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Chamu: A man of many talents

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By Fidelis Manyange

WHAT started as a joke during a shooting break of a ZTV talent search, Loud African Show, became the rise of Brighton Munaku’s career as a comedian.
He is now popularly known as ‘Chamu’.
The comedian’s jokes are so funny that sometimes the crew have to retake their shots, laughing their lungs out.
In the industry, he joins the likes of Khedha, Bhutisi, Gonyeti, Comic Pastor and Madam Boss, among others, who have made names on social media and television comedy.
However, some feel Chamu is the next Mutirowafanza, Mukadota or Paraffin.
The 26-year-old artiste who hails from Bhunu Village in Murehwa and a holder of a degree in Film and Theatre studies from Midlands State University, said his love for theatre started from an early age.
“I was putting most of my time in music but my heart was in theatre and film production, so we combined with fellow film students to form a group which we called College Central aimed at filming various functions,” said Munaku.
The group eventually got a contract to shoot a talent show called Loud African Show at Pablo’z Club at Sam Levy which was to be screened on ZTV.
The music talent show was meant to search for Zimbabwe’s loudest voice.
“It was during the time we were waiting for people to come to auditions that I asked my colleagues to shoot a short comedy skit and little did I know that the skit would propel me to greater heights (sic),” said Chamu.
“In the skit, I chose the name Chamunorwa Matandabotso which I thought was funny and could easily appeal to viewers — and surely it did!”
And people loved the skit.
It is the way the comedian plays around with his voice, combining it with his bodily language that makes him unique, among others.
‘Chamu’, as Munaku is known among the local television viewers, together with fellow actors Naison Ngoma, aka Bhawa Ranger, and Kudzai Marindire, aka Babes, are currently shooting a full 30-minute comedy series to grace the local television screens soon.
The series, Kumusha 5, is being directed and edited by Daniel Mpulula and filmed by Trust Njagu.
So far, seven of the planned 10 episodes have been recorded at Pablo’z through Pablo’z and African Fire Media.
Chamu, like any other comedian, has big dreams.
He wants to make it to South Africa or Hollywood in the future.
Watching some of the episodes he is shooting, one can easily conclude the young comedian will be a household name in this country very soon.
Chamu is a man of many talents.
“Phaphamang School in Botswana gave me an opportunity to further my learning in playing musical instruments such as the lead guitar and keyboard,” said Chamu.
“I learnt to play the guitar when I was in Grade 7 from Sitashi in Gweru who used to play with the late Susan Mapfumo, so the Phaphamang School Band perfected my skills and I eventually joined as one of its members.”
When he came back to Zimbabwe in 2013 to pursue a degree at MSU, he joined the university band, also dabbling in practical theatre.
In 2017, Chamu released his debut single Moyo Wangu dedicated to his friend who had been cheated by his girlfriend.
Later the same year, he released his seven-track album Totangira Ipapo, which received fair airplay on the Midlands-based community radio station Ya FM.
“I did not expect much from the album as my aim was only to make a mark in the arts industry,” said Munaku.
Chamu is also a talented dance choreographer and recently Patriot Arts caught up with him when he was participating in the shooting of Zimbabwe Heritage Trust (ZHT)’s music project in Domboshava, which features Bob Nyabinde.
Chamu, who is also a first dan black belt Shotokan karateka, musician, comedian and choreographer joins other talented artistes who hail from Murehwa like the late Douglas Vambe, the late Tineyi Chikupo, the late Fungai Zata of Zata Zemba Mbira Group, the late Nevernay Chinyanga aka Muvengwa, Admire Kuzhangaira aka Bhutisi, Jah Prayzah and Andy Muridzo, among others.

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