Seasoned actress Phindile Gwala will be gracing the small screens again as she makes a dramatic return to e.tv’s popular soap “Imbewu” on Thursday.
In 2021, Gwala took a brief hiatus to focus on her family and business and now she will be giving her fans a double bill of drama on e.tv as sassy Fikile and as MaNdlovu on Mzansi Magic’s new riveting Maskandi drama “uZulu no Mhlaba”, which is set to premiere on Sunday, October 30.
In the last season of the award-winning show, viewers were left wondering if Fikile had died when her clothes were discovered near the beach after her life was suddenly disrupted by a series of unfortunate events.
Speaking to IOL Entertainment, Gwala who was rumoured to have been fired from “Imbewu”, explained that she was not fired from the show, instead, there was an agreement in place with the production team that she will need to take the much-needed break at the end of season four.
“I was never fired from ‘Imbewu’, I will never be fired,” said Gwala.
“I'm a perfectionist. I deliver. I'm always on time. I give my utmost best. I want people not to believe everything that is written on those gossip pages and tabloids.
“If I move, I'll move because it's time for me to move. I'll resign. I've done that previously. But I will never be fired.”
“The reason for my initial break was after the hectic Fikile that I was playing … she was going through a lot; finding out that the love of her life, Nkululeko was actually her sibling, they just got engaged…she was madly in love and the news broke her,” she added.
The couple were also trying to have a baby when Fikile found out that she had endometriosis.
“I had to feel all emotions and it was quite hectic because when I play a character, I give it my all. For me to be believable, when Fikile gets sick, I feel sick too.
“So, this is something that we discussed with the production that I am going to go on leave after that hectic storyline and come back the following season,” she said.
Fast forward to season five, Fikile comes back and becomes the new owner of Emsamo.
“My fans will be thrilled to see me back on TV and I can't wait for them to meet the new Fikile. She is much stronger than before. You don't know what her next move will be. She plays her cards very close to her chest,” she said.
Gwala said she’s looking forward to more drama, more action and an exciting journey as Fikile shakes things up on “Imbewu”.
Touching on her new gig on “uZulu no Mhlaba”, Gwala revealed that she has mixed emotions about playing the “ruthless” MaNdlovu.
"This woman is very ruthless and harsh. She is different from who I am and what I have played before. I have to work 10 times more to bring this character to life.
“She is in her mid-forties and I'm 35 and tapping into that age, looking like her, walking like her, talking like her, was something a bit challenging but I enjoyed doing it.
“MaNdlovu is a rural woman, she's also rich and she'll do anything to never be broke again because her background is revealed that she doesn't come from a rich family, so everything that she has, she has worked hard for,” she revealed.
Partially set and filmed in KwaZulu-Natal’s Ulundi township, the 13-episode drama tells the story of two maskandi artists who engage in a brutal feud over music, only to discover they are more closely linked than they could have imagined.
The artists are portrayed by newcomers Aphiwe Bengu (as Zulu) and Ntokozo Vilakazi (as Mhlaba).
The stellar cast also includes the legendary Ernest Ndlovu, Ayanda Borotho, Nothando Ngcobo, Phumzile Mlangeni and award-winning maskandi icon Ihhashi Elimhlophe.
Catch “uZulu no Mhlaba” on Mzansi Magic (DStv channel 161) from Sunday, October 30, at 8pm and “Imbewu” on weekdays at 9pm on e.tv (DStv channel 194).
Read the latest IOL Entertainment digi mag here.