TALENTED, beautiful, sophisticated and unassuming are just some of the words used to describe Jailoshini Naidoo, whose prowess is widely recognised on stage, radio, film and TV.
Anyone who has crossed paths with this seasoned homegrown talent will concur.
With Keeping Up with the Kandasamys still fresh in the minds of fans, Naidoo is set to wow them once again with her upcoming TV role in Imbewu: The Seed.
She says: “I’m so thrilled to be a part of this amazing project. Imbewu: The Seed is a very real South African story filled with suspense,drama, scandal, love, romance - everything that’s guaranteed to keep an audience on edge and wanting more. More especially, it’s uniquely Durban and is very classy. It’s a coming together of powerhouse production companies, amazing directors, a very talented cast and e.tv, who are so supportive and incredible.”
Naidoo slips into the matriarchal role of Nerupa Rampersad opposite Koobeshen Naidoo, who played her big screen husband last year and does so again - on the small screen this time.
“Koobeshan and I go back a long way. We studied drama together at university and we’ve been friends since then. He’s a talented actor and a wonderful, humble human being so it’s really great to be working with him again. We’re also comedians so we have a lot of fun working together,” she says.
It’s been an interesting several months for Naidoo.
On the back of the success of Keeping Up With The Kandasamys, she was cast in The Indian Detective with Russell Peters, Anupam Kher, William Shatner and a host of talented South African actors.
“It was wonderful being a part of The Indian Detective, which was filmed in beautiful Cape Town. I played the role of Dr Seghal, a mum to the young girl (played by Mishqah Parthiepal), who was the love interest of Russell Peters.”
Naidoo owns every character she plays. Her notable stage performances in At The Edge, Jimbo and others attest to her versatility.
Reflecting on her strides in the entertainment space, she says: “I’ve moved from one aspect to the next in this industry, which I’m so passionate about. As an actor, theatre was my first love and that’s where it all started. I’m still extremely passionate about that and try to do at least one theatre production a year as it feeds my soul and I love the immediacy of it all. I then grew into comedy, which just gained momentum in leaps and bounds over the years and became another big love of mine. Then came my break into television as a TV presenter, first on M-Net for two years and then on SABC's Eastern Mosaic for 10 years.”
She continues: “Then came my debut on radio on Lotus FM and now, over two years later, I’m still thoroughly enjoying it. Of course, on the big screen I did a few films over the years: The Eastern Bride, a British movie, Karol, an Italian film and the British TV series, Strike Back. This was followed by my lead role in Keeping Up with the Kandasamys and, of course, I have another exciting movie, 3 Days to Go, which will be premiering later this year. Now, finally, I’m in my first TV soapie and I honestly couldn’t have wished for a better one to start my journey in this direction.”
Of the TV show, which follows the Bhengus and the Rampersads, Naidoo says: “Both families and their children have in the process grown together and consider each other to be family. Of course, with success comes various challenges, politics, changes in personality, egos and so on and the series explores the drama within the business as well as the growth and changes with the various generations of each family joining in. There’s much drama and suspense and audiences are in for a roller-coaster ride.”
Imbewu: The Seed starts on e.tv in April.