CHANGES SEASON 2 IS BACK!

Kevin Mbugua and Patricia Kihoro

A drama about marriage, romance, love and life! That’s Changes, M-Net’s exciting African drama series which returns for a second season on October 20 at 20.30. DStv audiences can tune in to the show every Wednesday night for 26 weeks on M-Net (channel 101).
Filmed in Nairobi, the story revolves around three couples as they navigate the challenges of their relationships, from surviving tragedy to finding new futures. As the new season begins, Namata lies fighting for her life in hospital while her lawyer husband Alfred comes to terms with a startling revelation that will change his life forever, while his professional life dangles by a thread as a difficult case threatens to derail his career.
For struggling mother Lupita, caught in the grip of a dangerous addiction, what will the future hold as husband Jabali is caught up in a deadly web of revenge? As for the ever fashionable Cindy, she’s trying to work out what’s happened to her uncle – who was dead but whose body has now disappeared! Is he really dead and if so, who killed him?


Nini Wacera and Fareed Khimani

And there’s more as a host of new characters make their appearance and bring with them a whole new dimension to Changes. Look out for the secretive Steven whose obsession with a very specific piece of footage signals more drama, the elusive Naima who must evade Karimi, and cash-strapped Kiki and Pet looking for a way to survive. It’s all happening at Makao Close this season so stayed tuned.
Meanwhile, make sure you also check out Changes for its stellar cast which includes… Jimmi Gathu, Fareed Khimani, Louis Otieno, Pierra Makena, Godfrey Odhiambo, Kevin S. Mbugua, Renee Sewe, Margie Kiundi, Nini Wacera, Cleoptra Koheirwe, Patricia Kihoro, Nicholas Munene Mutuma, Trevor Gitonga, Keith Pearson, Gaetano Kagwa, Kone Nouhoum, Raymond Ofula, David Opondoe, Derek Bbanga, Elizabeth Aruwa, Lara Mastropasqua, Paddy Mwangi, Mona-Ombogo Scott and Samira Murage.


Biola and Patricia Amira

Commenting on the new season M-Net Africa Director Biola Adekanbi, who flew to Nairobi recently to attend the show’s launch, is pleased that season two is making its debut. “M-Net invested widely in this series because we saw its potential and understood that audiences want to see homegrown programming. We are delighted with the reception that season one of Changes received and we are confident that season two will not only deliver the same exciting content but will improve on it.”
For Wangeci Murage, M-Net East Africa Manager, Changes remains a dynamic series because at its heart are the age-old themes of love and family. “Changes is such a compelling story because audiences can identify with the challenges of relationships and with some of the aspects of each of these characters. But at the same time, it’s not at all predictable…it’s a very different world that audiences can access where drama, glamour and intrigue merge together explosively. Like any good drama, Changes is focused on keeping viewers surprised, engaged and ultimately entertained.”
Season two of Changes was produced for M-Net by Zebra Productions, headed by Margaret Kibe and Njoki Muhoho who are thrilled that the series is about to make its continental premiere. “We had such a wonderful time creating this world, these characters, this season. And many thanks must also go to our very professional, dedicated writers, cast, crew and suppliers, who understood our vision and were able to help in creating it. It is our deepest hope that audiences tuning in will enjoy the production as much as we did making it.”

HOW TV’S NEWEST DITZY BLONDE WAS CAST

The second episode of the Kenyan made drama, Changes, will be aired on Mnet. But what viewers do not know is that is was very hard for Njoki Muhoho, the Executive Producer to cast the role of Cindy Kamau played by Pierra Makena, actress and filmmaker.
“Initially we thought I was going to be an easy task and the number of girls who turned up for the casting were many,” she recounts. However, Njoki says that they were all too blonde for the role. That is when she realized the only way to go was get an intelligent girl to play the part and settled on Pierra.
Cindy is a dizzy blonde who lives with her older Tanzanian boyfriend Minja Kabwe (Producer Adam Juma) in the most expensive flat at Makao Close.
When contacted Pierra explained the task of playing blonde.
“It was one of the most difficult auditions I had ever attended since there were many other many girls who were auditioning for the same role,” Pierra said. Adding. “I felt ridiculous auditioning, I did not think I would get the part.”
A few months later she was called for the role and the rest as we say is history.
She talks about playing the role of a ditzy blonde. “It is fan and the best part is, the viewers love Cindy and are always anticipating her next blonde moment.”

