This love business
For Shria Rampersad, love and marriage go together like a horse and ice skates.
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Ambitious and driven Shria Rampersad (Kajal Maharaj) got knocked back when she and her undercover lover Nganono (Xolani Mfeka) clashed over who would be COO of Maluju Oil on Thursday 28 June. Not even a steamy kiss on Monday 2 July could blind Shria to the realisation that Nganono will never bow to her in the boardroom. “The Bhengus own controlling shares of Maluju Oil. If Shria follows her heart with Nganono, she’ll never be in charge of the empire that her ambitious nature desires,” explains Kajal. But at the age of 28, the pressure is on for Shria to marry. And when her work mentor Sanil Maharaj (Jack Devnarain) suggested on Monday 30 July that she wed her rich long-time boyfriend Yuveer (Zahir Bassa), who comes from a high-profile family, Shria could see it working despite the lack of bedroom spark. “Nganono represents personal desire and Yuveer what she needs to do right by her family,” says Kajal. “She sees no loss of life in marrying Yuveer but only goals being achieved.” So Yuveer’s secret lover will throw a spanner in the works when he crashes Shria and Yuveer’s proposal ceremony on Wednesday 1 August!
I WILL SURVIVE
This is a moment that shows what Shria is made of. “She’s devastated by Ashwin (Preven Reddy) crashing the proposal. Shria by nature wears a mask, one that allows her to conceal her emotions and show only strength and confidence. She carries this silent confidence that everything will work out even though her fiancé-to-be’s lover has arrived,” reveals Kajal. And despite a sexy slip-up with Nganono on Monday 6 August, not even Wednesday 8 August’s newspaper article about Yuveer and his gay lover can shake Shria for long. “It’s a blow to her ego. This is a public humiliation. It leaves people in the boardroom talking, making a joke of who she is and she can’t stand to be hurt like that,” admits Kajal. “But she is not upset to find out about his orientation, because in her heart of hearts, Shria always knew. She knew that Yuveer was gay but was willing to marry him anyway. She puts a plan into action to restore it all,” says Kajal. And on Thursday 9 August, Shria announces that it’s lies: Yuveer isn’t gay and the wedding is on!
ON HIS SIDE
Marrying Yuveer isn’t a totally selfish choice. Shria understands the struggles that her future husband is facing. “She loves Yuveer. He understands her and they are best friends. She understands how hard this is for him. She feels like she is the strength that he can lean on. She knows how hard it must be for him, given who his father is. His life is secrets and compromise… she is empathetic to his needs. That is why she believes that the union saves them both. Yuveer can live his life the way he wants and Shria can run her own empire,” says Kajal.
ON HER SIDE
While the rest of the family are up in arms, Shria will find a surprising ally when she confides in her mom Nerupa (Jailoshini Naidoo) on Monday 13 August. “Once her mother finds out about Nganono, she is pro Yuveer, supporting, even forcing their union at any cost. This really shows the mother-daughter relationship and you see this unravel with juicy, emotional conflicts,” hints Kajal. “Shria is complicated and carries the burdens of her decisions. Having her mother’s support means the world to her.”