Bonko Khoza and Nqobile Nunu Khumalo star in the new thriller “Red Ink” on Showmax. Picture: Supplied
The trailer for “Red Ink”, a thriller based on Angela Makholwa-Moabelo’s critically acclaimed debut novel, “The Reed Dance Stalker”, has been released by Showmax.
The eight-part thriller streaming from February 12 follows the life of Lucy Khambule, a journalist turned publicist, who receives a request to share the narrative of an imprisoned serial killer.
Safta winner Bonko Khoza, known for his robust role of Mqhele in “The Wife”, plays Napoleon Dingiswayo, also known as the Butcher by the media, while Safta nominee Nqobile Nunu Khumalo (“Nqobile”, “The Herd”) portrays the role of Lucy.
Executive producer and co-writer of the Showmax Original, Makholwa-Moabelo, speaks about the book, pointing out that adapting your book to another medium can be daunting for any author.
“The fear of an author normally stems from having to let go of something that you have birthed and nurtured. Any book is a labour of love for a writer, so handing it over to somebody else to translate into a different medium will always be nerve-racking,” she said.
“But I’m excited; there’s less trepidation on my side than you’d expect. It’s been a great pleasure because I’ve been in the writer’s room. I’m an executive producer on the show, so I’m involved in the decision-making, anything from casting to wardrobe. It’s not always done this way, but it’s an extremely empowering feeling; I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.”
“Red Ink” is a partnership between Makholwa-Moabelo’s Britespark Films and Bomb Productions.
This is the first Showmax Original from Bomb, the company behind the most-watched drama on DStv ever, “Shaka iLembe”, in addition to award-winning films like “Isibaya”, “Father of a Nation”, Oscar nominee “Mandela: Son of Africa”, and Sundance winner “Amandla: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony”.
“Red Ink” is directed by Safta winners Zeno Petersen and Adze Ugah, who previously worked on “Shaka iLembe” as members of the directing team.
The Star
anita.nkonki@inl.co.za