FROM CLASSROOMS TO IN FRONT OF CAMERAS

Actor and comedian Koobeshan Naidoo shares his journey to living his dream writes

ACTOR and comedian, Koobeshan Naidoo, always felt he belonged in front of the camera, but for 28 years he put his passion aside, took the road often travelled and became a teacher.

Recently, things changed because you can never keep a good actor off the stage.

He finally followed his heart, and a seed planted during his university years helped him gather the courage to resign from his teaching job and give acting a chance.

Naidoo plays the character of Pranav Rampersad in the popular local series Imbewu: The Seed, screened on e.tv on weekdays at 9.30pm, opposite Jailoshni Naidoo.

Naidoo also starred in the hit film Keeping up with the Kandasamys.

Naidoo, 53, was born in Port Shepstone. He moved to Durban with his parents as a teen and furthered his studies at the then University of Durban-westville (UDW, now University of Kwazulu-natal).

At university he met his wife of 28 years, Kumseela Naidoo, who is also a teacher and actor.

“It was incredible growing up in a little town. I felt absolutely safe wandering around playing with my friends and spending time at each other’s houses,” said Naidoo.

“I attended Port Shepstone Primary till standard six (Grade 8) then started high school at Port Shepstone Secondary and a year later left for Durban – where I completed my matric at Avoca Hills Secondary School.

“I went to UDW and spent an exciting few years there, most of my education happened outside the lecture