Mnisi explores her Skeem Saam charater Mantuli’s other side
Actor didn't think her role would grow to become this big in drama series
TV actor Dieketseng Mnisi did not approve at first when Skeem Saam writers wanted to explore the character of Mantuli Seakamela by portraying her as a cheating woman.
Mnisi plays the character in the popular SABC 1 drama series. As someone who has always been against cheating even among her friends, it was a daunting task for her to portray the character.
As a result, the 60-year-old found herself doing many retakes while shooting some of the controversial scenes in Skeem Saam. Versed as she is, Mnisi had to be reminded many times that it was not Dieketseng but Mantuli who cheated with John Maputla.
In the past two months her character has gone through so much and definitely becoming one of the reasons why people want to be at home by 6.30pm to watch the storyline unfold.
The storyline involves the Maputlas and Mantuli with her kids seeking answers about their real identity after she cheated with John.
The drama is laced around Kwaito’s character (played by Clement Maosa) wanting to know his real father.
Finding out that John Maputla, their neighbour, was his father caused more drama between the two families. Viewers have been watching Mantuli, a strong woman, being at her most vulnerable and breaking point.
Speaking to Sowetan, the seasoned stage, film and TV actor says once she understood the writers’ ideas she fell in love with Mantuli’s storyline.
“For the past years people only knew that Mantuli existed and did not know her other side. They only knew that she fell in love with Seakamela, who was a musician. She left Richards Bay and followed him to Johannesburg and ended up in Polokwane.
The storyline was challenging but I kept reminding myself that this is Mantuli not Dieketseng,” Mnisi said.
“Mantuli thought that she will be able to take her secret affair with John to the grave but things changed dramatically.
“As much as I did not like the direction the storyline was taking, it opens a conversation about infidelity and cheating issues in our society.
“When I heard that it was trending on social media, I also knew that I did my job as an actor. Mantuli has had this intimidating demeanor but her situation with the Maputlas has exposed the other side of her.”
The Daveyton-born actor explained that when she auditioned for Mantuli’s role in 2011, she never thought she will get it. Mnisi auditioned for the role with many Sepedi-speaking actors and that intimidated her a bit but she did everything to get the role and she portrayed her character with aplomb. When I auditioned I was worried that I did not speak the main language, which is Sepedi. But the creator of the show,
“Winnie Serite, believed in me. This is my first big role and it came after I had prayed hard for it,” she said.
“I asked God to give me just one role in a soapie so that I can express the gift He gave me. When it happened, I did not think that my character would grow to become this big. Wherever they are taking the character, I am ready.”