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Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent 

MUSICIANS Tebza and Paulla Paloma are part of a new 13-episode situation comedy (sitcom), Indlalifa (The heir) that is set to premiere on ZBCtv on Saturday.

The sitcom produced by AJV Afri – Art in association with Qaya Roots pictures is about siblings who lose their rich father. After his death they have to move into the family’s main house since their father’s will requires them to do so in order to access all their possessions. All the drama begins when they discover that their father had another firstborn who surfaces and starts to claim his position.

AJV Afri-Art co-founder and writer of the sitcom, Jeffery Sibanda said the sitcom will provide comic relief for Zimbabweans. 

“Indlalifa is one of our four productions lined up for TV this year. We chose to premiere this particular sitcom first because we felt it’s relevant. With this current situation, everyone in our nation needs it, as it is said ‘laughter is the best medicine’,” said Sibanda.

He said the sitcom shot in Bulawayo depicts the lives of youths in a 21st century Zimbabwe.

“The sitcom seeks to dramatically highlight Zimbabwean youths’ lives in the 21st century. Different themes will be brought in a humorous way for the characters to solve for example child abuse, drug abuse, child marriage, unemployment rate issues, gender-based violence, Vuzu parties and so on. “The main idea of the sitcom is to make people laugh out loud by showing a comic angle of everyday situation in life,” said Sibanda.  

Tebza (real name Tebogo Tebza Moyo) will play the role of Squint, the last born son while Paloma will be Elphina, the housemaid. Other cast members are Prince Luphahla as Baya the first born from the second wife, Michelle Mabuza who will be Liya, the first born from the first wife. Clinton Ndlovu will be Cde Zamba the garden boy while Kelvin Sibanda will be Uncle Magutshwa.

Sibanda said the production which could have been completed earlier had its quality compromised due to incessant power cuts.

“Power cuts heavily interrupted our schedule. This was the worst challenge because it compromised the quality of our production in many ways. We had to shoot in a hurry since we had a student in our cast. Also, one of our cast members ended up travelling before finishing his scene. Our solution could have been using a generator but that sound again from the generator would have made it even worse as sound is very important in film.”

Allen Chigumira produced the sitcom which was created and written by Sibanda. Its first four episodes were shot by Harare-based up-and-coming director Anesu Lyteezw Dube.