Veteran Nollywood actor, Tunji Bamishigbin, has expressed confidence that there will always be roles for the veterans to play in movies.

He noted that as long as the veteran keeps maintaining himself, such actor would remain relevant in the movie industry.

Bamishigbin a lawyer and theatre arts graduate stated this in an interview with The Punch.

Asked whether he thinks veterans in the industry are fading away, Bamishigbin said:

“You must always know the trends and who the people want to see. However, there will always be roles for the veterans. I don’t think veterans are going out of the market. You could need an actor to play the role of an elderly person. In showbiz, popularity matters a lot.

“Often, you realise that the star you need for your film may not necessarily be a professional actor. But one would rather go for a face that will attract the audience and sell the movie.

“If you make use of veterans well in your movie, you will get the right applause and accolades. There are many of these veterans who are still making a strong impact across the film industry. As long as an actor understands that maintenance is necessary and he does maintain himself, he would remain relevant in the industry.”

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Proferring a solution to the menace of piracy which has become a huge threat to the movie industry, Bamishigbin said:

“I don’t think piracy is our biggest challenge and that’s really because it can be conquered. The cinema culture in Nigeria must be built to solve the issue of marketing as this is the technique overseas.

“Films should first be shown in the cinemas before they are released to other channels of distribution. It seems the home video market is dead now because no producer wants their work pirated and a loss incurred.

“The film business is one that thrives on mass participation. Cinemas should be made available to the general public and not just the elite. That way, the cinema culture becomes a norm and piracy gets curbed almost completely- if not totally.”

The veteran actor also noted that after his graduation with a degree in Theatre Arts, he went back to study Law to please his father.

“After graduating, with the will to please my father and prove to people that I didn’t join the Theatre Arts as a means of escaping hard work, I decided to get a degree in Law. I am currently a graduate of Theatre Arts and Law, and I’ll be 27 years at the Bar in December,” he said