BY LIFE & STYLE REPORTER FINALLY, the wait is over and the countdown begins.
International and native fans of popular local drama series Viva Wenera (formerly Wenera) have something to smile about, their request has been granted.
For a long time, there have been growing calls, especially from Viva Wenera followers in the diaspora to have the series on YouTube, an American online video sharing and social media platform.
On August 1, Viva Wenera will be launched on YouTube after years of broadcast on national broadcaster ZBC TV every Monday at 19:30hrs.
Writer and executive producer of the series, Eddie “Nzou” Ndhlovu told NewsDay Life & Style yesterday that taking the series to YouTube was meant to honour the audiences’ request and to reach out to the world.
“We created a WhatsApp group for Viva Wenera fans so that we could interact with them and find out how they perceived the drama series and what they wanted done if we are to improve it to their best and grow the brand,” he said.
“From the chats, the most concern was that some of our fans are outside the country or do not have access to ZBC TV. We, therefore, approved to make Viva Wenera available on YouTube from August 1 to cater for everyone and also make it available at a mass level.
“Those who could not get the time to watch it on television or used to miss it will now have an opportunity to watch in their free time and be able to control when and how they want to watch, instead of waiting for a certain time to watch it.”
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Viva Wenera will be available on YouTube soon after broadcasting on ZBC TV.
“As we are on a drive to build our audience, we do understand that making the series available also on YouTube will grow our fan base,” he said, further noting that the move would also create a conversation everywhere because everyone from around the globe will also have access to the series.
“Taking Viva Wenera to YouTube is also a great move to our current and future sponsors as their plots, services or products’ visibility will also be extended to YouTube.”
Viva Wenera’s airing on YouTube will also give audiences the chance to meet the new cast and access behind-the-scenes clips.
“Getting it on YouTube means that our audience who might have missed the previous episodes of Season 1 and 2 of the rebranded Viva Wenera are able to catch up, understand the new, and upgrade old plots. The drama series is now on the peak with the plots and characters getting fascinating as we head into Season 3 this August. It is going to be exciting.
“From this August, it will be a dose of entertainment as Viva Wenera will now be running twice a week, that is Monday and Tuesday nights. The new cast is blending well with the old cast who are leading the pack with their previous experience of being on Wenera before it was rebranded to Viva Wenera.”
Viva Wenera was shaped to tell the unmodified African story.
The drama is set against the backdrop of the diamond, transport and tourism industries to promote anti-poaching activities. Anticipation, deception and tension are the order of the day as the plots unfold and the love for money and cosy, living influences relationships between rivals and family members.
“Focusing on the Musodza, Mabhena and Tembo families where jealousy, disloyalty and blackmail is their way of life supported by the Banda and Humba families, this makes Viva Wenera one of the powerful mouthpieces of our day-to-day life within the society,”
Since the premiere of the soap on ZBC TV in July 2015, Ndhlovu has learnt to embrace negativity by taking important things from it and turning them into positive energy.
“The road has not been that smooth, we had good times, bad times, fights and I got to a point whereby I wanted to give up on the project not once, not twice, but over four times.
“The team I work with keeps me going because it was dedicated to this dream from day one.
“Today the programme has grown and has become part of people’s lives and it is growing beyond Zimbabwe,” he explained.
Some of the cast in the series include Arnold Gara as Boss T1, Fatima Makunganya who plays character Tanya, Theophilus Marufu known as Detective Simbi, Andre Ndhlovu as Eto and Muriel Tavaziva affectionately known as Chiwoniso, who is Boss T1’s sister.
- Follow us on Twitter@NewsDayZimbabwe
