adminPeter Matika Senior Leisure Reporter
ZIMBABWEANS across the globe continue to raise the country’s flag high in the different disciplines that they find themselves in. It therefore comes as no surprise to learn that another Zimbabwean has made a breakthrough in the film industry in South Africa, releasing a rib cracker comedy DVD. Johannesburg based multi-talented Mothusi Bashimane Ndlovu recently released an 86 minute long Ndebele comedy drama movie titled Madlela — Skhobokhobo Power, which has already flooded the South African market.
The comedy drama is a portrayal of a real life story of how hard life is to some Zimbabweans who are living in South Africa although they strive not to show it when they come back home for various holiday visits, feigning that all is well when they are living in extreme poverty and squalid conditions while doing odd jobs.
In an interview, Bashimane, who plays the lead role in the comedy, said he was happy to have managed to penetrate the South African showbiz industry and to be raising the Zimbabwean flag even higher.
“It feels great to have done this. It is not easy, especially if you are a foreigner. Our aim is to show the people that as a country we are very much talented, that we have all that it takes to bring some glory in the film industry locally, regionally and internationally,” he said.
The comedy was written by Bashimane and directed by Ali Busani Ndlovu of Plum Media in South Africa.
The comedy movie is comparable to 2009’s Madluphuthu comedy, which was a hit especially among the children.
In Madlela, Bashimane assumes the role of Madlela, a cunning old man who arrives in Johannesburg from Sikhobokhobo, Nkayi in Zimbabwe to visit his nephew who is based there without being invited and without notice.
He manages to get to Egoli through the assistance of the shrewd illegal cross borders, popularly known as omalayitsha who he refuses to pay upon arrival.
In the flat where he lives with his nephew, Madlela fails to mind his business and steals food from the landlady during her absence. He also heavily interferes with the goings on in the next room that is only separated from his nephew’s by a curtain.
His interference irks the young man in the next room whose habit of hiring the services of prostitutes is heavily disturbed by the arrival of Madlela and his propensity to meddle in other people’s affairs.
“On his surprise arrival at his nephew’s place, he finds it hard to cope with the living arrangements in the flats of Johannesburg. He is also a lazy man and does not want to look for employment.
“He is very pompous and claims to everyone that he is a great fighter. It is in the movie that you find out what type of a character he is. He causes so much commotion and chaos with everyone in the flat and is constantly at loggerheads with the landlady (umastanda), who eventually threatens to throw him out.
“He loves drinking and has a sharp eye for young girls, but he finds himself miscalculating in whatever he does,” said Bashimane giving a brief preview of the movie.
While the setting is purely in South Africa the cast of the movie consists of other South Africa based Zimbabweans.
The movie also has English subtitles for those who can’t understand SiNdebele and is rated PG (parental guidance). He said he used English so as not to restrict the movie to those who understand the language but as a way to broaden its viewers without necesarily putting a language barrier.
Cast
Madlela — Mothusi Bashimane Ndlovu
Mazinyane — Daniel Ncube
Mastanda — Nondulo Queen Ngwenya
Themba—Noble Nxumalo
Malayitsha — Michael Mkhwananzi
Jojina — Gift Jamela
Mahotsha — Nomagugu Ndlovu
Nigerian — Mongezi Mpofu
Online Reporter