Tycoon Series producer and director, Makalo Khutlisi
Mohalenyane Phakela
THE director of the Tycoon Series movie says the next edition of the action-packed film is in the works, with auditions slated for 1 May 2016.
In an interview with the Weekender this week, up-and-coming filmmaker Makalo Khutlisi said he decided to make the movie a five-part series following the release of the first edition in January.
Tycoon Series ventures into the murky world of the infamous Maputsoe gang, Tycoons, and tells the tale of a reformed gang leader who decides to mend his ways after unleashing a reign of terror on the surrounding community.
According to Khutlisi, who also wrote the series’ screenplay, the first edition was well received by his target audience.
“It was well received in Maputsoe and surrounding communities where it was screened in school halls,” he said.
“Afterwards, we would make presentations about the consequences of the gangster life. Going forward, the presentations will be held in conjunction with the police who have agreed to take the opportunity to teach the students about the repercussions of such a lifestyle.”
Khutlisi said the second edition would be 90 minutes long, with shooting set to commence during the winter school holiday.
He said the film was meant to show the youth that all that glittered in relation to the Tycoons was not gold, since their gangster life was likely to result in death or going to jail.
Part two of the series, Khutlisi said, would start off where the first edition left off, with the lead actor, Tycoon, being released from jail.
“Tycoon will take over as the gang leader and succeed his late uncle for whose murder he had been wrongfully arrested,” he said.
“Towards the end of part one, Tycoon was arrested on suspicion of killing his uncle who was the most feared gang leader in Maputsoe. It ends with the other gang members searching and finding the person responsible for the crime who they force to confess to the police.”
Khutlisi also revealed that part two would start off with Tycoon being groomed to be the gang leader by his late uncle’s friends.
“What viewers should also bear in mind is that Tycoon would be the storyteller in the film since he will be reflecting on his criminal past while confessing in front of a church after deciding to change,” he said.
The director said the film also sought to highlight the fact that no one gang could be truly safe since they would have their own enemies.
“The series goes into detail about the life of gangsters in Maputsoe. It also portrays the types of fights they engage in such as the ‘Belt-to-belt’ or ‘Prison-or-death’ in which two members from different gangs are tied together and start stabbing each other until one of them dies,” said Khutlisi.
“The fights are meant to prove which gang is stronger than the other. Each gang selects their most lethal member, who would represent them in a knife fight on a set date and time.
“Gang members are not supposed to show affection to anyone or be in a relationship. Once one is a Tycoon, they are supposed to die in the gang. If anyone tries to quit, their life would be in jeopardy because the gang will feel betrayed since they fear that their secrets would be exposed.”
He said the film would also illustrate how the gangsters made money by stealing cellphones and various household items and selling them to some unscrupulous retailers.
