By: Thapelo Ramorobi
We all have dreams, but what do you do when all odds come against you? Do you back down, or do you keep pushing till you reach them? Is’thunzi is a Showmax series that will both break your heart and challenge you to pursue your dreams.
Is’thunzi is a drama series that follows the lives of four young girls who all come from different backgrounds but all have one thing in common: abuse. The four girls meet at a high school, and despite having different backgrounds and personalities, they all become best friends and later realise that they are all marked by the same struggles.
The two-season drama tackles the most common and often difficult issues of gender-based violence and discrimination. The storyline is so well crafted and well executed that it places the audience in the character’s shoes.
One thing that also plays a major role in the storyline is the character arc and the psychological analysis of each character, and that makes the story more compelling and relatable to each viewer, even if you didn’t go through any abuse.
It is not a surprise that the story is so compelling; each member involved in the creation process and writing of the series has personally been in at least one of the themes covered in the series, so it’s safe to say it was created from heart to heart.
Though there are minor inconsistencies, especially in continuity, which leave questions lingering here and there, the storyline itself is enough to keep you in tears throughout the end.
It’s so rare to find well-executed South African stories that deal with day-to-day challenges, especially when it comes to pressing issues such as GBV, and it is no wonder that Is’thunzi won two awards and got seven nominations. It is simply a story that hits home.
