IBADAN, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – Nollywood actress, Adanma Luke, has cried out over the mental health condition of her older colleague, Hanks Anuku and requested help for him.
She said this via her Instagram story on Monday.
A video of the veteran actor wearing rags has been making the rounds online with many Nigerians expressing concern for him.
A video of the veteran actor looking unkempt was earlier posted by @36kinniun, on Twitter with the caption: “Hanks Anuku: Watching This Video Of Hank Anuku Got Me To Tears.😭💔
What Really Happened To My favourite Nollywood Actor?”
While some Nigerians claimed his condition might be related to alleged drug abuse, others said Hanks was going through hard times.
But reacting to the development, Shan George took to her Instagram page to debunk the speculations surrounding the video.
According to her, the viral video was a scene from a movie and they were in Asaba, Delta State for a film project.
She also shared photos and a video of them on a movie set in Asaba three days ago.
Shan George wrote: “Nothing dey do Hanks o, we dey same set. This pix is 3days ago in Asaba. Hanks is fine o, we are on the same set.”
Faulting George’s assertion, Luke went on to say that Anuku is not well and their colleagues should help him instead of covering up.
She said: “Please you all Nollywood ‘peeps’ should stop with the lies when you know the truth. He isn’t okay so let him get help now that the world knows. Stop with the cover up, if he was your blood you would have helped but now that the world is about to find out the truth you all try to hide it. Hank isn’t okay so let’s allow him get help now before it’s too late.”
Nigerians have since reacted to the viral video of the veteran actor on Twitter with some confused over the authenticity of the video.
A tweep, Prince Wills, reiterated Shan George’s claim that the actor dressed up as a mad person for a movie role in Asaba, Delta State capital.
“This is a movie in Asaba, he is playing a role of a mad king, I saw them in Okpanam road shooting this very scene that was on Saturday, Shan George is also in the movie,” he said.
Meanwhile, a tweep, Ada Baby said it’s not a skit or movie role as claimed by Shan George.
“Not a skit , if you’re traveling by bus and you enter anambra you will see him on the road,” she wrote.
@tkbillionz backs Ada Baby’s tweet and said the actor has not gotten that bad. He wrote: “Last year I used to see this guy at asaba na,he drives one old red jeep and i think that video is actually from a movie set because he’s not gotten that bad”
@KweenRanter said Nigerians are in denial of the actor’s mental state.
“It’s not from any movie set. He’s a junkie now. Why are yall still in denial? This is what drugs do,” he tweeted.
Baba Dudu said the veteran actor was actually acting by roaming the street looking unkempt. He added that the movie director, Shan George confirmed it on her Instagram page.
“Nothing is wrong with hank see what a director posted on her story. That’s her Instagram page.”