A tantalising trailer for the majestic twelve-part series Shaka iLembe was released on Sunday. The trailer opens with a breathtaking shot of King Dingiswayo (Thembinkosi Mthembu) riding on a beautiful horse.
It was a trailer so majestic, it demanded repeat viewings. Hands up if you watched it at least five times. We fell in love more and more with every repeat viewing and became more and more impatient for June to arrive. Let's watch it again, before taking a deeper dive.
A symbol of beauty
We are treated to a vibrant display of beautifully-designed traditional garments. We can't help but be in awe of the level of detail. The magnificent headdresses in particular take centre stage, especially during gatherings. It’s not just the costumes that caught our eye. We saw more of the locations – which include rural KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. These locations are guaranteed to provide dramatic backdrops to an even more dramatic story.
More of Lemogang
We get to feast our eyes on more of Lemogang Tsipa and witness some of what he brings to the production as Shaka. In a captivating scene, we watch him hone his fighting skills, clearly in preparation for battles to come. And what battles they will be.
Lots of romance
The attraction between Nandi and Senzangakhona is strong. Flirtatious moments escalate into unbridled passion. The chemistry between Nomzamo Mbatha and Senzo Radebe, who play the pair, ignites the screen and we can’t wait to see more of them.
United we stand, divided we fall
We were captivated by powerful dialogue as Mkabayi stressed the importance of unity amongst family and what could happen should there be division. “If we don’t unite, “she says, “the Ndwandwe will slaughter all of us.” This is sure to be one of many rousing speeches.
Are you ready for the splendour that is Shaka iLembe?
We'd love to hear from you. What did you learn from the trailer? Let us know on social media.
Shake iLembe starts on Sunday 18 June at 20:00 on Mzansi Magic channel 161.
For more information, follow the hashtag #ShakaiLembeMzansi on social media. Find Mzansi Magic on Facebook,Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.