Mandisa Nduna can't wait for SA to be 'blown away' by 'Blood Psalms'

Rapper and actress Mandisa Nduna plays the role of Burutti, an orphan taken in by the underground Chini tribe in the upcoming African fantasy film Blood Psalms and she can't wait for SA to see how the story unfolds.

Mandisa, who also raps as ZuluMecca, has starred as Thuli in Hustle, Zen in Emoyeni and Zethu in She Is King. Some may remember the actress for having made the final four of the Class Act reality TV series alongside Pallance Dladla and Abdul Khoza.

Talking about Blood Psalms, Mandisa said it was the intricacy of the storyline that had her hooked at first glance.

“When I read Blood Psalms, I was blown away at how intricate the storyline is. I was also impressed by [director] Jahmil's [XT Qubeka] thought process. But because I trust Jahmil so much when it comes to his craft, I didn't have to really know the story in detail to want to be a part of it.”

In Blood Psalms, the Chini are the misfits of the empire. Driven to live underground, they are hunted and imprisoned by the Akachi. But they are also the guardians of dangerous secrets and have magical powers that mean they can shapeshift into werehyenas when the moon is full.  

“Burutti is a teenager who grew up as an orphan,” says Nduna. “Though she attempts to navigate and find her individuality within her tribe, she can't shake the feeling that she does not belong. Burutti yearns to explore the world outside her tribe. As an 18-year-old she believes there has to be more to life than what she knows.” 

Watch the trailer below:

Burutti’s desire to leave the tunnels sees her clash with the tribe’s matriarch, Mother Superior [Faniswa Yisa] and her son, Overseer Mzinzi [Thembekile Komani]. 

“What's similar between Burutti and me is our eagerness to always want more out of life. It's very rare for both of us to be comfortable with the mundanity of everyday life. We both have that burning desire to elevate to the next level and to not stagnate.” 

When asked about the most challenging part of Blood Psalms, Mandisa said: “Every single scene.

“My character had to do a lot of physical stunts. I had to undergo vigorous physical training for the role — from deadlifts to squats, you name it. I should've known that by doing so much physical training I was definitely going to be challenged when on set. However, a particular scene that pushed me to my limits was when I had to hang upside down — that was extremely difficult to do. But in the same breath, I thoroughly enjoyed doing my own stunts. It was a challenging, yet beautiful experience. 

“I’m excited for people to see this first-of-its-kind show because these are the types of stories I grew up watching and reading.

“As a young African woman, to see them portrayed by actors who look and sound like me is incredibly exciting.” 

The first two episodes of Blood Psalms will premiere on Showmax on September 28, with new episodes every Wednesday until the end of November. 

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