Actor Sisa Hewana stars in Mzansi Magic's hit telenovela "Inimba".
Image: Supplied/Joburg Film Festival
Mzansi Magic hit telenovela “Inimba” has had viewers hooked since it debuted on screens, making it no surprise that the show got the greenlight for a second season.
At the 19th annual South African Film and Television Awards, “Inimba” is nominated for Best Telenovela and public vote category Most Popular Tv Soap/Telenovela, Best Achievement in Art Direction – Tv Soap/Telenovela, Best Achievement in Scriptwriting – Telenovela, and Best Supporting Actress In A Telenovela, Zenande Mfenyana.
Speaking at the Joburg Film Festival opening ceremony, actor Sisa Hewana, who portrays Hlathi in “Inimba”, reflected on the show’s success. “For me, it’s a blessing to be honest with you, and I’m really grateful.
Actor Nkanyiso Makhanya portrays Lwandle Zondo on Mzansi Magic hit telenovela "Inimba".
Image: Supplied/Joburg Film Festival
“I'm grateful to the creators of the show. I'm grateful to Siphosethu Tshapu for creating such an amazing show and for taking the risk to have a show where it's character-driven.
“Meaning that the people at home get to relate, the people at home get to feel that they are represented. We have absolutely no guns, no drugs, no real crime that's happening, and all we're doing is we're reflecting the emotions of the people at home who are watching,” said Hewana.
One of Hlathi’s story arcs revolves around parenting, with his character being a traditional man who is firm in his ways. Hlathi has become one of the most talked-about villains on South African television, whether viewers love or hate his antics.
As a father and husband, Hewana has found the exploration of Hlathi's role eye-opening.
“There are certain things that as men and women where I feel like we need to meet each other halfway instead of one trying to change the other, especially right now where we're living in a society where everyone has a voice.
“The man has a voice, the woman has a voice, children have a voice. So for me it's taught me to really be okay with, even if I think I'm right about something, but to be okay with someone else also having an opinion about it.”
Actors Siyabonga Shibe and Nkanyiso Makhanya portray father and son Sydney Zondo and Lwandle Zondo. Their relationship has been filled with its own fair share of challenges and fatherhood is a central theme of the telenovela.
“I think what ‘Inimba’ has done with that has shown there are different relationships and different dynamics and different family setups when it comes to father and son relationships,” said Makhanya.
“If you look at the Mabandla homestead, how their father and son relationship was not the same as the Zondo family. I think it then becomes relatable to people and into different families and they're looking at that and they're like, this is exactly how my dad relates. That's why people actually like the show most of the time,” added Makhanya.
Siyabonga Shibe stars in Mzansi Magic telenovela "Inimba" as Sydney Zondo.
Image: Supplied
Speaking of why it was important to attend the eighth Joburg Film Festival as actors Shibe, shared that it was a good time to network and showcase their talk and work to Africa and the world.
“We're talking employment, not only actors but crew as well, writers, directors, and obviously, we are selling the culture of South Africa,” said Shibe.
Makhanya added that at platforms such as Joburg Film Festival, they get to see what creatives can create. “We get to see our own work being shown on the big screen because we don't get an opportunity for our work to go on to cinemas, because what we get to see is international movies.”
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