The Class Act alum Mandisa Nduna is coming into her own as she takes on shape-shifting Chini misfit role of orphaned teenager Burutti.
Make no mistake, the actress, who goes by the moniker ZuluMecca as a rapper, has had an impressive list of film credits since she wowed South African television viewers on reality TV series Class Act.
Back in the day, she made it onto the top four of the series, alongside 2022 Safta Best Actor nominee Pallance Dladla and DSTV Mzansi Viewers’ Choice and Safta award-winning The Wife actor Abdul Khoza.
Since then, she’s made music and cast in heavy-hitters – starring as Thuli in Hustle, Zen in Emoyeni, and Zethu in She Is King. But this new role on Blood Psalms is one of her hardest by far, Mandisa admits.
“Every single scene” was tough, she says with a laugh when asked what the most challenging part of playing Burutti was.
“My character had to do a lot of physical stunts. I had to undergo vigorous physical training for the role - from deadlifts to squats, you name it!
“I should’ve known that by doing so much physical training, I was definitely going to be challenged when on set.
“However, a particular scene that pushed me to my limits was when I had to hang upside down - that was extremely difficult to do. But in the same breath, I thoroughly enjoyed doing my own stunts. It was a challenging yet beautiful experience.”
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“Burutti is a teenager who grew up as an orphan,” says Mandisa of her character, an 18-year-old who belongs to the linguistic group Chini that’s in battle against the Akachi.
In Blood Psalms, the Chini are the misfits of the empire. Driven to live underground, they are hunted and imprisoned by the Akachi.
But they are also the guardians of dangerous secrets and have magical powers that mean they can shapeshift into were-hyenas when the moon is full.
“When I first read Blood Psalms, I was blown away at how intricate the storyline is,” says Mandisa.
“I was also just so impressed by Jahmil’s thought process. But because I trust Jahmil so much when it comes to his craft, I didn't have to really know the story in detail to want to be a part of it.
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“Although Burutti attempts to navigate and find her individuality within her tribe, she can't shake the feeling that she does not belong.
“Burutti yearns to explore the world outside of her tribe. As an 18-year-old, she believes that there has to be more to life than what she currently knows.”
Burutti’s desire to leave the tunnels sees her clash with both the tribe’s matriarch, Mother Superior (Faniswa Yisa), and her son, Overseer Mzinzi (Thembekile Komani).
“What's similar between Burutti and me is our eagerness to always want more out of life,” says Nduna.
“It's very rare for both of us to be comfortable with the mundanity of everyday life. We both have that burning desire to elevate to the next level and to not stagnate.”
