When Skeem Saam star Innocent Sadiki auditioned for the lead role in the movie Thembi, she wanted the character to be nothing like her name.
“I didn’t know about the role initially, as I auditioned for something else. But I knew I wanted to try something challenging. The character goes through a mental illness, questions her reality, and leaves people questioning themselves as well. It is out of my comfort zone,” said the 28-year-old.
Thembi is a movie that centres around a woman who lives the lives of two people, after finding out why her mother was sent to prison for many years. It focuses on prison life for women - challenges, survival tactics and romance - and was shot at Constitution Hill in Braamfontein, Joburg.
To prepare for the role, Sadiki and her fellow cast members spent time with a group of female prisoners to learn from them about their experiences and find ways to tell their stories on screen,
“It was important for us to really understand the background and hear their stories and see how they feel so that we could translate the narrative to its best potential.”
Sadiki also ensured she knew who she would be working with and made sure to get some background information on the director and producers of the movie.
The rising star is doing her master's degree at Afda. She studied acting and started out in theatre.
The movie was shot early last year by Zallywood Productions and K20 Films.
With the ongoing conversation of opening up the industry, the team decided to cast Sadiki in the starring role as an unknown rising star. “We had a physical coach as well to prepare for some of the scenes in the movie,” said Sadiki.
“I play someone who has to deal with different dynamics, and it has really stretched my capabilities as an actor,” she said.
The young talent now wants to work on her own theatre production and get into radio.
The movie will be screened exclusively this Thursday at Ster-Kinekor Maponya Mall in Soweto, Festival Mall in Kempton Park and Sterland in Pretoria.
In Durban, the movie will be screened on December 19 at the Musgrave Centre and in Cape Town on December 20 at Promenade Mall.
“People should watch this movie because it explores so much of our history while touching on the present. It is intriguing and educational as it shows people how things were done.
"It’s especially beneficial to us as the current generation and it is a fantastic story,” said Sadiki.