Mayuri Naidu: a journey through film, advocacy, and self-discovery

Mayuri Naidu is more than just a familiar face in the film and television scene. She is an advocate for animal welfare, and an inspiring voice for women in the industry. 

Originally hailing from Durban, Naidu, who now resides in Johannesburg, has drawn from her diverse experiences and education to carve out a career as both an actor and writer.

She stars in the movie Lucky Fish, which will release countrywide on the big screen on Friday.

Naidu was born in Phoenix and raised in Effingham Heights. Her passion for the performing arts ignited at age four. Early memories of watching musicals like Grease and The Sound of Music fuelled her aspirations, leading to her first acting experience at the Catalina Theatre in 2004. 

“Performing has been part of my life for as long as I can remember,” said Naidu. 

"There is a big age gap between my sisters and me, so most of my time at home was spent watching movies like Thoroughly Modern Millie, My Fair Lady, Grease and The Sound of Music. I was enthralled, and it was fascinating to me how these movies could transport you to a new world. 

"My parents supported me from the get-go, and although there were no real drama or acting programmes available at the time, they took me every Saturday to Ian Fleming's drama school at the Effingham Library. I graduated and won Best Actress at the ripe old age of seven, and I was in love ever since. 

"Any opportunity to perform, I was there. From dancing for any and all visitors who came to the house, to pretending to be all seven Von Trapp children in Grade 3, you couldn't stop me. I went on to dance for the school fashion shows and take part in all the school productions in high school. So performance has been a part of my life from as far back as I can remember. There was never anything else I wanted to do."

She matriculated from Northlands Girls' High and thereafter studied media and communications, majoring in creative writing through Unisa. Naidu also has a certification in radio and TV presenting and is studying toward a diploma in animal welfare.

Theatre

"My career started out in theatre, at a now-closed space near Wilson's Wharf called The Catalina Theatre. I auditioned for the role of Pearl in a musical called Sasol Fever, written by Gail Snyman and produced by Themi Venturas. Sadly, he is no longer with us, but he gave me my first break in 2004. I went on to perform in a couple of other shows at The Catalina.

"At the same time, I discovered radio drama through Caroline Smart, a doyenne of the Durban theatre scene, and went on to voice many wonderful characters for Lotus FM, including the beloved Lollipop Lane, written by Clinton Marius. I played Cassandra."

Her breakout role came on the popular soap opera, Muvhango.

"I had to travel to Johannesburg every week to shoot at the SABC studios. It was the first time I was flown up and down for such a popular show, and the first time people started recognising me and loving the character. It was such a cool experience, and grew my independence as an actor and a human. I learnt so much from it. 

"High Rollers was the same. This time around, I had to move up, on my own, and figure out everything from scratch as I had lived at home up until then. I made some incredible memories and discovered how resilient I actually was. I also made friendships that I still have today. 

Movies 

"Finally, Lucky Fish. The story is something that deeply resonates with me as a human and a female in an industry where we are often judged on how we look. To work with a range of actors, from legends to newbies, has also been uplifting and inspiring. We really became a little family for those six weeks." 

In the movie she plays Samantha Pillay, the sister to Sanjay Pillay (played by Merendran Reddy). 

"I would say she is the moral compass in the story, and her views are similar to mine. She believes in supporting the women around her, and giving everyone a chance to shine and be who they truly are, no matter what they look like. What drew me to the movie was an opportunity to promote empowering women beyond their outer shell, and celebrate their most authentic selves. I love that Samantha could be a part of that, in changing her brother's mind as he goes on this journey of self-discovery himself.

"The story was heartwarming, and the script was so funny, but the message behind it is what I am excited about. To have people see a little bit of themselves or resonate with certain characters and know that they are more than enough, just the way they are, is a message I am deeply proud to be a part of." Naidu said it was a blast to work again with her co-stars Reddy, Jailoshini Naidoo, Kaseran Pillay, Jack Devnarain, Carishma Basday and Nolan Jonathan, and hoped the film resonated with audiences.

"I hope people have some conversations about how freeing it can be to be your true self and know that you will find your tribe. You don't have to conform to what society deems beautiful or not. You can be you, and that is more than enough."

Digital media

Naidu's tenure as the South African Country Chair of G100 Media and Arts Communication brought her into contact with women who are determined to change narratives and break glass ceilings in the creative industry. This led her to her becoming a co-founder in a digital media company called G-Women Media. 

"It was founded by Alex Okoroji, and we are all about empowering women to own a piece of the media pie, while talking about topics that matter to them, on a global scale. We launched our G-Women Magazine earlier this year, as well as our G-Women radio station, and are gearing up to launch our TV channel. It's all about having your own agency as a female in a male-dominated industry, where we can own our work as well as benefit financially from it. We currently have over 25 female investors from all over the world and growing, which just shows how many women believe in this and want to be a part of it, and I am proud to be the vice president for Africa."

Animal rights activist

Naidu is also an animal rights activist. 

"I grew up in a community that didn't really take care of their animals. They were meant to be guard dogs, and that was it. They stayed outside come rain or shine, and when they died, you got another animal purely for guarding. I knew no better and was actually quite afraid of dogs, having been bitten by one when I was younger. 

"When I got older, we adopted a Basset Hound, who was being neglected and treated terribly as the family had just welcomed a new baby into the household. Her name was Daisy, and she taught me what true, unconditional love and loyalty were all about. 

"I had her for 16 years. We lost her this April, and every day I am amazed at how deeply an animal can crawl into your heart. They don't judge, they just love. I also think they are connected the closest to God. So it is our duty, as human beings, to look after these sentient beings as best as we can, especially because they don't have a voice." 

Her advice to aspiring actresses is to find balance in everything you do. 

"Being in this industry can really test your mental health, so you need to have a strong sense of self and a support structure. Actively seek out friends in the industry, as no one else can truly understand what you are going through. And have fun. If it's no longer fun, then it's time to look at why and what can be changed."

She said she had some exciting projects in the pipeline.

"For now, I can tell you that my focus is on growing G-Women Media, and I also have an exciting storyline coming up on SABC 1's Generations that fans of the show can look forward to." 

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