Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
Entertainment Reporter
A mix of old and new cast is one of the major attractions apart from the endless twists that viewers should expect when Estate Blues makes a welcome return on the small screens soon.

The eye-catching soap that premiered on ZBCTV in 2005 proved to be the other option to Studio 263, the longest running soap on the channel.
Added to the twists are new cast members who include former Studio 263 actor Morgan Bousa, who was the original James and actress Revlino Gwanzura from the same soap. Other cast members at a glance are Stephen Chigorimbo, Linda Chibisa, Liz Uzande, Jabulani Dhliwayo, Admire Maramba, Charity Dhlodhlo and Albert Brown.

The late Kaleb Maramba, who played Chief Arinze — a Nigerian tycoon — with great skill and depth, will be replaced by his sister, Azuka, who is yet to be named.
It is a pity that Kaleb is no longer part of the cast and it remains to be seen whether the new character will fill  the gap created by the death of Kaleb who got many viewers wondering whether he was Nigerian or not.

With clear and close-up pictures, Estate Blues won the hearts of many with a complex theme and storyline that showcased actors and actresses who learnt fast or hardened ones who put emotions into their acts. The soap deals with corruption, greed, forbidden love, family feud and seeks to expose those involved in shady deals.

Admire Maramba explained the four-year lull but said they were raring to go.
“We did our market research and found out that there were more ways than one that the soap could do to sustain itself. One of the things is that several television stations in Southern Africa approached us to try and make deals with us.

“This means more revenue for us because we will be collecting enough money from the stations to pay our cast members. We have also made sure that we produce enough episodes for ZBCTV. For instance, instead of producing only 13 episodes for their upcoming new season which translate to one episode per week, we will be producing more episodes so that the soap can be screened at least five times a week,” Maramba, who is brother to the late Kaleb, said.

Estate Blues vanished off the screens in 2008 at the height of economic downturn. However, through support from individuals who loved to see the soap back on the screens they managed to put together money for the shoot.

The actual shooting of the soap begins next week in and around Harare. Viewers are likely to see a more vibrant setting than in previous episodes. Those who know, setting is one of the most important things that make or break a soap.

“We don’t have sponsors per se but we got a cash injection from individuals who want to remain anonymous. We are going to work with them up until such a time when the soap generates its own profits,” Admire said.