| Director: |
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| Producer: | Eniola Ajao |
| Starring: | |
| Country: | Nigeria |
| Language: | Yoruba language |
Beast of Two Worlds (Ajakaju) is a 2024 Nigerian thriller film produced by Eniola Ajao and directed by Adebayo Tijani and Odunlade Adekola.[1] The film stars Eniola Ajao, Odunlade Adekola, Sola Sobowale, Femi Adebayo, Lateef Adedimeji, Fathia Balogun, Bimbo Akintola, Olayode Juliana and others. The film which is Ajao's debut cinema production was produced in collaboration with Anthill studios owned by Niyi Akinmolayan.[2] Beast of Two Worlds (Ajakaju) was released to the Nigerian cinema on Friday, 29 March 2024.[3]
Beast of Two Worlds (Ajakaju) tells the story of King Towobola (played by Odunlade Adekola) with three queens (played by Fathia Balogun, Bimbo Akintola and Mercy Aigbe respectively), who couldn't give him the apparent heir to the throne, the King's reign soon becomes threatened after the village priests warns that the King had some years left to provide the heir to the throne or he will have to leave the throne and the town at large. On a fateful day, the King surprises the kingdom with a strange woman whom he says is his newest Queen. Adaralewa (played by Eniola Ajao) has no roots and no one could trace where she comes from, and after some time, she gets pregnant and gives the King a son, but upon delivery she throws the child into the fire. This gets the King and Kingdom upset, but after sometime, the King gives her another chance and she bears the King a son again but this time throws him into a river. After she throws the second child into the river, The audience is shown a flashback through the king's narration, A great hunter known as Odenla(Femi Adebayo) went to offer a sacrifice to the forest spirit so that his hunt could be bountiful. [4]
The film which was released to the cinema on 29 March 2024 grossed N101.2 million within five days of release.[6] The premiere which held earlier before release to the cinema was accompanied with backlash following the announcement of crossdresser/transgender Bobrisky as the 'Best Dressed Female' at the premiere, this announcement which the producer later said was a publicity stunt[7] to further put her film in the limelight resulted in a lot of backlash and controversy.[8] [9]