By Nikashini Naidoo
Armed with her infectious energy and her superpower to make everyone crack a smile, Chatsworth’s very own leading lady, Maeshni Naicker said that she owes her success to the strong women in her life as they helped shape her into the woman she is today.
Known for one of her famous roles as Shanti Naidoo in Keeping Up with the Kandasamy’s, Naicker unpacked her colourful layers with the Merebank and Chatsworth Tabloid revealing her sources of encouragement and the reasons why she is passionate about sharing her craft with her audience.
Naicker said: “I was born and bred in Chatsworth and while I am involved in many community charity projects that are not limited to a specific area, this is my home. As a teacher, it is a priority for me to give back to our youth by helping them gain confidence and important life skills through drama.”
Naicker said that while she is passionate about the youth, there also lies a special place in her heart for the elderly.
“A major influence in my life was my late maternal grandmother who instilled her values into my mother. My grandmother was very close to my heart and always encouraged me to strive for excellence and supported me in everything I did. What I admired the most about her and also my mom is that they worked hard to raise their children as single mothers, being widowed at young ages. I draw from their strength, she said.
Earlier this year, Naicker partnered with the Chatsworth Centre team to spend time with the elderly at local old age facilities amid her host of charity and outreach efforts which she engages in whenever she has the opportunity to.
Amid Women’s Month, Naicker said that working in the industry has shown her how woman influences can have positive effects in her growth.
She said: “Our female cast members are definitely masters in their own craft and we all have a place in this industry because we have something different to bring to the table. However something worth mentioning is how inspirational it is to work with a female director. When people talk about the movies they comment on how great the director was and often refer to Jayan Moodley as ‘he’ so when I correct them, they are taken aback to realise that a woman director made the movie. Apart from this, she also taught me so much including learning not limit myself to comedic roles. Through her, I was able to take on darker roles and play characters that were out of my comfort zone. This is truly a fantastic example of womanhood, when you encourage another to go beyond their capabilities.”
Naicker is an award winning actress that has remained in the heart of Chatsworth. She has proved that the possibilities to success are endless when one stays true to their upbringing and is open to learning from the strong female influences in their lives.
