After 4 years, filming finally starts on M-Net's Shaka Ilembe drama series from MultiChoice and Bomb Productions, Lemogang Tsipa to portray adult Zulu king.

by Thinus Ferreira

Four years after announcing it in May 2018 and languishing in a seemingly protracted pre-production doldrum, filming has finally started on MultiChoice and Bomb Productions' TV drama series Shaka Ilembe in South Africa's Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, with Lemogang Tsipa who will portray the adult king and newcomer Ntando Zondi as the boy Zulu warrior boy.

Besides Lemogang Tsipa, Nomzamo Mbatha will play Queen Nandi, Shaka's mother with Nomzamo who is also an executive producer of Shaka Ilembe.

Years after announcing Shaka Ilembe but struggling to move forward with filming of the project, MultiChoice and Bomb Productions are now finally filming scenes of the series on which work had already started two years before MultiChoice and M-Net publicly announced it in May 2018.

The production has consulted historians, academics and family descendants, including the late King Goodwill Zwelithini and Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi. 

So far Shaka Ilembe has provided work for 8 000 people, MultiChoice said on Wednesday of the series which will debut in 2023.

While Shaka Ilembe was initially earmarked for linear playout on M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel, it's likely that the show has now been shifted to M-Net's 1Magic (DStv 103) channel to go to DStv Premium subscribers first.

The Shaka Ilembe cast also includes Thembinkosi Mthembu as King Dingisway and Wiseman Mncube as King Zwide.

Angus Gibson, Bomb Productions creative director, says "It is magical witnessing these performers bring life to characters we only know from the history books. When the cast arrive on set, fully dressed in wardrobe and hair from the period, I am blown away."

Lemogang Tsipa

Nomzamo Mbatha

Thembinkosi Mthembu

Senzo Radebe

"Being able to bring this important story to the screen with such stellar talent speaks to the heart of MultiChoice's ongoing commitment and investment in our local entertainment industry," said Yolisa Phahle, MultiChoice CEO of general entertainment and connected video, in a prepared statement on Wednesday.

"We are committed to telling great African stories and this is a proudly African series told through the lens of Africans for the very first time."

"We want people to learn about our history and culture, but we also want to keep viewers glued in anticipation. This drama seeks to uncover nuggets of history, but creates narrative in the gaps by putting known characters alongside fictional characters in order to keep the story moving."

In the statement, Nomzamo Mbatha says "I am honoured to bring the giant that is Queen Nandi to life. History will remember those who informed its people of where we come from, to better understand who we are. I am fortunate to be part of a project that is much bigger than ourselves and to tell this story in our own language".

Nhlanhla Mtaka, an executive and cultural advisor on the series, says "This is our appointment with history; we want to capture the authenticity and deepen the understanding of this era".

ALSO READ: M-Net adds another black historical drama series, Shaka-Ilembe, from Bomb Productions that will explore the precolonial South African kingdoms that influenced and gave rise to Shaka Zulu.

Location scouting underway, casting starting soon, for MultiChoice and M-Net's iconic new Shaka drama series.

Location scouting has started and casting will begin soon to find an "iconic" place and actors to film M-Net's South African "Game of Thrones" version as MultiChoice mounts a blue-chip production effort in its own retelling of the story of the Zulu king Shaka that will be broadcast as a new drama series on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161).

Besides broadcasting Shaka in South Africa and across Sub-Saharan Africa on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service, M-Net has plans to sell what it wants to be a prestige series to the world, showcasing to global broadcasters the production quality, capacity and talent that exists in South Africa.

With Shaka M-Net wants to eventually lure more international co-productions made in South Africa and across the continent and make global content buyers aware of the raft of local content available for international broadcasters

Produced by Bomb Productions, M-Net in May 2018 announced that it has commissioned a 12-episode drama series order to tell the story of King Shaka kaSenzangakhona. The black historical drama series will explore the precolonial South African kingdoms that influenced and gave rise to Shaka Zulu.

South Africans and viewers worldwide are familiar with the 10-episode, 1986-series Shaka Zulu from the SABC and Harmony Gold USA that was directed by William C. Faure, starring the iconic, late Henry Cele in the adult Shaka role and based on Joshua Sinclair's 1985-novel of the same name.

"To tell the story of Shaka in this moment is a huge responsibility and a great honour," says Jacob Ntshangase, one of the writers.

The new Shaka will also be filmed across South Africa, with Bomb Productions now scouring the country in search of iconic locations while pre-production has started before filming later this year to recreate the world in which Shaka lived and reigned.

M-Net and Bomb Productions will also cast several Shaka's seen as a baby, at 7, 12, 18, as well as the man, as well as several other characters who will "age" as well and be portrayed by different actors as life moves on.

The casting process looking for the perfect actors to inhabit Shaka and the other roles will be nationwide.

"We are excited about making an epic and exhilarating drama that is respectful of the real history," says Teboho Mahlatsi, executive producer and co-creator at Bomb Productions.

"Research is key. Telling a story of such complexity does not just happen overnight. We will depict the great kingdoms of the AmaThethwa, the AmaNdwandwe, AmaQwabe, AmaHlubi and AmaZulu amongst others, and on this epic canvas, we will see the heroic rise of Shaka. We are telling an African story about a great African empire."

Yolisa Phahle, MultiChoice CEO for general entertainment, says "Starting this journey is history in the making and whilst research and consultation with stakeholders will continue, we are looking forward to unearthing and showcasing the deep pool of talent that lies within South Africa."

"This is a proudly South African series which we intend to take to the world."

