Every week, there are twists and turns in his storyline.
Chief Azwindini, who inherited the throne with the blessing of the ancestors, rages a never-ending battle to keep his throne and family together on SABC 2 soapie Muvhango.
His leadership is constantly tested by those always ready to dethrone him.
Gabriel Temudzani has always insisted that he is far different from his character Azwindini on Muvhango.
But he has been compassionate towards him and has grown alongside his character and learnt some real-life lessons.
“From the time I started acting on Muvhango, I have grown and been on a roller coaster ride with Azwindini," he says.
“I watched him evolve from being a stubborn chief to a leader with humility. He has made lots of positive strides and has also made several mistakes including neglecting his own wives and entertaining other women. He has made bad leadership decisions in the past, but with every chapter in his life, there has always been a lesson to learn for me and the viewers,” Gabriel says.
In the current storyline, Muvhango puts the spotlight on the dynamics of power shifts when chief Azwindini falls from grace and loses his chieftainship.
“Azwindini finds his comfortable life disrupted when he loses his chieftainship, he loses his wife to his enemy, his social standing is compromised, and he is reduced to the lower life,” says Gabriel.
“That experience alone has allowed me to challenge my acting skills and to prove that I am truly a diverse actor,” he adds.
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Gabriel recalls his early days on Muvhango, coming from rural Limpopo to pursue his dream as an actor.
“I was a rural boy wet behind the ears,” he says.
“I had done stage dramas and community theatre, but I came with just a dream and very little experience. But I was able to move into the homes of diverse South African and tell the story of power struggles and family politics,” he says.
Playing the powerful role of Azwindini has taught him to remain humble.
“Ascending to the throne was a turning point. It has challenged me to look at things differently and not get too comfortable in a role,” he says.
“It shows that you can be in a position of power but being a good leader means also remaining humble. That is what the role has taught me and what being an actor who is recognised by people on the streets every day means, I need to stay humble and have ubuntu.”
Gabriel does not see himself leaving Muvhango anytime soon but continues to wish for challenging lessons to teach viewers.
“Muvhango has reversed the stereotypes about Venda people and made our culture visible to those who were sceptics,” he says.
“But tackling issues that affect South African every day is also a highlight, issues of gender-based violence, abuse, power, money and many make me get up and have something to look forward to at work every day.”
