Mchunu lands a lead role in drama Isifiso

Former Uzalo fan favourite Nelisa Mchunu has gone from strength to strength since leaving South Africa’s most-watched telenovela last year.

She recently scored a lead role on Mzansi Magic’s new telenovela, Isifiso, one of the many roles she has bagged since her Uzalo character was made redundant.

Speaking to Sunday World, the actress said she had initially auditioned for a different role but was fortunate enough to get a lead role. She plays the role of
Bazothini on Isifiso.

Mchunu said her character about Bazothini, is a simple girl who reeks of jealousy, and someone who would go the extra mile to get what she wants in life. Bazothini lives in her younger sister’s shadow, envying her seemingly perfect life, but does not realise all is not what it seems as she eventually and tragically learns the truth.

“Bazothini is a simple girl who struggles with emotional and psychological issues. She’s pushed over the edge by her jealousy, and a lot of things start to unravel in her life and the lives of other people around her in her pursuit of the life she wants,” she said.

The series has 13 episodes and Mchunu said the way it was crafted stood out the most for her.

“Chris Q Radebe outdid himself with this story, and I hope we as the cast did justice to it. Viewers can expect the unexpected from Isifiso.”

Before finding herself on our small screens, Mchunu, who studied a BA in media studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, worked as a hostess at an Italian restaurant on completing her studies.

She made her first television appearance on Isidingo in 2015 as an extra while she worked in industrial theatre. The following year she landed a role on SABC1’s Uzalo where she played the role of Fikile but left last year, when her character was written out.

The actress later joined Generations: The Legacy in the role of Tzitha.

She also plays the lead role on SABC’s Ses’Top La, replacing Busi Lurayi in the role of Phumzile.