Bheki Mkhwane cast in ‘Nikiwe’ to help attract Nguni-speaking viewers
WHEN industry titan Thomas Gumede picked up the phone a month ago and asked actor Bheki Mkhwane to “rescue him”, Mkhwane got on the first plane out to Johannesburg.
In a recent chat with the veteran theatre actor, he explained Gumede wanted him to join e.tv’s telenovela Nikiwe, which he produces, to help capture Nguni-speaking viewers.
Mkhwane made his debut in the daily drama on Wednesday, as Mhlaba, a hard-working man who operates in the taxi industry.
“Thomas Gumede, a great young creative director, phoned me and said ‘Can you jump on a plane and come rescue me?’ So I jumped on the plane, not even knowing what I was going to do.
“I didn’t even know about the show because I don’t watch television, but when I arrived, I got excited.
“We started filming about three weeks ago but it’s quite a challenge because the writing team is trying to change the storyline to hook the Nguni-speakers. It’s quite a task but we’re hoping to get there.”
He said the production team have only shot a couple of scenes where they are establishing the background of the Inanda-based family in KwaZulu-Natal.
“My character, Mhlaba, is a simple man who runs one taxi but wants to grow in the taxi industry so he looks for opportunities, if not to scam other people to make his life.
“I’m so excited to play him, but right now I don’t know how the writers are planning to take this character forward,” he said.
Mkhwane, who is also well known for his work in award-winning shows such as The River and Isibaya, said even though he does not entirely know where the character will land up, he will play the role with humility.
“The newly appointed writers are still workshopping how my character is going to fit into the storyline. I’m going in with humility because if you are humble enough, creativity sits with you.
“I also trust the experience going in and the team I am working with,” he said.
He said his understanding of the KZN landscape helped him to understand his character better.
“I know Inanda, I know the people, so I was able to understand what kind of person my character is despite not having a full storyline written out.
“The costume department tried to dress me up, but because I knew the look and feel of the character I asked them if I could pick out my own clothes,” he said.
When Nikiwe first began on e.tv in April, the storyline followed the lives of the Radebe family, witnessing the rise and fall of a family empire based in the surrounds of Diepkloof Extension, Pimville and Orlando in Soweto.
Now the writers want to make it a KZN story.
“I don’t really know where the story is going. I’m going in as an actor with humility and hope that I will be on point when the time comes.
“In our work, we have to always trust our emotions and that will take you where you need to go,” he added.
“Viewers do not know what the writers will write, but when the script comes to us (actors) we always look at it as a guide and then we reinterpret, if not rewrite, to be on point,” he said.
Mkhwane said he is looking forward to the challenge of what lies ahead.
“It’s always exciting when you are involved in something and you don’t know how it’s going to pan out because you’re so challenged to find the truth each and every time.
“I’ve been acting for the last 38 years and when you walk onto a set for the first time you are always taken by watching other talents.
“You can never master acting until you die, but you can come close to the truth. And if you are truthful it will speak to the viewer.”
For now the production has built sets that resemble the KZN landscape but there is a possibility that they could move to KZN to stay true to the story.
Nikiwe airs on e.tv at 6.30pm, weekdays.