Mzansi Magic reveals new series, Queen Modjadji

Mzansi Magic is proud to announce that the production for its new Sunday night prime-time drama Queen Modjadji has commenced. This epic story is inspired by the world-famous Balobedu legendary rainmaker, the first Queen Modjadji, whose bloodline has ruled Southern Africa’s Lobedu clan for centuries. 

Born to the throne and blessed with an elemental ancestral gift, her reign gave rise to a succession of hereditary Queens. Her story is the story of a matriarchal dynasty, whose ability to transform the clouds and summon the rain has earned the Balobedu royalty a place among the most revered of African dynasties.  

“Bringing Queen Modjadji to our audiences meets their desire for television entertainment drawn from our heritage and it also flows seamlessly into our plans to create a catalogue of drama series made in African languages. Queen Modjaji comes hot off the trail of Shaka Ilembe which was a global phenomenon and very much an expression of the MultiChoice’s strategy to drive home-grown, authentic African storytelling”, says MultiChoice Group CEO for General Entertainment, Nomsa Philiso.

Produced for MultiChoice by Rhythm World Productions, work on Queen Modjadji is already well underway and the team behind the title has been researching and consulting with key stakeholders, tribal leaders, and academic experts. Scripting and casting for the series is nearing completion and filming will soon commence. Leading the production is renowned poet, playwright, and producer Duma Ndlovu whose vision is to craft a series that offers viewers an opportunity to engage with the Lobedu culture and traditions. 

“The earth, the elements, and the energy of humans connect in ways that are both physical and spiritual, both obvious and unseen. Queen Modjadji was a living embodiment of this, and so we will explore what this Royal title, and the women who’ve held it, have lived, sacrificed, lost, and achieved. And, at the same time, we want to be very entertaining – with a strong episodic storyline and historical detail set under unpredictable skies, where rain or storm, echoes what is happening in the lives of those below”, says Ndlovu.