From YoTV to Netflix: Rising star Diolan Govender chats about his first big acting role in 'Miseducation'

From being a shy 5-year old child who was sent to drama school by his parents to a rising star who's now starring in Netflix's series Miseducation debuting on Friday, Diolan Govender is one to watch. 

He is no stranger to TV as he is an actor, presenter, lifestyle content creator, public relations co-ordinator and media student at Wits University.

Speaking to TshisaLIVE, he said he plays the role of Shaan, a charismatic and audacious stud, contributing significantly to the narrative of one of the central characters

“I've always known my destiny and I've known the path set out for me because the platforms I have worked on in my career, starting off with Mr Teen world, then YoTV and now Netflix, God has placed me on the biggest platforms. There have been many times in my career where its been quiet, but every time something big comes, it's big. So I'm so thankful and grateful to Burnt Onion and Netflix for offering me this opportunity. I can't wait for the world to see this.”

The teen comedy-drama follows a young, self-absorbed, first-year university student who, after a fall from grace at her previous elite private school, embarks on a mission to climb the social ranks at a small town university in the hopes of being the stand out, popular girl she used to be. Thrust into varsity with new challenges, Mbali Hadebe and her new, eclectic clique of friends try to overcome young adult struggles while coming to terms with who they want to be and how they want to be perceived.

After auditioning for three months to play one of the lead character (Jay), Diolan was instead offered the role of Shaan.

“Shaan is an interesting character because there's lots of layers to him, but it's not all necessarily shown on the show.  So in the viewers' mind they'll put one and two together to figure out who Shaan is. He forms part of the story of Jay. Jay is also Indian and he is a university student at Makhanda University, so he leaves his small town to go here and he is doing his thing, he is on grindr, he is trying to explore his sexuality.”

The cast includes Buntu Petse as Mbali Hadebe, Lunga Shabalala as Sivu Levine, Baby Cele as Brenda Hadebe, Prev Reddy as Jay, Mpho Sebeng as Caesar and Micaela Tucker as Natalie. Others are Mandisa Nduna, Camilla Waldman, Nicole Bessick and Luyanda Zwane.

“They [viewers] will turn on their television screens and see themselves represented in these characters. My wish for Shaan is that queer and Indian individuals look up at their screens and see themselves represented in me in Shaan's story and in the other Indian characters in the show. As an Indian, we don't receive this opportunity easily and to see a show on Netflix, the biggest streaming platform in the world, where I can see myself is incredible. Viewers are going to feel represented when they watch and they are going to laugh their heads off, it's going to be hilarious.”