Unveiling The Cane Cutter: A tribute to Indian indentured labourers in South Africa

THE official trailer for the much-anticipated feature movie The Cane Cutter which provides insights into the trauma and travails of Indian indentured labourers who arrived nearly 165 years ago, was launched on Friday.

Significantly, November 16 has been set as the date for the movie premiere. On that day in 1860, the first Indian indentured labourers arrived in South Africa on board the SS Truro.

Shan Moodley, the film’s producer, and Dr Eubulus Timothy, as director, have weaved together a stirring modern-day love story that harks back to days of the labourers embracing life locally, and ruled by colonial masters.

Two teens on board the Umlazi, the last indenture ship that travelled to Durban, fell in love during the journey, in spite of their cultural differences. Telugu was the mother tongue for one and the other was Gujarati speaking.

After that rendezvous, the couple never met again, but their romance was rekindled over 100 years later through their grandchildren. A final year law student drops out of university to do a documentary on his grandfather's trip from India as an indentured labourer. His world changes when he meets a young doctor fighting for her independence as a woman.

Accordingly, the film’s tagline reads: “A young man in pursuit of his identity meets a young woman fighting for her independence.”

Dr Kajal Lutchminarain, a Durban-based plastic surgeon, landed the lead role of Amisha after an extensive search conducted by the film’s brain trust and some assistance from East Coast Radio.

Dr Lutchminarain is the 2009 Miss India SA winner and the 2010 Miss India Worldwide queen.

Razeen Dada has been cast as the leading man, marketing executive Shika Maharaj (Priya) plays a significant supporting role, and model, TV and radio personality Vanessa Marawa is also featured.

Included in the mix are celebrated personalities like Sam Ramsamy, Ashwin Desai, Kathi Govender, Devi Sankaree Govender, Ismail Mohammed, Ela Gandhi, Devi Rajah, Professor Salim Abdool Karim, playing themselves and talking about the contribution made by Indian indentured labourers to South Africa.

The Cane Cutter project first emerged more than 10 years ago when Moodley. an award-winning producer whose previous works include Pop Shop, Police File, FrontRow and Imbewu, shared his idea and notes for a movie with Timothy.

Timothy had just returned from seven years of working in Los Angeles and received permission from Moodley to “run with it.”

Filming for the movie began in May 2023.

Timothy, a dental surgeon and a recipient of numerous movie-making awards, including the prestigious Harley-Merrill Screenwriting award in Hollywood, said it was a wonderful feeling to be three months away from the film’s silver screen showing.

“When I moved back home from Hollywood, my dear friend Shan Moodley had an idea to tell the story of the Indian tribe of South Africa.”

Timothy, who admits to taking time when making movies, said funding and casting the lead actress were some of their challenges.

“Even with everything now in place, we have not been able to secure funding, so Shan and I put whatever money we had together, and The Cane Cutter became a reality step by step.”

Timothy said they were also grateful to various people and organisations for their support along the way.

A focus group that watched The Cane Cutter before picture the lock happened shared their thoughts.

“The twists and turns of the love story remind one of real life, where not everything works out like in the land of fables. The movie inspires all people groups to honour culture, reality, and truth as it embellishes this true-life story into the heart of the movie enthusiast,”  said Dr  Anthony van Tonder.

Dr Michelle van Tonder regarded the film as a poignant and nostalgic drama with an embedded love story from a defining era in South Africa’s history.

“It spotlights the resilience and rise of a nation’s evolving identity. The film’s layered narrative mirrors real life—rich with unexpected twists and emotional depth and is a powerful tribute to culture, perseverance, and truth.

“It resonates across audiences, encouraging a deep appreciation for heritage and their remarkable contributions to the South African story.”

Dr Tash Reddy said, “The movie encompasses incredible vision and pure genius.”

DAILY NEWS