Keeping Up with the Kandasamys

Mishqah Parthiephal

Shanti Naidoo is a typical Type- A personality. Always on the move, going out of her way to please people, and overcompensating for her perceived inadequacies by continually cooking up a storm in the kitchen. Her life would be just fine, except that her neighbor Jennifer Kandasamy always seems to hold the upper hand. Somehow Jennifer appears to outdo whatever Shanti does and life appears to be a constant battle of trying to keep up with the Kandasamys. When Jennifer realizes her daughter Jodi is in love with Shanti's son Prishen, she is determined to break them up. But in order to do that she will have to enlist her rival's help. At first Shanti refuses point blank, but they both soon realize that they have no choice. The last thing they need is to be related to one another. Together the two women scheme and plot, recruit prospective partners and generally interfere in the lives of their kids wherever they can. What is the big secret that is the cause of the underlying tension between the neighbors, who were once close high school friends? Can these meddling moms find a way to mend their mistakes and unite their families? The story is supported by an array of colorful characters that bring to life the rich textures of life in Chatsworth, Durban through rib-tickling comedy.—Helena Spring