Zimbabwean actress Anne Nhira building her own empire

By Silence Charumbira

Anne Nhira is probably one of the best actresses to emerge from Zimbabwe in the past decade. Apart from the fact that there has been too little film activity in the country in the last decade, she remains one of the few beauties to have graced the local small screen still worth to talk about.

Showbiz caught up with the actress who celebrated her birthday (she would have to kill you if she tells you her age) Friday (last week) and she said she has been busy enhancing her career with her production house Anne Studios international where she is producer and executive producer in Johannesburg where she has been based for the past eight years.

She said as opposed to the notion that she had gone too quiet, she was just not the kind of person that was loud about her successes.

“I haven’t exactly been quiet at all. I have shared some of my achievements over the past few years. I have achieved professional and personal milestones that I’m proud of. I am not exactly the person who publishes every accomplishment but I am extremely proud of my achievements. I prefer to work more and talk less,” she said.

“I have stretched myself extremely over the years to focus on different work affairs. My schedule has been extremely tight with running my Business (Anne Studios International), acting, studying, film production as well as my role as a Quality Assurance and Risk Manager with one of the top SA wellness companies.

“I have to spread the hours of the day to do all that and still squeeze in some social time. It gets a bit hectic even for a very strong willed and obsessively hard working woman like me.”

She said she had featured in a number of South African productions among them The Rapist in 2012 and in 2014 she also had a role in one of South Africa’s biggest soap operas Zabalaza that shows on MNet and SABC.

She also recently featured in a TV drama called Mutual Friends.

But the lass often referred to as Vimbai from her role in Zimbabwe’s Studio 263said she was now more focused on film production for Anne Studios.

“I co-produced a TV series pilot two months ago, that we are currently pushing to broadcasters In the Shadows. I am extremely excited about it as it is absolutely brilliant; it will blow you away. We have a cast from for different African countries. I am also acting in it. Absolutely incredible. I can’t wait for you to watch it,” she said with enthusiasm.

Anne Studios International includes services like music production and talent training and the actress said she was going through exciting times as they were currently engaged with various African countries.

Asked whether she still hoped to come back home to stay she said: “Zimbabwe is home. I come home once or twice a year, and more if my schedule is not too tight. That is my sanctuary. I am investing in property in Zimbabwe.

“I am extremely proud to be Zimbabwean. We are all hoping for the best, we are moving, we keep it going, we are a strong nation and I am proud of us. I also encourage exposure to different countries to young people, it broadens ideas and dreams, and you see life differently. Travelling is extremely essential.”

Anne said she was pleased to have seen a few good TV productions from home but said there was a lot of room for improvement considering the opportunity to have content on DStv channels like Zambezi Magic.

“Zambezi Magic is a huge opportunity for Southern African countries at the moment and we should definitely seize that opportunity. It’s best to work with experts in the industry especially for directing and camera to produce a top notch quality production that can withstand competition among productions from other countries,” she said.

“Research is also required to actually see what other producers are doing, the equipment quality they are using and then ride on that and create a good project.”

While she has kept an efficient lid on her private affairs, Anne finally opened up to Showbiz regarding her love life. This is a closely guarded area of the beautiful lass’ life.

Yet the beauty and fame have almost always worked against her in a way.

“You know, I have managed to handle everything else and excel in everything that I put my mind to. I have set so many goals, and I have achieved them, some with ease some with more effort but I always crack it. Dating has proved to be the most challenging, and there I was thinking I got it all figured out. I am still to get my head around it,” she said.

“I choose to be single until the right person come along. I didn’t spend my birthday with anyone special except from my good friends and some good wine and champagne. And that made it special,” she said. Showbiz.co.zw