For the longest time, Nollywood’s biggest theatrical releases have been dominated by action, epic, comedy, and drama films. Yet, the romantic comedy Call of My Life suggests there’s a yearning, committed audience than the industry assumed.

The colourful backdrop, whimsicality and lovey-doveyness, especially between Uzoamaka Power and Andrew Bunting, generated from the film’s teasers and marketing arcs, have rattled social media in recent weeks. Except it’s in a way that felt missing in the industry for a long time.

a little ‘poison’ won’t hurt us.
or maybe we’re immune?😉

CALL OF MY LIFE is showing in cinemas nationwide and in Ghana.
we love you for watching #coml ❤️ pic.twitter.com/zYQTnXq0Bi

— Ụzọamaka Power (@UzoamakaPower) May 22, 2026

Scenes like where Soluchi (Uzoamaka Power) converses with Eli (Andrew Bunting) at a restaurant, succinctly and softly capture romance in a way that simply allows it to exist. And perhaps that is one of the reasons the film feels surprisingly refreshing within Nollywood’s current cinematic landscape.

a little ‘poison’ won’t hurt us.
or maybe we’re immune?😉

CALL OF MY LIFE is showing in cinemas nationwide and in Ghana.
we love you for watching #coml ❤️ pic.twitter.com/zYQTnXq0Bi

— Ụzọamaka Power (@UzoamakaPower) May 22, 2026

Rom-coms have never disappeared from Nollywood, as they remain one of the industry’s most reliable genres. But somewhere between the industry’s exponential growth, ostentatious Lagos-esque production, star-studded casting, and exaggerated storytelling, many of them lost the emotional sincerity that once made Nigerian rom-coms feel immersive. Yet the success of Dammy Twitch’s debut feature, Call of My Life, has proven to be an outlier.

Written by Uzoamaka Power and produced by Blessing Uzzi for Bluhouse Studios, the film has quickly become one of Nollywood’s most interesting theatrical success stories this year. Released on May 15, 2026, outside the comfort of the December blockbuster season or Valentine’s Day romance windows, the film grossed ₦78.2 million during its opening weekend before climbing to ₦128 million in its first full week.

For a film without the Nollywood conventional “event movie” formula of a heavily stacked celebrity ensemble, those numbers matter to the industry. And more importantly, the audience response matters poses a big significance. The film feels like the return of a kind of Nollywood rom-com experience many Nigerians quietly missed. Not necessarily because it reinvents the genre, but because it understands it.

The film follows Soluchi, a hopeless romantic navigating heartbreak after being abandoned by her former partner, Kalu (Zubby Michael). Her life begins to shift after an unexpected work call connects her to Eli, opening the possibility of love again. She is forced to choose between the promise of a new fairytale romance or the materialistic security of her ex.

On the surface, the plot feels familiar. But familiarity has never been the problem with rom-coms; execution is. And Call of My Life succeeds largely because it leans into emotional honesty rather than excessive spectacle. Despite its pacing issues, the film understands what the audience needs from a rom-com.

Its characters are allowed vulnerability without the film constantly interrupting itself with exaggerated humour or unnecessary chaos. Watching it often recalls the feeling of earlier Nollywood rom-coms like The Wedding Party, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel, and Kambili: The Whole 30 Yards. Not because the films are narratively identical, but because they share a certain cinematic warmth that made audiences emotionally invest in love stories again.

Simultaneously, the film’s visual language, guided by director Dammy Twitch and production designer Anita Ashiru, proves intentional. Before entering Nollywood, Dammy Twitch had already established himself as one of Nigeria’s most recognisable music video directors, known for crafting visually creative, standout videos for major Afrobeats stars like Davido.

His transition into filmmaking naturally sparked curiosity about what to expect from Call of My Life. Especially since music video directors often prioritise strong aesthetics in cinema over narrative depth. Yet, the romcom successfully navigates that hurdle. Despite the colourful, soft and endearing aesthetics, the cinematography consistently served the emotional tone of the story rather than distracting from it.

While this isn’t the first time the industry has seen such a prolific filmmaker, Kemi Adetiba, in her early career, directed popular music videos including “Sitting on the Throne” and “Anifowose” by Olamide (2014), and “Toh Bad” by Niyola (2013). After which she made her directorial debut with the feature film The Wedding Party in 2016. And with the arrival of Dammy Twitch’s debut, it further reinforces the idea that there’s indeed a place for music video directors in the Nollywood industry.

Nollywood’s theatrical market has become increasingly unpredictable in recent years. Outside holiday windows, many films struggle to create sustained cinema momentum unless backed by massive star power or aggressive marketing campaigns. Yet Call of My Life has impressively generated strong audience engagement.

The success of the film also highlights something broader about Nollywood’s evolving creative ecosystem. That the next generation of Nollywood directors may emerge from spaces traditionally considered outside mainstream filmmaking. Call of My Life is not a perfect film, but if anything, the film understands romance enough to make audiences want to believe in it again. And that alone feels like what Nollywood has been missing for a long time.