South African actress TeKayha Sukuram makes her mark on Indian television
Image: Suppled
IN A BLEND of talent and cultural exchange, a South African actress has taken a bold leap onto one of the world's most vibrant entertainment stages, Indian television.
Venturing far from home, TeKayha Anastasia Sukuram, a former Zee TV Miss India South Africa winner, embraced the languages, and storytelling traditions of India to play a role in a locally produced show, Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai.
The 23-year-old recently began sharing videos on TikTok of her experiences working on set and behind the scenes.
Sukuram was born in Johannesburg but now resides in Umhlanga. She has a Bcom accounting degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal but currently works as a marketing executive.
Despite her love for acting, it is not her full-time job but she hopes it will be in the future.
'I've always had a love for acting and movies from the time I was a little, but it was not until early 2020, when I was 18, that I started to actually put focus and effort into it.
"That year, I was invited to represent our country in New York City at the world's largest talent convention. And in 2023, my acting career started after I was crowned Zee TV Miss India South Africa. The prize was the opportunity to be a part of a Zee TV production. Due to me being a professional actress, dancer and my ability to speak Hindi, Zee TV sent me to Mumbai, India, to act in one series and co-host another."
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TeKayha Anastasia Sukuram behind the scenes of Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai.
Image: Supplied
Sukuram featured in Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai, a Hindi TV series about two neighbours.
"The husbands of both the houses try to impress each other's wives, which leads to a series of humorous incidents. The series has been airing for 10 years and is popular in both India and South Africa.'
In the series, the producers used Sukuram's real name.
'The storyline of my character makes for interesting viewing. I play a bride and the new wife. My character travels all the way from Durban to Kanpur and ends up marrying one of the lead characters."
She said she spoke a majority of Hindi in the show with a bit of English.
Sukuram also co-hosted Hamara Parivar, a reality show, where she goes around Mumbai asking viewers their thoughts about different series and characters.
"In Hamara Parivar, audiences can expect a lot of behind the scenes insight into the making of some of their favorite Zee TV shows, co-hosted by me. Both shows, with my episodes, are currently airing and can be watched on Zee TV (DSTV channel 452), The Zee 5 app and YouTube.'
TeKayha Anastasia Sukuram shooting her final scene for Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai.
Image: Supplied
'Apart from the actual shooting, there was a bit of pre-production work such as meetings with Zee TV directors, producers and business heads as well as wardrobe fittings. Being on a set in India was a surreal experience. To watch the shows on TV is one thing, but to see the way the scenes are shot in person is totally different. I got to work with seasoned actors."
She said what surprised her the most was the speed with which they worked in India.
'The writers for the show write the next scene's script while the current scene is being shot. There were some days where I was on set and only got the scene's script less than 10 minutes before I was supposed to start shooting, so everyone is expected to be able to work fast, adapt and catch on quickly. With this particular experience, I didn't really have to adapt much as there was no language barrier."
Sukuram said she had gained many memorable experiences and working in Indian cinema was the ultimate dream. She now hopes to get more acting opportunities in India or South Africa.
"I love acting because you are able to live multiple lives in one lifetime, and you are able to evoke emotional responses from the audience through your performance."
She will also feature in a South African film called Sugar Cane Boy The Movie, which is yet to be released.
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