19 Sep 2023

Botswana’s groundbreaking urban drama series, Colours, which has been entertaining Batswana, is now illuminating the Sunday evenings of South Africans and many abroad.

The riveting show, touted as Botswana’s first original drama to earn the seal of approval from the public broadcaster, SABC 1, debuted September 10 at 730pm.

Colours is the brainchild of a dynamic collaboration between South African filmmaker, Bonginhlanhla Ncube, affectionately known as Mr B in the industry, and Botswana’s own Samuel Ngwenya, the creative genius behind Swanky Arrays.

The series unfolds the captivating tale of a young man, Tirelo, portrayed with profound depth by the talented Tulani Tau.

Tirelo, thrust into the role of a surrogate parent after the untimely loss of his mother, finds his character problems morphing into his greatest strengths, propelling him on a transformative journey.

The heart of Colours lies in its diverse and exceptional young cast, capturing the hearts of Botswana over the past two years.

The urban drama series has risen to the status of a fan favourite because it mirrors the reality of Botswana and South Africa’s urban populations.

It vividly paints the daily trials, tribulations, and aspirations of people, tackling pressing issues like drugs, peer pressure, greed, dysfunctional families, and the impact of HIV/AIDS.

It imparts the virtue of hard work amidst the hustle and bustle of Gaborone, Botswana’s thriving metropolitan centre.

Much like Johannesburg, Gaborone is a city of layers, uniting people from all walks of life.

Colours masterfully brings forth stories of love, hope, ambition, and betrayal from this dynamic tapestry, hence the title, Colours.

Colours boasts stellar performances with Kegopotswe Kgomotso Ratsie as Amanda Kulube, an influential and ambitious executive of a fictional ‘ideas generating’ company.

Mpho Sekitla, Tirelo’s arch-nemesis, is portrayed with intensity by the versatile Fitzgerald Sebolao.

Sharon Seno embodies the role of Girlie, the main character’s love interest, landing her a prominent role on South Africa’s Muvhango.

In its debut season, Colours chronicles Tirelo’s quest to find his place in Botswana’s corporate world, maneuvering through unforeseen and foreseen challenges.

Along the way, he stumbles upon a life-altering drug named AZT, unlocking superhuman capabilities and enhancing his already creative mind, akin to the themes explored in films like Limitless and Lucy.

The series’ cast also includes Miles Mukani as Sparks and former Miss Botswana 2018 second princess, Neelo Sapelo Nthobatsang, adding depth and charm to the narrative.
Colours was originally commissioned by Botswana Television (Btv) in 2018.

With licensing deals extending from Botswana to Moja Love and now to SABC 1, Colours is poised for its widest exposure ever, reaching over 20 million viewers in South Africa.

In a recent interview, Ngwenya emphasised their vision for Colours as an international production.

“When we produced Colours, we did so with an international appeal in mind. It’s gratifying to see this vision materialise even though it remains a 100 per cent local and Botswana-based production,” Ngwenya said.

Mr B, who echoed Ngwenya’s  sentiment, saying ‘we are proud to bring such a brilliant series to our shores. It has already captured hearts in Botswana, and we believe SABC 1’s viewers will embrace it warmly. The story is relatable to South Africans and possibly the entire African continent.’

The series runs exclusively on SABC 1 every Sunday at 730pm. ENDS