The Cane Cutter: Celebrating the world premiere of a film honouring Indian indentured workers in South Africa

From conception to creation to finally hitting the big screen, it's been a journey of sorts for The Cane Cutter feature film, which is set for its “World Premiere” at Durban’s Suncoast’s CineCentre on Monday. 

Johannesburg and Cape Town will have their premieres on Tuesday and Thursday respectively, before the movie’s official release in theatres on Friday.

Telling the compelling story of how Indian indentured workers first started to arrive in South Africa on November 16, 1860, and the subsequent hurts and highs of their progeny thereafter has stirred in the mind of the movie’s producer, Shan Moodley, for a long time.

Through Moodley’s collaboration with the film’s director, Dr Eubulus Timothy, both accomplished and well-respected personalities in the local movie-making circles, they used the setting of a modern-day love story to encapsulate the life and times of the Indian tribe in South Africa. 

In spite of his long association with TV productions, film, and documentary making, Moodley said, as usual, he was plagued by the jitters.

“It doesn’t matter which production I worked on; there are always butterflies. The only time I will relax is when the week is over. That’s because I always put my heart and soul into my work and go for the best that is available to us,” said Moodley.

Unpacking the narrative around the arrival of Indians in South Africa in a production dates to a documentary on the subject that Moodley produced 30 years ago. 

“That work focused primarily on the Indian arrival, the laws, and the treatment they were handed. I didn’t want to revisit the same issues with The Cane Cutter. Since their arrival as indentured labourers and some as passengers, Indians have made a contribution to every sphere of life in South Africa. I was surprised that my children were not completely familiar with the complete history and achievements.”

Moodley said the movie was a means to clear up the half-truths and lies that might have been peddled about the Indian community’s standing in the country.

Its storyline links back to two teens who fell in love while travelling on the last ship carrying indentured labourers to South Africa in 1911. While circumstances prevented them from ever meeting again, 120 years later, their descendants Devaram, a law student played by Razeen Dada, and a young doctor, Amisha (Dr Kajal Lutchminarain), connect and carry the story forward.

Moodley said he and Timothy, who he first met many years ago at a Cannes Film Festival, were able to develop the story’s details further. In comparison to other productions with similar themes, Moodley said: “The Cane Cutter ranks fairly high up; that’s because of the quality of work and story.”

Lutchminarain, a plastic surgeon by profession, said the movie “doesn’t romanticise the past - it honours it.” 

“The story brings light to the endurance, heartbreak, and dignity of those who came before us. For me, embracing that theme was non-negotiable. It’s not just history; it’s the backbone of who we are.”

About the imminent film launch, she said: “A strange calm lives between the nerves and the excitement. I’m proud, reflective, and eager for the world to finally see what we’ve created. It feels like holding your breath right before surfacing - a mix of relief, anticipation, and awe.”

Amid the jitters and excitement, Lutchminarain appreciated her friends and family who kept her grounded. “My mum is glowing - she’s the heart of calm in the storm. My dad keeps sending fishing emojis, his quiet way of saying he’s proud. My friends and colleagues are keeping me sane, not stirring the anxiety.”

In all her childhood daydreaming, Lutchminarain said she never came close to the experience the movie has brought her. 

“Playing Amisha wasn’t about acting; it was about surrender. I think audiences will see a different side of me.” 

She sang the praises of the film’s production team and counted it a privilege to work with Timothy, his daughter Teerajeh, and Moodley. “I got to contribute to something meaningful,” she said.

Dada said it was “impossible feeling to describe,” being hours away from the release.

“When you are dealing with a film that honours the history of our indentured ancestors, every single step - from the first draft of the script to the final cut - has felt like a sacred duty.”

Dada said it was his privilege to have landed the leading man’s role, his first on the big screen.

“I’ve become a conduit for a story that is etched in the DNA of the Indian South African community. To debut with a project this significant, it’s deeply personal, a dream come true.”

He rated the timing of the launch, which coincided with the 165th anniversary of Indian arrival. “It is profound. It turns the film from mere entertainment into an act of remembrance and education,” he said.

DAILY NEWS