BY NYADZOMBE NYAMPENZA
MULTI-AWARD-WINNING singer Jah Prayzah’s Nhoroondo, a four-part story is an epic saga of perennial misfortune punctuated by brief interludes of happiness.
Coming off his 10th album titled Gwara, the series is featured on the songs, Nyeredzi, Chimwe Ne Chimwe, Ndichiyamwa and Nherera.
The four-part visual narrative is the story of a young couple that falls in love, gets married and struggles to make a living and the woman later fails to conceive.
It features a cast of professional screen and stage actors, Ratidzo Eunice Chikowore, Melinda Davina Green, Tapiwa Mavingidze, Ngoni “Mandebvu’’ Chikowore and others who deliver a moving and emotional performance.
Difficult economic circumstances tear the couple apart as it separates to find employment.
Unexpectedly blessed with a child, they are forced to leave it in the care of the extended family.
The child is raised like an orphan. Eventually, the couple’s fortunes improve and it returns with wealth to rebuild its broken home and family.
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Success and prosperity amplifies the jealousy and envy that was seeded in the beginning. It precipitates its immediate and tragic demise.
On the series production, top video director Vusa “Blaqs” Hlatshwayo and Jah Prayzah deserve credit for taking a deep dive into complex issues of social tribulations and psychological trauma.
In the opening chapter Nyeredzi, a character played by Eunice Ratidzo, can be seen carefully dressed without being hyper-sexualised.
In the following instalments, she evolves into a sensitive and vulnerable human being.
Together with her nemesis, the two women make plans, execute them and get results. For better or worse they are in control of their destiny.
Jah Prayzah, who is often filmed cosying up to and canoodling with ladies, takes a step back.
Disguised as a sage, he narrates the story in an empathising voice.
Nhoroondo differs radically from visuals for Murder, the lead song from the 16-track album.
The song Murder presents the usual troupe of scantily dressed women surrounded by properly-dressed men.
Gratuitous nudity laden with heavy psycho-sexual undertones is saved for titillation. It is a template that Jah Prayzah and his long-time collaborator Blaqs revert to in Boi Boi, another track on the same album.
From a hopeful start to the tear-jerking and flaming end, Nhoroondo sustains a thread of uncertainty and insecurity.
It carries diverse themes of human folly such as avenging spirits (ngozi), inheritance, and the girl child living under pressure.
The consequences of loss and rebuilding are a terrible cycle of misfortunes that many people in Zimbabwe can relate to.
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