Loosely translated to English “Namaste Wahala” means ‘hello trouble’ and is the name of an intercultural love story coming to Netflix. Hamisha Daryani Ahuja’s debut film, “Namaste Wahala” will begin streaming on Netflix beginning Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day.
The film, a collaboration between Bollywood and Nollywood, Nigeria’s film industry, follows the love story of Raj, an Indian investment banker, and Didi, a Nigerian lawyer. But their love story becomes complicated because of the cultural differences and opposing families. The film is “all about love, romance, happiness, tears, different familial bonds, and diverse and rich cultures,” says Ahuja.
“Namaste Wahala” is filmed mostly in English with a mix of Hindi and Nigeria’s pidgin language. The film was set to release in April 2020 but was set back due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Set in Lagos, Nigeria, the plot was inspired by Ahuja’s own experiences, who has lived in Nigeria since she was a child.
The businesswoman-turned-filmmaker told CNN that her experience living in Africa’s most populous country inspired her to make her debut film. “I am Indian but I have lived in Nigeria my whole life,” she told CNN. “Everyone loves Bollywood and Nollywood, so I thought ‘how is it that no one has done a love story between the two?”
The romantic drama stars Nigerian beauty Ini Dima Okojie as the leading lady Didi and Bollywood heartthrob Ruslan Mumtaz as her main love interest Raj. They are supported by Joke Silva, Richard Mofe Damijo and Sujata Segal, among others. The sound track is produced by M.I. Abaga and DJ Suketu.