Rashid Abdalla On Why Famous Kenyan Actors Can't Fit In One Show

Citizen TV Swahili anchor, Rashid Abdalla revealed that he deviated from the temptation of having an ensemble cast of some of the most popular Kenyan actors and actresses of our times in the newly-launched telenovela, 'Zari', set to air on Monday, October 23.

Speaking to Viral Tea on the sidelines during the official launch of Ka-Siri and Zari local shows on Maisha Magic by MultiChoice Kenya, Abdalla viewed the option of casting other big names alongside renowned actresses Sarah Hassan and Brenda Wairimu as his toughest challenge.

The journalist, who works as the Director at Jiffy Pictures alongside his wife, Lulu Hassan, who is its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), revealed that he opted to work with those he felt were the best fit to tell the story contained in the telenovela series.

"My greatest challenge is being unable to accommodate everyone. I would love to have a series that can have the best actors and actresses but every story has its own limitations, so I always work with those that I feel can tell the story better," he explained.

Furthermore, Abdalla dispelled rumours that the production company does not call them up for auditions, noting that as much as they call for auditions and handle the process themselves, they are encouraging transparency and fairness in the industry.

He stated that it was not mandatory for him nor Lulu to appear for the auditions in search of fresh talent, as other staff can conduct the process and forward its outcome to them, who work with a team to settle for the best actor and actress for their film projects.

"You have seen that little girl, that's a star we have created...Maria who started working with us from day one, that's a star we have created, so it's all about creating stars.

"So we always come together and ask ourselves the simplest questions that deserve answers, and one of those answers is what we saw today," he alluded to the success of Zari, whose first episode was exclusively streamed during the showcase event.

Abdalla lauded MultiChoice, the parent company behind pay-TV channels DSTV and GOTV, for giving them the opportunity to showcase local content from Kenya, pointing out the huge demand by Kenyans for more local TV and film content.

The launch of Zari, alongside Ka-Siri, was termed a huge success and beyond the expectations of Abdalla and his team who worked tirelessly and in harmony with the cast to deliver a show-stopper.

"So it is our challenge to go and give it more oomph and make it even better so that after the first episode going forward, this will be a series that in future, when talking about the film industry, Zari will be the name before the rest of the names," he went on.

Abdalla advised upcoming thespians to lend a listening ear to advice as well as be passionate in their craft and have discipline instead of fame, arguing that the latter not only drags one down but is one that can lock someone out of life-changing opportunities in the film industry.

Zari is a modern Cinderella story which follows the story of Nina, a young woman whose rightful family – and fortune are hidden from her.

The telenovela sees Wairimu and Hassan play characters who are not biological sisters but are like sisters, mirroring the dynamics we often encounter in our society, where we admire our neighbours’ possessions and sometimes resort to envy, learning, and ultimately achieve similar success through our own means. 

Touching on themes of wealth, greed and power, Zari will premiere on Monday, October 23 and will air every Monday to Friday at 8.30 p.m.

A photo of the live screening of the first episode of 'Zari' on September 18, 2023. /PHOTO.COURTESY