VIKASH Mathura, an actor and entertainer, features in the first Afrikaans series to stream on Netflix.
The series, Ludik, started streaming last month. It unravels the plot of Daan Ludik (Arnold Vosloo), who uses his secret diamond smuggling operation to save a kidnapped family member.
Mathura said the casting process for the six-part action series began in mid-2021.
“Initially, to maintain the confidentiality of the project, my agents in Johannesburg only received a script for one scene from the show’s casting director. It was a scene that featured the lead character Daan Ludik, a villainous godfather named Farhad Nuri, and his henchman, who would only be known as Translator.
“When I read that script, I immediately wanted to play the godfather’s role because he was the character that was at the heart of that scene. But the character description for Farhad Nuri was that he was a devout Muslim who was about 70 years old.
“That’s 20 years older than my real-life age. At the time, I had no other information about the Translator except that he translated for Farhad Nuri (from Arabic to English) in his meetings.
“So I decided I would do my audition in a disguise – complete with grey hair and make-up – to transform me to look 70 years old – and that I would perform the role of the godfather.
“But I also decided I would record a separate audition for the Translator and then edit the two performances together to complete the scene. In essence, in my final audition tape, I would appear in a dual role.”
Two weeks later, Mathura's agents called to say the directors loved his audition and they wanted to cast him in the series.
“I was thrilled. Then they told me the directors wanted to cast me for the role of the Translator and not as Farhad Nuri. I was disappointed. But a few days later, the producers sent me the entire script for all six episodes.
“After reading it, I realised that the Translator’s character was more challenging and exciting for me to play. It was an opportunity to play a character that I had never done before – an actor’s dream.”
Mathura said the Translator was a mysterious man.
“Viewers never find out what his real name is, which country he is from, or how he arrived in South Africa. He is a man who is fiercely loyal, protective of his boss and his organisation, unpredictable and scary. Viewers learn that he is not just a translator. He is also an enforcer and a deadly assassin.
“The Translator is the right-hand and trusted henchman of Farhad Nuri, a villainous character who Daan is forced to double-cross to get himself out of a deadly situation. But in the world of criminality, Daan quickly learns there is no forgiveness for lies, deception, or disloyalty.”
He said there were a number of highlights for him while working on this series.
“There are so many reasons I feel blessed for having been cast in this series. Firstly, I got to play an evil, bad ass character, the likes of which I had never played before.
“Fans relate more to me for my comedy and light-hearted entertainment. But this was an opportunity to stretch my craft and showcase a performance range that my followers had never seen from me.
“Secondly, I got to work with a world-class ensemble of extremely talented and professional actors and crew. Sharing the screen with Hollywood heavyweights like Arnold Vosloo and Sean Cameron Michael forces you to give off your best performance.
“And thirdly, I got to be part of a global Netflix production that was broadcast in 192 countries.
“South African actors don’t often get the opportunity to have their talent showcased on a global platform. Hopefully, this will open many more doors for our industry. And to then hear that Ludik was the eighth most watched TV show globally on Netflix during its first two weeks, well, that is just insane. The cherry on the top.”
But acting for TV is not new for Mathura.
“I’ve been acting professionally for many years, and I’ve appeared in quite a few television shows. One of the more notable characters I played recently was in the critically-acclaimed MNet series Reyka.
“It scooped various SAFTAs (South African Film and Television Awards) and has been televised in various countries. In Reyka, I play a devoted family man who is harbouring a few dark secrets.
“Every actor hopes to be offered as many roles as possible and to eventually play a range of characters during their careers. If there is a role out there that is suitable for me, I will relish the opportunity of considering it. I have turned down a few roles recently because I believe being selective is equally important to building my career.”
Mathura has been busy in the industry. He completed shooting for his first international feature film a few months ago.
“It is a project I am really excited about. I got to work with a crew from Germany and the Czech Republic, and I got to play a character that is completely different from the Translator.
“The movie is called Five Hours and was shot in Prague and Cape Town. I can’t reveal its plot at this stage, but the film is expected to release in Germany later this year and will hopefully arrive on South African screens in 2023.
“I am definitely itching to get back on stage. It’s my first love. My last national theatrical tour was In Therapy with JJ Mathura in 2019. We performed in 28 shows before the Covid-19 lockdown prematurely ended the tour schedule in March 2020. I am working on some new ideas. Hopefully, our theatre fans will be treated to a new project next year.”
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