Netflix's 'Queen Sono' is the perfect reflection of the political crossroads that South Africa is at today
Filmmaking has a way of taking us to places where we otherwise cannot (or perhaps would not) go. No, we don’t necessarily mean delightful places. Such a virtual journey is also into a country's social community, political and economic tapestry.
Take the web series 'Queen Sono' for instance. Netflix's first-ever African original show based in South Africa is a peek into the African nation's socio-political framework and it is eye-opening.
While the story is primarily about a badass operative of the Special Operations Group of the government, it is also an insight into where the nation stands. That is precisely the reason why they say that art is a reflection of reality and the reality we got a taste of from this series is indeed eye-brow raising.
It has been 30 years since the Apartheid and the nation of South Africa is still reeling with political and economic instability.
Despite a stronghold of the ANC (African National Congress) on the country's growth, South Africa has not been able to wriggle out of the endless corruption, betrayal, failed political strategies, and economic downslide.
This is mainly thanks to greedy and power-hungry leaders, who have managed to squander the sacrifices made earlier by the country's greatest freedom fighters and social activists.
Weaved into a slick spy thriller, 'Queen Sono' takes a stance on this exact situation and presents us the reality of South Africa is today. The country is at a crossroads.
On one side, there are plundering government officials and ruthless lobbyists who are standing with one hand stretched out, ready to sell their country to the highest bidder in the global market.
On the other side, there are its people, at the grass-root level like Queen Sono or her activist mother Safiya Sono, who would stand up against every instance of corruption and fight for the rights of her fellow countrymen.
The show's plotline perfectly resonates with the country's current political state of affairs. The President, as shown, might not be a real-life character, but is a representation of the greedy politicians who are pillaging the country, reducing it to a "banana republic".
For the uninitiated, the term was coined by American author O Henry and refers to a nation suffering from extreme economic exploitation at the hands of bureaucratic capitalistic nations.
Whether you pay attention to the minute details in the show's story or read up on South Africa's situation today, you would see how perfectly it reflects the elements of the phrase — impoverished working classes in huge numbers, ruled by political and military elitists.
The narrative for 'Queen Sono' turns out to be a great opportunity for the people of South Africa to tell their stories. The nation's struggle does not remain limited in its history but also in today's times.
We all know of the past and have had enough of literature and art to talk us through it. But how aware are we of where the nation stands today?
As one of the largest and fast-developing nations of the continent, the country has managed to put itself on the global map through multiple avenues. Hence, it is a tad embarrassing for the rest of the world, when they are agnostic of the country's social and political framework.
Agent Queen Sono's story is empowering for her people. But what is also empowering is for the world to know that there is a huge population of patriots who would stand tall against everything to save their country from further exploitation, no matter what the cost.
Safiya Sono's story breaks the stereotype that pop culture has portrayed South Africa for years. Through the lens of Queen, we see the country's modern history and its stance on other countries.
While it might be a story of political espionage at the core, it is also a look into its unabashed portrayal of social and economic deterioration, people's lack of faith in their government, failed leaders and their questionable moral compass, and all these, while its society still grapples with racism within its home grounds.
Across six episodes and six hours of a walk through Queen's relentless and diligent efforts to save her country, the show painted the current picture of South Africa, as it stands — at crossroads between its historic past and a new order of the 21st Century.
Catch all the episodes of 'Queen Sono' currently streaming only on Netflix.