Kunle Afolayan could comfortably pass as an auteur because he uses the filmic medium to promote his rich Yoruba culture and has also evolved as a brand in that sector. He began his career initially as an actor. One of his early appearances was in Saworoide, a classic political drama directed by Tunde Kelani. He then took a brief hiatus to complete his education and harness his skills as a filmmaker.
Kunle bounced back
into the industry by producing and directing his first flick, Ìrà padà , which
earned him the 2007 AMAA award for Best Film in African Language.
His second movie, The Figurine: Araromire, released in 2009, was what defined and revealed to the industry and Nigeria the stuff Kunle is made of. The film earned 10 AMAA nominations and scooped five awards, including Best Picture and Achievement in Cinematography.
Through his Production companies, Golden Effects and KAP, he has continued to impact the industry with a follow up of Blockbuster flicks; Phone Swap (2012), October 1st (2014), The CEO(2016) and Mokalik (2019). He has also worked independently directing movies such as The Bridge, Diamonds in the Sky, and Tenants in the house. He partnered with Netflix to produce three features. The first installment, Swallow, was released globally in 2021.
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| Released in 2014, October 1st is a Psychological thriller produced and directed by Afolayan. |
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| Figurine, Afolayan's 2nd feature, earned 10 AMAA nominations and won five awards, including Best Picture and Achievement in Cinematography. |
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| A romantic comedy about two people who met and fell in love through an accidental phone swap |
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| An emotional story of three families who each had a member living with Cancer |
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| Swallow starring Niyola and Deyemi Okanlawon, was released exclusively by Netflix as part of a three-movie deal with Afolayan. |