Zimbabwean film actor and producer based in South Africa, Mthulisi Moyo, is putting final touches to the drama titled Mahlalela 2, which again features comedian-cum musician Freddy “Kapfupi” Manjalima and South African kwaito star Freddy Gwala.
By Moses Mugugunyeki
The two musicians featured in Moyo’s last project, Mahlalela 1 — an enthralling drama which was shot in Harare (Zimbabwe) and Soweto (South Africa).
Speaking from his South African base, Moyo said he was putting final touches on Mahlalela 2, which will be released next month. He said he was also working on another drama titled Mahlalela Inalithi, which features veteran South African actor Vusi Thanda, popularly known as Tshwawe. Gwala also features in the drama that will be released before the end of the year.
“Mahlalela 2 will be ready for release in the next few weeks. I am just polishing it and I believe it’s going to be a hit. I also have another project Mahlalela Inalithi which will be released before end of the year,” he said.
Mahlalela 1 was about a young man, Mahlalela (Moyo) who stayed in his brother’s (Kapfupi) matrimonial house. This caused friction between the brother and his wife (Mavis Mpofu) as she was not comfortable with the arrangement.
The brother, who was hiding his identity as a Zimbabwean and had South African identity documents, then asked his pastor (Gwala) to help Mahlalela get lodgings.
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In Mahlalela 2, the pastor helps Mahlalela to get a job in South Africa, but unfortunately their joy is short-lived after Mahlalela is arrested because he does not have proper immigration documents. His efforts to return to his brother hit a brick wall because the brother has married another wife. As a result, Mahlalela is now caught between a rock and a hard place.
Moyo said the involvement of Kapfupi and Gwala in the production was meant to unite Zimbabwean and South African artists.
“My aim is to see fellow artists in Zimbabwe and South Africa work together and share ideas. You will find out that in the drama there are times when Kapfupi speaks in Zulu while Gwala speaks in Shona,” Moyo said.
Moyo, who has been in the arts industry for the past 10 years, has produced a number of projects, including a drama titled Phandile, which did not do well on the market. He attributed its flop to lack of funding and publicity.
This year he produced a drama Uthando which was shot in Bulawayo’s Pumula South suburb.
“I helped with the shooting of the drama Uthando where I worked with a colleague Thulani Nyathi,” he said.
However, Moyo is yet to find a distribution company for his DVD after Gramma Records which marketed and distributed Mahlalela 1 shut down.
