Top Telenovela Brothers delivered in Zulu

MIDRAND, 21 October 2022. Hot on the heels of the Zulu release of the acclaimed novella Waaris, StarSat has announced the premiere date for their next Zulu versioned telenovela project: Brothers.

Known in its country of origin as FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, the series has made history as one of, if not the best Filipino drama series of all time. It began as just a serial version of the 1997 film of the same name. The runaway success of Brothers greatly expanded the story and enabled nine seasons, over 1,600 episodes!

Not only is Brothers the longest-running non-anthology drama series in Filipino TV history, but none could match its ratings. The show’s pilot episode garnered ratings of 41.6%, breaking all other national records. Only Brothers broke that record two years later, its 782nd episode getting ratings of 47.2%!

Critical acclaim followed the high viewing numbers. In only four years, Brothers received over 100 awards, most of which were for best series and greatest actors. Coco Martin, the lead actor in the series, is considered a living legend in the Filipino film and TV industry. He’s also won over 100 awards, including 2 FAMAS Awards, 2 Gawad Urian Awards, and 3 Golden Screen Awards. 

At its roots, Brothers are about protecting one’s family and community. Cardo (Coco Martins) is called upon by the head of police to help solve his twin brother’s murder. To do this, he must secretly take his brother’s place as a police officer and fulfil the role.

Brothers is an action-packed series that deals with vital issues South Africans must also face. To name but a few, the show handles drug trafficking, police corruption, prostitution, poverty, increasing crime rates, and vast class divides. “We’re eager to bring our audience such a relatable and inspiring story,” says Debbie Wu, On Digital Media’s CEO. “Growing our Zulu-versioning capabilities has been a tough challenge, but it was worth it. Making world-class entertainment more accessible whilst promoting home-language use is a mission we believe in, and our investment in the project proves that.”

The 3rd season of the English version of Brothers debuted in October and can be watched Monday to Friday at 7:50 PM on ST Novella E Plus (ch 128). The Zulu version of Brothers will premiere on Monday, the 31^st of October. Catch it Mondays to Fridays at 7 PM on ST Rise (ch 120), right after StarSat’s other flagship Zulu versioned show Waaris.