Mzansi Magic’s new
telenovela explores young love in the concrete jungle.
From star-crossed
lovers to big bad wolves, Isithembiso
promises to serve a slice of life with no filters
A fairytale
re-imagined. A love story told through the ages. A South African fable that is
still a reality for most. Mzansi Magic’s new telenovela, Isithembiso, is all of this and more.
Bomb Productions
began filming what is set to be one of Mzansi’s most talked-about small screen
gems. A modern-day reimagining of the classic Little Red Riding Hood fairytale,
Isithembiso is driven by dynamic
characters such as Simi (Red Riding Hood), Banzi (the Big Bad Wolf) and Zamani
(the Woodcutter) who becomes the rescuer to the damsel in distress.
Isithembiso follows the lives of two young people who come to the
City of Gold in search of not just their fortune, but familial ties,
opportunity and education. It’s a millennial migrant story that digs deep into
the lives of Mzansi youth today, their ambitions, choices and the consequences.
We meet Simi, the
wide-eyed innocent maiden from KwaZulu-Natal. She comes to the dazzling iGoli
in search of her mother and job opportunities. Her path collides with the
resourceful Zamani, whose street smarts and swag belie that he comes from a
small village in Limpopo.
Through a series
of incidents – from chance meetings to destructive choices – their lives
intertwine with Banzi, whose “sheep’s clothing” easily deceive the gullible
Simi. Whether it’s fate or bad luck, this culminates in an explosive climax
that has long-lasting and life-changing consequences.
There are promises
made and broken - promises of a better life, a brighter future, greater life
choices. Ultimately, the idealistic filter through which the young look at life
is ripped off to reveal that “all that glitters is not always gold”.
Will the sheer
determination and tenacity of borne out of youth and hope triumph over
obstacles and the hard knocks of life?
Industry newcomers
Nandi Mbatha (Simi) and Zamani Mbatha (Zamani) are the two young actors central
to this evocative telenovela, and are proving to be a force to be reckoned with
as they hold their own alongside veterans Hamilton Dlamini (Banzi) and Meshack
Mavuso Magabane among others.
Catch Isithembiso when it premieres on Mzansi
Magic, DStv channel 161, in April 2017, to find out!
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