Colours, Botswana’s leading urban drama debuts on SABC 1
South Africa, Johannesburg: 10 September 2023: Botswana’s leading urban drama series, Colours,made its debut airing this past Sunday, 10th September, 19:30 on SABC 1. This is rumoured to be the first ever original local drama series from Botswana to be licensed by the public broadcaster.
A collaboration between South African filmmaker, Bonginhlanhla Ncube, affectionately known in the industry as “Mr. B” and Botswana’s Samuel Ngwenya (Swanky Arrays), Colours centres around a young man whose character problems become his greatest strength, spiralling him onto a journey of discovery and change. After the sad passing of his mother, who happens to be the bread-winner in the family, Tirelo performed by Tulani Tau, must quickly find ways of assuming parenthood and save his teenage brother and sister from a myriad of challenges. Colours as an urban drama series features a predominantly a brilliant young cast, and has in the past two years become Botswana’s fan favourite drama series. This is because as part of its central story arch, Colours reflects and tells the reality of Botswana (and South Africa)’s myriad of social challenges faced by the urban population of this thriving country as it paints vividly the daily challenges, struggles and aspirations of the people. Some call it “Black Tax” but it not unusual for a young man to actually find themselves in Tirelo’s position where they must take care of their own siblings. The twist with Colours is that; the siblings have a mind of their own and have also sort unconventional survival techniques. We will not obviously pre-empty everything here.
Some of the issues tackled by the series include; drugs, peer pressure, greed, dysfunctional families, HIV/Aids and teaches viewers about the honour of hard work in the hustle and bustle of Gaborone, Botswana’s thriving metropolitan centre.
Much like Johannesburg, Gaborone is a city of many layers and brings people from all walks of life together, therefore Colours bring all these stories of love, hope, ambition, backstabbing to the fore, hence, the title Colours.
Leading the cast are actors such as Kegopotswe Kgomotso Ratsie, who plays the role of Amanda Kulube, a powerful and ambitious executive of a fictional “ideas generating” company. Kgomotso is featured from time to time on South Africa’s Scandal. Tirelo’s arch rival, Mpho Sekitla is portrayed by Engineer-turned actor, then turned back again, Fitzgerald Sebolao. The main character’s love interest is portrayed by Girlie by Sharon Seno. Sharon has ultimately landed a call role on South Africa’s Muvhango.
The first season tracks and traces Tirelo as he tries to find his feet in the corporate world of Botswana while dodging some unforeseen and foreseen challenges and obstacles. Tirelo eventually stumbles upon a drug called AZT. A drug that unlocks his super capabilities and even enhances his already creative mind. Such drugs have been themed in films such as Limitless and Lucy.
Other cast members of this stellar cast include, Miles Mukani as Sparks as well as former Miss Botswana 2018 2nd Princess, Neelo Sapelo Ntgobatsang.
The series was created and conceptualized by the talented Bonginhlanhla Ncube and Samuel Ngwenya and was originally commissioned by Botswana TV in 2018. It was further licensed to Moja Love straight after it’s Botswana but the licensing by SABC 1 will see the series get its largest exposure ever with SABC’s over 20 million viewership stats. Colours has become Botswana’s first ever original series to travel and reach South Africa with back to back licensing deals.
In a recent interview, Ngwenya said they have always envisioned the series as an international production. “When we produced Colours, we produced it with an international appeal and this vision is bearing fruits even though Colours is a 100% local and Botswana based production,” Ngwenya says.
“We are proud to bring such a brilliant series to our shores. It has performed well in Botswana and I think it’s a first ever series from Botswana to be broadcast in our country, we believe the support from SABC 1’s viewers will be even higher because the controlling idea is totally relatable to South Africans and possibly the entire African continent”, says Mr. B.
Colours will broadcast on SABC 1 every Sunday from the 10th of September at 19:00.
For more story and cast interactions follow:
https://web.facebook.com/ColoursTVDrama
https://www.instagram.com/colourstvdrama/
Issued by Sebabatso Media on behalf of Sukuma Media and Swanky Arrays Productions.
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Sebabatso Media
Naomi Mokhele