Hakeem Kae-Kazim on Showmax crime thriller Masinga - The Calling

Showmax has just dropped the trailer for Masinga – The Calling, which premieres on the African streamer on Friday, 5 December 2025.

The crime thriller explores an exiled detective's return to his homeland, where he is forced to confront the demons of his youth and the trauma of the ritual murder of his young brother who had albinism, while rescuing an Asian girl from a similar fate. 

Hakeem Kae-Kazim as Masinga

In the title role, SAFTA winner Hakeem Kae-Kazim (Pirates of Caribbean, Hotel Rwanda) leads a star-studded cast that includes Shamilla Miller (The Umbrella Men, Devil's Peak) as his rookie partner, plus SAFTA winners Abdul Khoza (Shaka iLembe, The Wife), Fana Mokoena (World War Z, The Lab), Warren Masemola (The Republic, Tjovitjo), and Brandon Auret (Elysium, District 9, Rebel Moon), as well as Sean Cameron Michael (Black Sails, Die Byl) and Mbuso Khoza, who took home Best Supporting Actor at the 2025 Simon Mabhunu Sabela Awards. 

Filmed in KwaZulu-Natal and London, Masinga – The Calling won Best Director and Best Screenplay for Mark Engels at both the 2025 Simon Mabhunu Sabela Awards in Durban and The Palermo Independent International Film Festival in Italy. 

News24’s Joel Ontong says, “Masinga - The Calling packs a powerful punch… The pacing is airtight, resulting in an instantly enthralling experience.” 

Watch the trailer for Masinga - The Calling

To find out more, Xabiso Ngqabe sat down with Hakeem, who has over 130 acting credits on IMDb, including global hits like 24, Black Sails, Criminal Minds, FBI: Most Wanted, Godzilla vs Kong, Lost, NCIS: Los Angeles, Intergalactic, The Watch and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. 

Tell us about the character you are playing.

I play a detective who left South Africa at a young age and moved to England. Having left South Africa early, he lost some of his Zulu roots - he's a Zulu man who no longer speaks the language. Without revealing too much, the story involves a South African girl found dead in a London river, leading him back to Zululand and reconnecting with his father. This journey also rekindles his spiritual calling and helps him cope with the loss of his brother, who died when he was young. He reconnects not only with his Zulu heritage but also with his spiritual side.

What kind of research did you do to prepare for this role?

I had a Zulu man, very spiritual, who flew in from KZN. We had many conversations and also tried to speak Zulu, as I’m not quite fluent. I enjoy immersing myself in a culture and understanding its subtleties – things that aren’t necessarily obvious. Masinga is, in many ways, an Englishman who is now trying to reconnect with his cultural roots and understand the events happening around him.

Masinga deals with a lot of intense guilt. 

Hakeem Kae-Kazim as Masinga

He feels guilty for losing his brother and still doesn’t know why he was taken. His brother, who had albinism, was killed in a ritualistic manner, traumatising both him and his father. He tried to put it out of his mind until he returned to South Africa. Then his brother appears to him in a dream and he begins to solve not only a murder case but also his brother’s case.

Masinga reconnects with his Nguni heritage through visions from his ancestor. How does this spiritual element influence his decisions in the story?

It gets confusing for him initially, but eventually, it guides him. Certain things come to him in dreams and visions, and what he sees becomes clear. He allows these visions to guide him.

What was it like working with writer and director Mark Engels?

It was great working with him; he’s very clear on his vision and how he wants the story to feel. It’s a good story, and I’m hoping we can turn it into a series with multiple episodes because there’s so much to explore. I love the African spirituality that comes into it.

What was your experience of working with the movie’s amazing cast?

It was great working with Abdul Khoza, an amazing talent with an interesting character. Also, actors like Sean Cameron Michael and Fana Mokoena bring their talents to the movie. I’ve known Fana over the years; our paths have crossed quite a few times, so it's always a pleasure to work with him. It was also great to see him back in front of the camera; I know he took a break and went into politics.