The local film industry has been active in the past two years, as witnessed by the number of productions.
Out of this lot, some productions have offered much optimism as to what the industry can and may become one day. However, the other works have revealed deficiencies in quality, scripting, delivery, screenplay and even casting.
Five months ago, a new film series, Mushroom Shade, made into the Malawi film industry tray. The cast and production team comprise some familiar names in the industry.
That, probably, may have had people expecting nothing but the usual. A masterstroke here and a blip there. But the Chaz Production team, producers of the television series had something different up their sleeve.
The tone was set immediately after the release of the first episode trailer of the series. The excitement and debate which it sparked was an indication that there was something different and special about the series.
When the first episode of Season 1 finally premiered, the frenzy around the production went up threefold and its views on YouTube stand at 56 000. Was it the narrative being advanced? The screenplay? The delivery of the script?
The storyline focused on a married couple. Amos Msekandiana is Philip and Fortunata Mkawa is Angella. The couple is having trouble to bear a child and each believes the problem lies with the other.
Here we see elements of male chauvinism. Despite Angella pleading her case with all the proof she has, Phillip could have none of it. His arguments were solely based on being male and nothing else.
Even after accepting that he is the cause of their childless marriage, Philip goes further to seek a solution without considering his wife’s feelings. He asks his cousin Moris to sleep with Angella and get her pregnant.
This decision stuns both Moris, played by Patrick Phiri and Angella. She does not believe her husband would allow a stranger to see her modesty and let alone sleep with her.
His cousin too cannot imagine that for all the macho Philip displays he is humbling himself to this level. At this point, the plot thickens and the Mushroom Shade comes to full life.
“You are asking me to sleep with someone to get her pregnant? You know I need multiple times to do that. Different positions, front shots, back shots…”wondered Moris in his exchange with Philip.
The scripting and delivery of lines, as did Moris in this conversation, is one factor that has got followers gripped to the production. It is almost natural and seamless.
In the subsquent episodes, the plot has gotten wider with new cast members introduced. Other relationships have evolved too.
What began as mere distance flirting between taxi operator Walezi (Bucci Mwale) and his trusted client Lizzie, played by Cynthia Zondie Zulu, is growing into a full blown romance, though both are at times deliberately playing hard to get.
There seems to be little calmness in the love life of Yakosa, portrayed by Mwai Simbota. Despite her endless indulgences with different men, she just cannot find someone to steady her shaky love ship. She has hopes on her love return Boston, starred by Francis Kaphuka.
Trouble is evidently brewing in the love nest of Philip and Angella. Just as the husband had initially feared, Angella seem to have fallen for the magic hands of cousin Moris. At any opportunity, she sneaks into his crib, just to get more of the ‘40 minute sessions’ which Philip is not giving her at home.
Despite engaging a gondolosi seller Adigo, played by Tumpe Mtaya, Philip continue to render an embarrassment of himself in bed. As Season 1 closed with episode five, it was clear Philip was one of the biggest losers.
But the going is not easy too for Angella as Moris appear to have fallen for someone else. Angella gets broken when she walks on them making out in the house. Despite her apparent heartbreak, a pregnacy test seems to indicate Moris finally got it right.
Yakosa’s world seems to be falling apart too as she finds out her Boston is in a coma following an accident. Was this her lost shot at love?
The thrill the story has created over the last five months has created enough suspense as Season 1 has drawn to a close.
Producer Chawezi Munthali and his production crew have a work cut out for themselves to maintain the standards they have set for themselves in the first season.
As the theme song Less Love, done by Temwah rumbles on the background, one can only agree that indeed there is less love in Mushroom Shade, just a shade of heartbreaks.
