In the Yoruba movie industry, Antar Laniyan is a big brand that everyone wants to associate with. He is one veteran actor who is still very much relevant in the industry today because of his high level of professionalism.
Though he is from the Laniyan royal family in Osun State, Antar was born in Lagos by a man who was a supervisor at the Federal Ministry of Education. He grew up in Army Barack and this, was the attraction that made actor initially showed interest in becoming a soldier in future.
He later went to the University of Ibadan, Oyo State to study Theatre Arts.
Below are excerpts of the interview he recently had with City People.
What is the secret behind your relevance in the industry as a veteran actor?
The secret isn’t farfetched, the only thing I know about myself that I think has been keeping me going is self-discipline and self-control. In life, you get to a certain stage and ask yourself what do you want, immediately you get the answer, then you can now talk about how to go about it.
Some people have done it before, and this is where they are, so how do you now take your step so that you do not fall. Then, I put 2 and 2 together and I said to myself that it is not every 2 and 2 you put together that will give you 4, it could be 22. So, what is going to be my weapon? Discipline.
I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, neither do I womanize. I had gotten to a certain stage that my Doctor warned me to go and have sex. What I hold on as weapon is discipline. I don’t say because you are a beautiful woman and I know what it takes to have you lie down on my bed and I take advantage of you. I don’t do that. I say to myself that If I sleep with her, she gets what she wants and she becomes a star, how do I look at her after stardom? What if I need her help thereafter? Of course, she wouldn’t want to help me because I didn’t just make her popular, we have done a trade by berter.
I wouldn’t want such to happen. My son met somebody in Texas and he was like this is an artiste, he walked up to the person and said my dad is Antar Laniyan. The person was like what? Tell your dad you are with me, that is the kind of thing I want.
What really influenced your movie character because you always look so tough?
That depends on the role the director says I should play. If you want me to play the role of a gate man who is so poor, of course I will but when you bring your script to me, the first thing is to know what the story is all about, then you first ask yourself a question “IF”, I am this character what do I do? If you can ask yourself this question then you will achieve it. If Antar is this man what would he do? You read the action of other characters towards that role and you blow it up.
Where were you born?
I was born here in Lagos and I remember mum said I stayed in the womb for 18 months, because she got pregnant for my father when he was in Oduduwa College.
There was another lady who was interested in my father but according to my dad, he was also not aware that the lady was in love with him.
My mother was probably faster than her and she didn’t take it easy with her. According to my mother, she almost lost her life in the process. In those days, you won’t sit and be watching a pregnant woman carry a pregnancy for 18th months, they have to go out for According to my mother, she almost lost her life in the process. In those days, you won’t sit and be watching a pregnant woman carry a pregnancy for 18th months, they have to go out for solution.
It was during this finding that my dad was told there is somebody they have to apologize to. Along the line, they got the person and after many apologies, she explained my mum’s offence. Then, she recommended that they should look for an animal called Antar {Goanna}to prepare concoction. Immediately my mum ate it, I was delivered.