A story of revenge set against the backdrop of a polygamous family, Umlilo is e.tv’s new ground-breaking drama that makes its debut on Monday, 2 March 2015 at 21h00. Umlilo offers both a heart-stopping mystery, and a deeply affecting family drama.
The show features a moderately affluent Johannesburg family headed by the dynamic patriarch Mnqobi (played by Hamilton Dhlamini), a self-made man in his 40s. Mnqobi is a successful businessman and global player on the brink of landing a lucrative business deal that would make him and his partner happy.
His first wife, 40-year-old Cebisile (played by Gcina Mkhize), is his childhood sweetheart from their rural village in KwaZulu Natal. They have been married for close to two decades and have two teenage daughters. Cebisile is a staunch traditionalist who misses her rural surroundings. Although not very happy as a matriarch of the family, she is the glue that keeps the family together.
The second wife, 30-year-old Dumile (played by Nokuthula Ledwaba), is a city girl born and raised in Soweto. She hasn’t bore Mnqobi any children yet, although he’s yearning for a son. Dumile, by virtue of her upbringing, is very different from Cebisile, the first wife. She was abused as a child and grew into a party animal. She has a very loosely-based modern outlook to the marriage.
Despite their inherent differences, Cebisile and Dumile live a relatively amicable life as Mnqobi’s two wives, until somebody lights up a spark, much to their chagrin.
“Audiences must expect mystique, rich cultural and a traditionally textured modern day storyline. This project is set to heat up television screens, as it explores the life and relations of a layered polygamist home. This is the type of production that is bold, adventurous and will get tongues wagging, especially within the urban market that may find the theme a bit taboo. We hope the series will inspire dialogue for many weeks to come,’ said Monde Twala, managing mirector for e.tv’s channels division.
Umlilo starts Monday, 2 March 2015 at 21h00 on e.tv and e.tv HD on channel 104 on OpenView HD.
