Net mens begin 22 Januarie om 20:00 op kykNET (DStv-kanaal 144) en dis ’n sensitiewe dog eerlike vertelling wat jou insae gee in agt Suid-Afrikaanse kunstenaars se lewens – vanaf grootwordjare tot die kruin van ’n loopbaan; die moeilike tye, die goeie tye, suksesse asook die opspraakwekkende oomblikke wat voorblaaie gehaal het. Dié kunstenaars (sangers, akteurs, aanbieders en glanspersoonlikhede) maak in Net mens oop oor die komplekse uitdagings van ’n lewe in die openbare oog.

Die idee vir die reeks kom uit die kreatiewe kop van die Binnelanders-akteur Reynardt Hugo, Net mens se vervaardiger en regisseur.

“Hierdie agt wonderlike stories is elkeen uniek en ek is so bevoorreg dat hierdie mense my met hulle lewensverhale vertrou het. In ’n wêreld waar blitssukses en instant gratification opgehemel word, het ek besef die werklike lewe gaan oor méér as dit. Dit gaan oor die feilbare mens, betekenisvolle verhoudings en om vir mekaar te luister,” sê Hugo, wat met Net mens sy eerste treë agter die skerms gee.  

Die agt kunstenaars wat in Net mens oop kaarte speel, is Kurt Darren, Kim Cloete, Dirk van der Westhuizen, Elandré, Cindy Swanepoel, Refentse, Hykie Berg en Early B.

Kurt Darren wys ’n ander kant van sy lewe soos nooit tevore nie – van familieman tot een van Suid-Afrika se mees bekroonde sangers met ’n loopbaan van meer as twee dekades in die kollig.

Kim Cloete vertel in diepte van daardie noodlottige lewensgebeurtenis wat haar lewe onherroeplik verander het en hoe sy haar pad terug gevind het met behulp van haar mikrokombuis-inisiatief en geliefdes om haar.

Agter die geoliede spiere van Dirk van der Westhuizen is daar ’n ambisieuse jong kunstenaar wat gerugte oor sy talent, lyf en liefdeslewe trotseer tot die beste van sy vermoëns. In sy episode draai hy nie doekies om oor die kosbare mense in sy lewe nie.

Die uiters private Elandré praat vir die eerste keer openlik oor sy grootwordjare, terugslae en wat dit geverg het om sukses te behaal – van Kleindorp-dromer tot uitverkoopte konserte en alles tussenin.

Sy is weeksdae as Annelize Roux deel van Binnelanders in sitkamers dwarsoor die land, maar daar skuil soveel meer agter die talentvolle Cindy Swanepoel, wat in haar episode ’n ding by die naam noem.

Sy roerende stem is dwarsoor die land geliefd, maar in Net mens vertel Refentse van die stryd wat hy as jong swartman gehad het om bekendheid in die Afrikaanse musieklandskap te verwerf.

Hykie Berg deel sy aangrypende lewensverhaal – van die ongemak in sy eie vel tot die man wat hy binne homself ontdek het ná groot worstelinge met geestesgesondheid en dwelms.

Early B sluit die reeks af met ’n kykie in die lewe van ’n rymkletser en die avontuur van sy grootwordjare in Gqeberha tot die kulturele grense wat hy met sy lirieke versit.

Net mens begin Sondag 22 Januarie om 20:00 op kykNET (DStv-kanaal 144).

Reynardt Hugo’s Net mens – an intimate look at celebrities

Who is the person behind the big name? This is the central question posed by the new kykNET documentary series, Net mens [Only human], which illuminates the life stories of eight local celebrities.

Net mens starts 22 January at 20:00 on kykNET (DStv Channel 144), and it’s a sensitive but honest series that offers insight into the private lives of eight South African artists – from their growing up to the peak of their careers; the hard times, the good times, successes as well as the controversial moments that made headlines. These artists (singers, actors, presenters and famous personalities) open up and talk frankly about the complex challenges of a life in the public eye.

The idea for the series originated in the creative mind of Binnelanders actor Reynardt Hugo, the producer and director of Net mens.

“Each one of these eight wonderful stories is unique, and I am so privileged that these remarkable human beings trusted me to tell their stories. In a world which glorifies quick success and instant gratification, I realised that real life is about so much more. It’s about being a fallible human, meaningful relationships and about listening to one another,” says Hugo who ventures behind the camera for the first time with Net mens. 

The eight artists who bare all in Net mens are Kurt Darren, Kim Cloete, Dirk van der Westhuizen, Elandré, Cindy Swanepoel, Refentse, Hykie Berg and Early B.

Kurt Darren shows a side of his life he has never shared before – from family man to one of South Africa’s biggest pop stars with a career that has kept him in the limelight for more than two decades.

Kim Cloete talks in depth about the fateful event that irrevocably changed her life and about how she found her way back with the help of her micro-kitchen initiative and the loved ones around her.

Behind the oiled muscles of Dirk van der Westhuizen is an ambitious young artist who deals with all the rumours and gossip about his talent, body and love life as best he can. In his episode, he makes no secret of how he really feels about the precious people in his life.

The very private Elandré talks openly for the first time about how he grew up, setbacks and what it took to achieve success – from the smalltown dreamer who recorded the Kleindorp-dromer album to sold-out shows and everything in between.

As Annelize Roux in the kykNET soap Binnelanders, she’s a regular guest in living rooms across the country, but there is so much more to the talented Cindy Swanepoel who certainly calls a spade a spade in her episode.

His voice has touched fans all over South Africa, but in Net mens, Refentse talks candidly about his battle to make it as a black man in the Afrikaans music industry.

Hykie Berg shares his biggest trials and tribulations – from the discomfort he felt in his own skin to his struggles with mental health and drugs.

Early B ends the series with a look into the life of a rapper and the adventure of growing up in Gqeberha to become a crossover star who shifts cultural boundaries with his lyrics.

Net mens starts Sunday 22 January at 20:00 on kykNET (DStv Channel 144).