Bomb Productions is close to starting the first stage of casting for mostly background extras and will travel across South Africa doing auditions for abashaya indlamu (traditional dancers), izimbongi and izinyosi (praise singers), as well as amaqhawe enduku (stick fighters).

"We are looking for real deep skills - no pretenders," warns Teboho Mahlatsi.

For acting roles, Angus Gibson, Bomb producer says "Previous film experience is not necessary. We are looking to unearth new talent who will perform alongside our great, experienced actors".

However, the search for the actors playing Shaka will be at the heart of the extensive casting process.

"We will be looking for him as a baby, at 7, 12 and 18 years – as well as the man. Then there is Nandi, Mkabayi, Dingiswayo, Zwide, Ntombase and many other riveting characters whom we see at different stages of their lives," says Angus Gibson.

Nkateko Mabaso, M-Net CEO, says "At M-Net we've been telling local stories for over 30 years and this is a continuation of our commitmet to our industry. This is not a colonial telling, this story will be told from our perspective".

M-Net adds another black historical drama series, Shaka-Ilembe, from Bomb Productions that will explore the precolonial South African kingdoms that influenced and gave rise to Shaka Zulu.

M-Net has added another black historical drama series, Shaka-Ilembe, produced by Bomb Productions, that will explore the precolonial Southern African kingdoms and characters that had an influence on Shaka Zulu.

The producers of the 12-episode first season of Shaka-Ilembe already has three seasons mapped out should the production go further, and follows after the umpteenth rebroadcast of the classic 1986 Harmony Gold USA series Shaka Zulu with the late Henry Cele that scored over 2 million Sunday night viewers for SABC1 in mid-2017.

Shaka-Ilembe that has been created by M-Net specifically with an eye on global distribution, will be broadcast on M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) for MultiChoice's DStv subscribers, and comes amidst a big global and African interest in Disney and Marvel's film Black Panther that depicted the mythical Wakanda kingdom and had moviegoers enthralled.

Shaka-Ilembe will revolve around the powers that influenced and shaped Shaka Zulu - the drama unfolding from the time of his conception, his bravery as a young man, the early attempts to kill him and the subsequent years of exile with his mother.

The drama series will also introduce the chiefdoms of the AmaThethwa, the AmaNdwandwe, AmaQwabe, AmaHlubi and others, which will give rise to Shaka Zulu as ruler.

Shaka-Ilembe follows M-Net's February announcement of two new commissioned drama series, the detective drama Trackers based on Deon Meyer's crime novel, and House of Phalo, described as a "Xhosa Game of Thrones" currently in production in the Eastern Cape province as a retelling of the modern Xhosa and the rise of King Phalo.

Trackers is produced by Three River Fiction and SCENE23, while House of Phalo is produced by by Mfundi Vundla's Morula Pictures. Bomb Productions previously created drama series like Yizo-Yizo and Zone 14 for the SABC's SABC1 channel, Jacob's Cross for M-Net and Isibaya for Mzansi Magic.

Bomb Productions describes Shaka-Ilembe also as an African Game of Thrones, saying "the epic series" will tell the story of precolonial kingdoms and the "heroes and villains who shaped and influenced one of Africa's greatest kings - Shaka kaSenzangakhona".

"We have seen how global audiences are ready to enjoy universal stories from multiple geographies. Now it is time for the incredible tradition of African storytelling to travel beyond our continent," said Yolisa Phahle, CEO of general entertainment for MultiChoice.

It echoes her speech in Dubai two weeks ago at MultiChoice's 5th Digital Dialogue Conference, saying MultiChoice and M-Net are "looking forward to investing even more in telling local stories, documenting our history and providing a platform for Africans to share African stories".

"The success of companies like Iroko TV, artists like Davido, actresses like Lupita N'yongo and the movie Black Panther are confirmation that the world is ready to consume African stories, celebrate African culture and embrace African languages."

She promised that this year MultiChoice and M-Net will start production on a number of epic African stories.

In the Thursday announcement, Yolisa Phahle said "we are committed to building a film and industry that will deliver benefits to our industry and are increasing our investment in local productions".

Teboho Mahlatsi, Shaka-Ilembe executive producer who will be working with Angus Gibson on the series, says that "with ambitions of making a series as epic and vast as Game of Thrones, we want to tell the story of the Nguni peoples who migrated to below the Pongola river and ruled over this verdant land."

"With three action-packed seasons mapped out, we hope to breathe life into the kings and queens, warriors and witches, spies, slavers, marauders and traders who lived, loved and fought for this land".

"This is a legacy project and has deep meaning to the team who have been telling stories of everyday South African heroes and heroines for the past 21 years. This is not a colonial telling of a great African empire, this story will finally be told from our perspective".

Teboho Mahlatsi, says "scale will not be compromised - whether that be in battles with 20 000 warriors, the visualisation of a kingdom or the capturing of an elephant".

M-Net says the team behind Shaka-Ilembe is vast, including historians, traditional leaders, oral custodians, royal advisors and filmmakers working through the many versions of source materials and stories to ensure authenticity.

Some of the names attached and helping out are the playwright Mpumulelo Grootboom, Catherine Swart, Nhlanhla Mtaka, Jacob Ntshangase, Hlonipa Mokoena, Benedict Carton and Thishiwe Ziqubu.

"We are at a pivotal time in history, a time where South Africa is reclaiming its own story, where history has been re-examined," said Jacob Ntshangase. "To tell the story of Shaka is a huge honour, and a huge responsibility".