Khanyi Mbau is among the star-studded cast of 'Meet The Khumalos'.
Image: Instagram.
In a move that promises to bring laughter and joy to audiences across the continent, Netflix is releasing the highly anticipated South African comedy, "Meet The Khumalos", on Friday, April 11.
The film showcases an all-star cast featuring some of South Africa's most beloved actors, including reality TV star and actress Khanyi Mbau, Ayanda Borotho, "Blood & Water" star Khosi Ngema, Jesse Suntele, Siyabonga Shibe, Bonga Dlamini and the late Connie Chiume.
Khanyi Mbau and Ayanda Borotho in "Meet The Khumalos".
Image: Instagram.
The storyline revolves around Grace Khumalo, played by Mbau, whose idyllic life takes an unexpected turn when her former best friend, Bongi Sithole (portrayed by Borotho), moves in next door.
As both women confront their tangled past, a host of ridiculous situations unfold, particularly when their children start dating in secret, compelling the mothers to intervene and put a stop to the budding romance.
"Meet The Khumalos" is a fresh adaptation of the 2017 hit film "Meet the Kandasamys", also penned and directed by Jayan Moodley.
The film aims to retain the charm of the original narrative while introducing a new layer of humour.
Mbau describes her character, Grace, as a "very graceful but shrewd businesswoman".
"Grace is beautiful, rich, flamboyant and dramatic. She has a perfect family, she's married to a doctor, and she loves her son, but everything goes downhill when the new neighbours move in," said Mbau.
Cast of "Meet The Khumalos".
Image: Instagram.
After taking a sabbatical from the industry for two years, Mbau reflected on the importance of stepping back to rekindle her creativity: "I took a two year break from the industry and this is why I didn't do 'Young, Famous & African' previously.
"I feel that it's very important as an artist to go on a sabbatical to find new ways, get inspiration, come back and perform better and this is why I haven't been.
She added: "I don't take on a lot of TV work because it has to make sense to me. It has to give me time to prepare, it has to give me time to love the character and Netflix allowed me to do that. It allows me to live anywhere in the world and to work and do projects that I truly love.
Mbau said: "What I loved about this film is that it's comedy, it's family and it is friendly and it shows what South Africans truly are.
"The world has now seen that South Africa is the place for entertainment. This film will show you that American comedy has nothing on us because we have soul, we have ubuntu and that's what the world needs."
Meanwhile, Moodley said "Meet The Khumalos" is a heartfelt homage to KwaMashu.
"We showcase the gated estates of Umhlanga, the taxi rank and some really interesting places in KwaMashu. We bring all of Durban together in a funny, heartwarming, beautiful way. So we are so excited to showcase our city to the rest of the world.
"Our cast is an all-star cast, I think with Khanyi, I knew three years ago even before we started scripting that I wanted her to play the lead role.
"I had met Jesse at a Netflix dinner two years ago, and I was like, 'Oh my God, that's Sizwe' and for the rest of the cast I sort of had an idea who I wanted and they just blew our minds at the auditions. Khanyi calls it bespoke casting because it really is.
"We've got the best of the best. I think we've been so incredibly blessed because they are all so insanely talented. To have this amount of talent in one room does not always happen. So this project just came together.
Reflecting on the creative process, she shared: "Directing the film was incredible, when you have talent like this, they just make your job so easy, also, this project is so close to my heart because it is Durban and its people."
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