Interview: One of the Most Gangster Characters On Kenyan Film Talks About Working On Nairobi Half Life

He will surely go down as one of the most memorable characters in Kenyan film history. Oti is a seasoned gangster, but without the usual thuggish sensibilities. He shows compassion and a level-headedness you don’t expect from such a brutish character.

We owe the foundation to the writing, the depiction and execution, though, goes to Olwenya Maina. When Mwas travels to the city and finds the Nairobi he didn’t expect, Oti is the one who takes him through the “real” city. From a classic introduction and almost heroic ending, Olwenya is truly one of the best things about Nairobi Half Life.

Check out the lead actor’s interview here.

I sat down with the actor, who is much less gangster and imposing like he is in the film. Check out the first part of the interview below.

Ghafla!: “How did you get involved with the film?”

Olwenya Maina: “I remember auditioned through the workshop project. So, I went to the audition, I was told me maybe I could attach my showreel. Later, I went to the audition which were held at the Heron Court Hotel. After that, it was just waiting for the shortlist to know if I was going to get it or not. Then later I get another call and I’m told I’m supposed to go to Ginger Ink for the last audition.

When I went in, I get into this room, and he [Tom Tykwer] is there. And then there is the director [Tosh Gitonga] who I didn’t know. And when I meet Tom Tykwer, I thought maybe this is just another guy, maybe one of the mentors or facilitators. And then I met Tosh, and he just looked at me. He had already settled on Babu (Joseph Wairimu) as Mwas. He was looking for something workable, and he said that’s the guy I want. And that was it.”

G!: “One of the best things for me were the performances, the characters were very well casted. How was it doing that? Especially considering that you were playing a gangster. Was there research? Did you try canvassing gangsters?”

OM: “Well, I practice method acting, whereby you don’t really have to get the external feelings so that you can ignite your emotions or get to build the character. It’s just reading the character, understanding it and letting everything just flow, so that you know how to gesture or do everything.

So, for me, I did my own research. Which is maybe trying to undertsand how to live in a prison, life in crime, which I’ve never gotten near to. The closest I’ve ever been to getting into crime is being a priest.”

G!: “You were almost a priest?”

OM: “Yes. So, it was difficult. I’m from a background of doing comedy and stage performances, so it was not–I would say being a comedian made it difficult for me to do an action-packed drama. The assistance that I was accorded by my colleagues, they were letting me know, this is the sheng used, because I could not understand half of it. It was so deep.

The film was written by Serah Mwihaki, Potash and Samuel Munene. But then the translation on the ground, the sheng ya mtaa–every mtaa has their own sheng. In this case, we’re trying to get the best that anybody would understand. In this case, I would like to congratulate Anthony Ndung’u, the guy who plays Waf. He’s the guy who taught us all this and giving me real life experiences of such people.”

Check out Nairobi Half Life at the Planet Media Cinemas at Westgate at 3:20 p.m. and 7:20 p.m. for Kshs. 350 on weekdays and Kshs. 450 on weekends.