Inxeba actor Bongile Mantsai: I’m done doing work that impresses people

After starring as one of the worst villains on TV and getting tongues wagging with his role in Inxeba, actor Bongile Mantsai believes his calling in life is not to impress but to get people talking.

Bongile has spent most of his career in theatre before shooting into the spotlight for his roles as Vija on Inxeba and as Mthunzi Mayisa on Scandal!  He said that after years of trying to impress audiences, he now got more of a thrill from starting conversations.

"I am done with doing work that impresses people all the time. It is time that I do work that touches people. Now I want to do work that gets people talking."

He said that too often people were scared to share their views in case they will be challenged or thought differently when conversation is the only way we can move forward as a society.

"We are so scared nowadays of discussing work we see. I take a taxi and people will always share their feelings with me. They feel comfortable sharing their opinions with me but maybe not to their neighbours or friends."

In fact, Bongile said he had made it his objective to "do work that discomforts the comfortable and comforts the discomfort."

"You realise as an actor that you are the voice of people who often don't have a voice. You have to not only represent them but do it well. It is a massive challenge but it is also very exciting. It's the thrill and challenge that makes it all worth it."