The Wife, Showmax’s first telenovela, has broken Uthando Lodumo’s record for the most first-day views of all-time on Showmax. The show has also overtaken Devilsdorp’s record for the most hours watched within four days of launch, outperforming the launch of any film or series on Showmax ever.
Inspired by Dudu Busani-Dube’s bestseller Hlomu The Wife, the first season tells the story of a journalist (Mbalenhle Mavimbela from Skeem Saam) who falls in love with a taxi driver, Mqhele (Bonko Khoza from Neckie Youth). She however does not realize that when you marry a man, you marry his secrets.
Showmax has commissioned 3 seasons of 40 episodes each, inspired by Dudu’s books Hlomu the Wife, Zandile the Resolute, and Naledi His Love respectively. The books follow the lives of the eight Zulu brothers, a formidable crime family, through the eyes of the wives they marry.
The Wife is available across sub-Saharan Africa and to Showmax’s international subscribers in the UK, France, Australia, New Zealand and more than 80 countries worldwide. New episodes are showing every Thursday on Showmax.
Speaking on the receivership of the film, an excited Dudu commented, “It’s been a crazy morning. People are telling me they’ve already watched the episodes more than twice and I’m like … this is the most amazing thing I have ever seen. My people are happy, they love the adaptation.”
The Wife is produced by Stained Glass (eHostela, Uzalo, Ifalakhe), and is the eighth South African Showmax Original released in 2021. It follows on from shows like true-crime phenomenon Devilsdorp and Babes Wodumo and Mampintsha’s reality series Uthando Lodumo, scripted series DAM, Skemerdans and Tali’s Baby Diary and popular reality series Temptation Island South Africa S1 and Life With Kelly Khumalo S2.
Showmax offers new customers a 14-day free trial. The mobile subscription fee for Showmax is now Ksh. 300 per month. Users with Showmax mobile can now download movies, documentaries and series and watch them later.