'It’s warm, it’s got heart': Mayuri Naidu on why 'Lucky Fish' is reel gold

If you enjoyed the crossover appeal of local films like “Material”, “The Kandasamys” franchise, “Material”, “Kings of Mulberry Street and “Three Days to Go”, then “Lucky Fish” should pique your interest. 

Aside from the casting of household names like Jailoshini Naidoo and Jack Devnarain, it is helmed by Meren Reddy, who wears the hats of co-writer with Craig Gardner, executive producer, as well as the film’s lead, Sanjay Pillay.

And Mayuri Naidu, who has several films and TV shows under her belt (“Binnelanders”, “Savage Beauty”, “Kings of Mulberry Street: Let Love Reign”, “Noughts + Crosses” and “Reyka”, is among the principal cast as Samantha.

In a recent tête-à-tête with Naidu, she shed light on the shoot, the storyline and why the character was so close to her heart. 

Her excitement and praise were not merely hype for the film; her compliments were genuine and not overdone. And it is a testament to the writers and director Joshua Rous. 

The film's title is a playful nod to canned fish, which has been a culinary staple in many South African homes for generations. 

It centres on Sanjay, a small-town sardine-canning company owner, facing financial troubles, who sponsors a beauty pageant as a publicity stunt. He is joined by his twin sister, Samantha, and a motley group of beauty queen hopefuls. 

Of course, a few artful characters attempt to thwart his plans along the way, leaving him in a Catch-22 situation. 

On being approached for the film, she recalled: “Meren took seven years to write this. When the audition process happened, we got the call through our agents. 

“I resonated with Samantha’s outlook. Sanjay starts as a superficial character who goes on a journey, and Samantha is the antithesis of that. 

“She’s a single mom, she owns her own business and believes there is more to a woman than her looks. Growing up in this industry - I started at 20 - I have a strong moral stand on this because it’s so easy to get swept up in the superficiality of it.”

Though she had previously worked with Reddy, his acting work was new to her.

She shared: “Meren was an executive producer on ‘High Rollers’, and our relationship started after it got cancelled. I’ve only known him in a producing and writing capacity. Often, you are uncertain when you are friends with someone, and when you get on set, you assume the chemistry is going to be great, but that might not be the case.”

Her concerns were allayed at the table reading ahead of the shoot.

Naidu pointed out, “If you know Durban and Phoenix, that is instantly recognisable. It’s wonderful that Phoenix is being represented for the first time. 

“There are some jokes that will resonate with Indian audiences, but, for the most part, I feel - and I went with some friends who were all not of Indian descent to watch it, and they laughed and they cried - it really affects people. 

“It’s warm, has got a lot of heart … And the quality, and I’m not just saying this because I’m in it, but the quality is something that few local films have managed to capture yet. The cinematography, the acting and the directing are of an international standard.”

Aside from singing the praises of her co-stars and the dexterous handling of some major scenes, she shared, “Josh knew what he had on his hands; he is such an expert at what he does.

"There was a beach scene and the pageant scenes, where there were big crowds, and we were all dreading it, but it was handled so effortlessly, which speaks to the director and to the calibre of the actors that he had, and the crew.”

Also, Reddy's willingness to discuss lines on set fostered a collaborative environment, which she appreciated.

She added, “We were creating as we were acting, which is phenomenal. It's such a treat and such a luxury. We don't get that in South Africa, where the writers are on set so that you can be like, 'Sorry, can I just run this by you? And you can tell me if it works or not’. That was a huge thing, and it was so fun.”

Having spent her earlier childhood in Phoenix before her family moved, she felt so welcomed returning to her hometown. 

While Naidu has a few projects in the kitty, she wasn't at liberty to talk about them. But she did let slip that fans of SABC1’s “Generations: The Legacy” can look forward to seeing her lawyer character back on the soapie. 

“I’ve been with ‘Generations’ for many years. I just finished a wonderful storyline, which will air in September,” she added. 

∎ “Lucky Fish” is showing at cinemas nationwide.