New Mnet Series, Changes Launches

The new M-Net series CHANGES, launched last Friday evening. This sizzling new drama on will debuts on DStv on Tuesday June 23 at 19:00 CAT! A contemporary drama uncovering the secrets behind the closed doors and apparent domestic bliss of 3 couples living in the upmarket Makao Close apartments in Nairobi, CHANGES promises must-watch viewing for anyone wondering...can love survive life?

At the heart of the series are 3 very different couples, each with their own challenges, fears, aspirations and triumphs. First up is quintessential career woman, Ugandan born Namata Gitau and her lawyer husband Alfred. Both are career driven but their differing opinions on when to start a family is creating conflict. As Namata pursues a pregnancy and tries to balance work and family, the eloquent and debonair Alfred is focussed on getting a promotion and being made a partner in his law firm.

Meanwhile their downstairs neighbours Jabali and Lupita Otieno face troubles of their own when their comfortable marriage of several years begins to slowly disintegrate. With two daughters depending on them, they must now try to resolve their issues or risk destroying their family forever. Lupita, stressed out homemaker and working mom, is driven to self-destructive behaviour by her charming, womanising husband, Jabali.

Couple no. 3 is gorgeous, glamourous Cindy Kamau and her older Tanzanian boyfriend Minja Kabwe who live in the most expensive flat at Makao Close. Enigmatic, chess playing Minja is wealthy, mysterious and will go to extraordinary lengths for family and for love. Generous but ruthless he keeps his family’s mining success a closely guarded secret. Meanwhile Cindy is learning how to make it on her own using her brains, not her body until the day when her past returns to haunt her…

Produced by Big Ideas Entertainment and based on an original story by Serah Mwihaki, CHANGES combines humour and drama, delving deep into the lives of these three couples as they work through domestic struggles and family life, with all its joys, desires, frustrations, tensions, and secrets.

Commenting on CHANGES, M-Net Africa Director Biola Adekanbi joins M-Net East Africa Program Manager Wangeci Murage in commending the series.
“To create any series is a real challenge and it’s one that M-Net is familiar with. There are no guarantees that a series will work because ultimately it relies heavily on timing, to get the mix just right, to get the episodes scripted, rehearsed, filmed, edited and onto screen. You have to start with a very strong story and then there’s that intangible element...that magic that makes it work, that makes it appealing to audiences.”

Adekanbi goes on to say, “Given that CHANGES accomplishes all this, M-Net is proud of its cast, crew and producers who’ve worked so hard to finish this 13-part series. It’s now done and ready for audiences to enjoy. So sit back, relax and enter a world where love is under the spotlight and ‘forever’ is put to the test.”

Audiences tuning in for the series, which was filmed on location in Kenya, will find a cast that also includes Ugandan and Tanzanian television personalities.
In starring roles are Kenyans Ian Mbugua (Alfred), Pierra Makena (Cindy), Godfrey Odhiambo (Jabali) and Renne Sewe (Lupita) with Tanzania’s Adam Juma (Minja) and Uganda’s Susan Nalwoga (Namata). In a key supporting role is Uganda’s Cleopatra Koheirwe as Nanziri.

Another MNet Producshizzle

After The Agency, an MNet drama series failed to launch another one will be launched this Friday. It’s said to be full of theatrical twists and turns and a plot that will keep you glued to your screens.
Here is presenting Changes.

Keep it here for more details on the show.