As someone who was born and raised in Durban, I have really come to appreciate the recent local films that tap into the city’s cultural identity.
I grew up in Chatsworth and movies like “3 Days to Go”, the “Keeping up with the Kandasamys” franchise, as well as the latest Netflix offering, “Kings of Mulberry Street: Let Love Reign”, have really brought on the nostalgia.
Judy Naidoo’s homegrown movie, which follows the misadventures of Baboo (Shaan Nathoo) and Ticky (Liam Dunpath) is not just a wonderful throwback to one's childhood, it’s entertaining too.
After all, many of us remember hoodwinking our parents into believing we were doing one thing when we were with our friends doing something they probably wouldn’t have approved of.
And the films two characters are no different. The 12-year-old besties find themselves in several sticky situations.
One involves the kidnapping of Ticky’s streetsmart granny, Ma Chetty (Kogie Naidoo) by disgraced former Police Commander Veerasamy (Hamish Kyd) and his son, both of whom work as security at a lahnee (slang for posh) casino and hotel.
Meanwhile, Baboo is hopelessly in love with the IT girl (played by Kimberley Arthur) in the neighbourhood. But she’s not reciprocating his feelings, even with those Bollywood moves.
Unbeknown to Baboo, his father has managed to find love again - he just doesn’t know how to break the news to him.
With the best friends caught between a rock and a hard place when Veerasamy demands they steal a priceless necklace in exchange for the freedom of Ticky’s granny, they have no choice but to rally their family and friends to assist with the dilemma at hand.
And so they come up with the perfect ruse - staging a Bollywood extravaganza show with a rising star as the drawcard.
Riyaad Nakooda, Bertha le Roux Wahl, Mayuri Naidoo, Luversan Gerard, Vaneshran Arumugam, Senzo Mthethwa, Nolan Jonathan, Kaseran Pillay and Carvin Goldstone are a riot in their respective, rib-tickling roles.
“Kings of Mulberry Street: Let Love Reign” is a family-friendly offering that will leave you with tears of laughter over the relatable scenarios of mayhem and confusion.