The signal wasn't the greatest when I caught up with Zikhona Bali to chat about her being cast as the lead in Kagiso Modupe's Thando, but the interview certainly was.
The 30-something actress was shooting her scenes for the second instalment of Mzansi Magic's DiepCity on a remote farm.
Noisy background aside – the cast and crew were on a lunch break – Bali tried to find a quieter nook.
Thando opened on the big screen recently. Having worked with Modupe on Ambitions, she was keen to work with him again.
So when he called her last year to set up a meeting to discuss his project, she jumped at the chance.
After getting the plot breakdown, she was all in.
The film, which is directed by Modupe, who shares the executive producer credit with Rashaka Muofhe, follows the journey of Thando (Bali), a teenager who becomes ensnared by the charms of an older man.
Reality quickly sets in when her blesser reveals his true nature after she falls pregnant.
A video of her being bullied at school exacerbates the situation and dark thoughts engulf her as despair sets in.
Body shaming and colourism are the other issues brought to the fore. Bali added: "It's a very powerful story. I knew I wanted to be involved in something that would move and make a change.
"When I read the script, he (Modupe) pointed out that it's not going to be an easy movie to film, what we deal with, what we talk about.
"But because I've always wanted to be involved in something that mattered and had a purpose. I thought this is my way in."
The film has been shown at several festivals and Bali says the feedback is unanimous on it being a powerful story.
