Durban - The creator of the Facebook page Adventures of 9Boy, social media sensation Thansen Govender, is making waves with his comedy fuelled videos.
Govender plays numerous zany characters but has been able to address serious issues including bullying, death in the family, language barriers, Indian superstitions and several social issues through quirky tales.
The page has gathered over 20 000 “likes” with close to 30 000 followers in less than two years.
The characters include Preshen, a timid university student, who attempts to teach his conservative mother, Vassie, to be more modern.
Vassie, in the process, has several run-ins with his domineering girlfriend, Rochelle.
Govender, 22, of Centurion in Gauteng, who used Snapchat filters and various head-wear to play the different roles, said his funny man journey started when he tried to cheer-up a friend with a cellphone video.
“The Adventures of 9Boy concept was created when I sent a video to a friend and he loved it so much that he posted it on Facebook,” said Govender.
“My role as 9Boy is not just a character. It is who I really am. The different personas were created from life experiences and relationships.”
The town and regional planning student at the University of Pretoria said he was inspired by comedian Trevor Noah.
“I base 9Boy’s comedy and humour on Indian heritage but I also ensure it relates to all races, ages and backgrounds. For me, laughter is the best medicine. If I can make you laugh, I have done my deed for the day.”
He added: “When I created the Facebook page, my aim was to reach 10000 ‘likes’ but it has since doubled and continues to grow. The highest viewership on a video surpassed 190000 views.”
Govender said the page users were supportive and interactive. He is also collaborating with production houses and businesses.
“I started working on creative collaborations with production house REN10 Media. This brings a cinematic quality to my work and we do a lot of fun ‘just-for-laughs’ videos.
“My long term goal is to create 9Boy as an entertainment entity across various platforms, collaborating with as many people as I can. I want to grow it and incorporate professional video production, online presence, live shows, hosting and appearances.”
In his spare time Govender enjoys spending time with his family and friends.
You can view his work on YouTube and Instagram.