Derosha Moodley is no stranger to the stage, she fell in love with it at young age and has been hooked since. Ms Moodley who has been delighting the audience with her charismatic acting skills stars in an upcoming comedy film, PopCom which will be out next month.
The film is directed by Ashwin Singh and Quintin Lee White and will be staged at the Playhouse Company Opera Theatre on Friday and Saturday August 25 and 26.
The cast includes Ms Moodley, Rory Booth, Shivani Chinappan and Annalisa Gxabu, with the film comprising 10 interconnected satirical sketches which take a unique and hilarious look at life in contemporary Durban, said Mr Singh.
Ms Moodley, 36, of Verulam, is a lecturer at Eduvos Umhlanga campus. She is currently pursuing her PhD in education, specialising in language and media studies.
“My mother and grandmother introduced me to Bharatha Natyam (a south Indian classical dance) at the age of three and I fell in love with the stage,” she said.
“My mum was instrumental in me becoming an actress – she also introduced me to the likes of William Shakespeare and I fell in love with drama, literature and acting. My parents always supported me,” said Ms Moodley.
“Acting for me is the summit of storytelling. It allows me to ‘behave truthfully under imaginary circumstances,’ (Sanford Meisner). This art form has a range of social, psychological and physical value.”
Inspired by South African actress and storyteller, Ma Gcina Mhlophe, with whom she worked on a project, Kwa Mandina, at UKZN Howard, Ms Moodley said she learned a lot from Ms Mhlophe.
Ms Moodley’s latest work, PopCom, has her playing a few characters. These include Sunitha, a superficial, egotistical gossip journalist; Miriam, a manipulative and delusional “healer” and Daisy, a naive and hopelessly devoted girlfriend. Working with the crew was an absolute treat, she added.
“Rory Booth and I have worked together on stage and film previously – working with him is always wonderful. Rory is professional, multi-talented, innovative and his technique is brilliant. Sivani and I studied drama together at UKZN Howard and she excels in any project she touches.
“Annalisa and I performed in Ashwin Singh’s multi-cultural South African play, Beyond the Big Bangs, so we have a special bond and her powerful voice continues to amaze me. Ashwin Singh has been a most valuable industry mentor to me and most artists he meets, it’s always a great opportunity to be part of his latest work,” said Ms Moodley.
When she’s not acting, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends – who she said are the reason she is an actress today.
