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SA Indian Money Laundering Thriller Mayfair Makes Waves Around the World
SA Indian Money Laundering Thriller Mayfair Makes Waves Around the World
Gangster tale 'Mayfair', the new film by award-winning director Sara Blecher ('Ayanda', 'Dis Ek Anna', 'Otelo Burning') is making waves at film festivals around the world, including the UK and Australia, with its chilling exploration of urban ganglands and organised crime syndicates.
'Mayfair' tells the story of prodigal son Zaid Randera (Ronak Patani) who returns home to Mayfair in Johannesburg, where his overbearing father Aziz (Rajesh Gopie) - a thriving import-exporter and occasional money launderer and loan shark - is facing death threats. Zaid has been unfairly dismissed from his job as an aid worker, and on his return, he finds himself living in the shadow of his father and his dodgy dealings. When a murderous rival gang threatens the family's business, Zaid is forced back into the life he'd hoped to leave behind.
'Mayfair' follows on from the recent success of Indian stories set in South Africa, including 'Material', 'Keeping up with the Kandasamys' and 'Broken Promises'.
'Making the film in the melting pot that is Mayfair was an amazing experience,"' says Blecher. 'It's great to be adding this film to the list of stories for the big screen about Indian South African experiences. It was also really gratifying to work with an authentic and impressive cast who have brought so much depth to the story.'
In the role of Aziz is Rajesh Gopie, a well-known South African Indian actor, comedian, writer and voice artist who has appeared in such television series as Generations and Zero Tolerance, and is best known for his role in South Africa's highest grossing film of 2017, 'Keeping up with the Kandasamys', a comedy that tells the story of a long-standing rivalry between two families, the Kandasamys and the Naidoos.
'The film explores similar themes to the current Saif Ali Khan headed thriller 'Sacred Games', the first Indian Netflix Original web series, which has proved to be a game changer in the Indian entertainment scene," says Helen Kuun, MD of Indigenous Film Distribution. 'The show received a huge thumbs-up from audiences and shot the lights out in India. It explores themes to those at the heart of 'Mayfair', including corruption, crime and the dark underworld that exists in almost every urban setting.'