Ayanda Bandla is the leading lady in new drama series 'Smoke and Mirrors'

Seasoned actress Ayanda Bandla says viewers are in for a thrill, suspense and intrigue in new drama series Smoke and Mirrors, which made its debut on Monday in e.tv's 9pm slot. 

The series replaces Imbewu and Ayanda plays Thandiswa Mseleku, a hairdresser by day and an escort by night.

Explaining the character to TshisaLIVE, she recalled a scene she saw on Tyler Perry's movie which she said resonated with Thandiswa.

“There's this lady [in the scene] who says as women we don't do what we want to do, we do what we have to do and that's basically what Thandiswa is about. She is the type of woman who does not always find herself doing what she wants to do, but she does what she has to do and what she must do for herself and her son, for their survival. So without giving too much away, she is trying to survive in this really dark world, trying to protect herself and her son.

“She is trying to raise this young man to be a formidable man. She is trying to live a happy and comfortable life. Unfortunately, she's being haunted by something that happened in her past. She doesn't really want to go back to the past and she's stuck in that dilemma.”

Ayanda said she had to draw from her own experiences as a woman existing in modern-day South Africa and what that means for her.

“With every role you have to treat it with the greatest respect and understanding, so for me it was about understanding who she is as a woman. As women we are so multilayered, we've got so many layers to us, no one woman is one woman. I had to find the different layers that made her who she is and try to connect with every emotion. I think as women we are intuitive and emotive beings. We feel everything.”

This marks the first time in her acting career when she is “carrying the show” and she has nothing but gratitude for her journey as a creative who started out in news.

“I've been a lead in a few productions but I would say this is the first time where I'm the leading lady on the production. This is my first experience as the leading lady. It feels surreal sometimes.

“I'm so grateful because this has been a journey of growth for me. I started out in news and actuality. I worked for Sunrise, the morning breakfast show, and moving from that to performing arts and seeing the journey of growth. I started with commercials and cameos as well as feature roles, and now I find myself as the leading lady on a prime time slot on what is most likely the most watched time slot. I consider myself blessed and I'm honoured to have been given this opportunity.”

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