972 till now I
have been part of numerous stage productions, television series, home video’s and soap operas, Alafin Kanran became my name.
Questions:
Sir of recent not much has been happening to your acting career, so what has
been keeping you away.
I would like to disagree with you
because of recent I just completed
a 58 TV episode with Galaxy television and another one in English is about to the
start soon in Lagos here, what I do is write my scripts, books and pass it to
people that we perform them I want to bring new artist not the always
re-circled ones even in modeling. Anybody that is interested in becoming a superstar
in acting, dance and even in modeling can get in touch with me, we want a break
from the constantly re-circled ones.
Some we
bring their scripts and want you to act as a millionaire and would bring a passat
car, their own guinea brocade cloth for you and a one room and parlour for you
in a millionaire scene which does not portray the image you want me to act, so I refuse to
be part of this Charade. Some would bring the cigarette paper as a tip for
commissioner of police.
Later I
stated producing films of my own and started having problems with marketers,
films that sold ₦30,000.00 you start to get funny stories then problem
of piracy, is the pirate more than the Government?
So I
want to start with upcoming artist who are interested in becoming superstars to
contact on me 08033200625.
Am a
foundation member of NANTAP, Defunct ANTAP, GOND, AGN i also established Segun
Remi Foundation to cater for the arts.
Question:
What other Projects are you involved in concerning the arts apart from the
above.
In 2010
one Chief Makinde gave us 76 hectares of land along Oyo/Iseyin road in Oyo
state. What I have in mind is an art city the project is massive I can’t do it
alone, where we can have a place for art, chalet for artist, and art resort,
film village set up, school for cinematography. A typical African village
setting a shopping mall. A production suit and seminar hall schools for theatre
arts etc but since 2010, we have not seen anybody that want to partner with us on this project,
federal government and states do not support the art , as they support
sports. But kudos to Asiwaju Bola
Tinubu, Raji Fashola and Ogbeni Raufu
Aregbesola. It is a sad development to note that no local government has a
theatre auditorium for performance of plays from Friday to Sunday in the whole
federation. Of course they have killed stage production completely.
That is
why so many theatre art icons die like chicken and cockroaches.
Question: Message for your fans
I appreciate
my Fans, but I tend to fight some of them because they buy pirated copies and
this does not help me for my efforts, they should look out for a good production
I beg them in the name of God to stop buying pirated copies, so I can come back
to performing on one on one, shoot a film again, so I can invite them to the National theatre again. Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode
has promised to established seven theatre auditorium in 13 Local Governments
L.C.D.A in Lagos State
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