(Jailoshini Naidoo &
Maeshni Naicker)
The official trailer for the new South African comedy motion
picture, Keeping up with the Kandasamys,
has been released and can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YV6ZWNmRpqI
From the producers of Hard
to Get and Happiness is a Four-Letter
Word - one of South Africa’s most successful films - comes an all new,
rib-tickling, two-sided family comedy affair, directed and co-written by Durban
filmmaker Jayan Moodley (White Gold),
produced by award-winning duo Helena Spring (Academy Award Nominee and
Mbokodo-winner) and the late Junaid Ahmed (who sadly passed away in November
2016) and co-writer, Rory Booth.
Set in Chatsworth, Keeping
Up With The Kandasamys opens a window into the lifestyle and subculture of
modern-day Indian South Africans; their aspirations, dreams and challenges. “I
loved shooting this film on location in Chatsworth. It’s an iconic place, like
District Six or Soweto. It’s vibrant, lively and spirited, and I believe we have
managed to not only capture its idiosyncrasies but also its heart and soul that
will make global audiences fall in love with it too, over a barrel full of
laughs,” says director Jayan Moodley about her debut film.
The film stars Jailoshini Naidoo (Eastern Mosaic, Lotus FM)
and Maeshni Naicker (Broken Promises)
as the matriarchal rivals of neighbouring families, whose young adult children
become romantically involved and, despite their best efforts to keep them
apart, they are forced to acknowledge that in the end love will always prevail.
Shanti Naidoo (Maeshni Naicker) is a typical Type-A
personality. Always on the move, going out of her way to please people, and
overcompensating for her perceived inadequacies by continually cooking up a
storm in the kitchen. Her life would be just fine, except that her neighbour,
Jennifer Kandasamy (Jailoshini Naidoo), always seems to hold the upper hand.
When Jennifer realises her beautiful tomboy daughter, Jodi
(Mishqah Parthiephal), is in love with Shanti’s son Prinesh (Madhushan Singh) –
a sensitive medical student, she is determined to break them up. But in order
to do that she will have to enlist her rival’s help. “Together the two women
scheme and plot, recruit prospective partners and generally interfere with
their kids wherever they can,” says producer, Helena Spring.
Mishqah Parthiephal, who is best-known as Vania in the
television soap, Skeem Saam, is
thrilled to be starring in the film. “When I heard there was an audition for a
huge feature film in Durban, I knew that it was an opportunity I couldn’t miss
out on. So I drove the six hours from Johannesburg to Durban for the auditions.
I was offered the role a few weeks later,” she shares. “I think that Keeping Up With The Kandasamys is a
beautiful story that reflects true Durban Indian culture, I can’t wait for the
world to see it.” About playing Jodi, she says: “We are very similar in many
ways. She’s a strong young woman who isn’t afraid to tell people around her what’s
in her heart. She’s kind and gentle and very loving. We are even similar in the
way that we dress. We both live in shorts and sneakers!”
Light-hearted, and entertaining, the story is supported by
an array of colourful characters that celebrate the rich and spicy way of life
in Durban. Well-known South African theatre actor/playwright/director, Rajesh
Gopie, plays Shanti’s husband, Preggie, while comedian Koobeshen Naidoo can be
seen as Jennifer’s husband, Elvis. These two characters always remain in the
background as they are constantly overshadowed by their dominating wives.
Jodi’s friend Marlin (Neil Govender), the local wedding planner, is an epitome
of fabulous flamboyancy and Ayah (Mariam Bassa) - Jennifer’s elderly,
no-nonsense, ever-critical, mother-in-law - represents that typical granny in
most Indian extended families, with funny one-liners and deep insights that are
bound to strike a chord with any audience.
“This film has something for everyone. The universal story
of neighbourhood rivalry, our desperate need for acceptance and the climb for
perceived societal success, is something which touches everyone the world over.
At the end of the day we can all recognize our quirks and foibles and the funny
side of the weird, wonderful and strangely competitive world we live in,” adds
Moodley.
Keeping Up With The
Kandasamys promises audiences some truly funny laughs about families,
relationships and neighbourhood-envy. The film was produced in association with
M-Net, the DTI and NFVF and is distributed by Ster-Kinekor Entertainment. It
features music by Kyle Deutsch and The Parlotones and will be released
nationwide in cinemas on March 3, 2017.
Follow on Social Media Links: Twitter: @kandasamysmovie; Instagram:
@kandasamysmovie; Facebook:facebook.com/kandasamysmovie and Hashtag:
#ChatsworthStyle #KandasamysMovie
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