‘My Two Wives’ does not promote polygamy, says TV series director
A Kenyan TV series that sees a man caught between a glimpse of a place that brought him up, and the promise of a place that holds his future has recently elicited conversation on social media that it was promoting polygamy.
But the series director, Philippe Bresson, who is also the co-founder and director of Insignia, a video production company in Kenya, says that is not the intention of the production.
Bresson also says the series is all about putting two people from different parts of the world together.
He says the series was originally to be called Inherited based on the African customs of wife inheritance, but to modernise the concept they called it My Two Wives.
“We are not promoting polygamy, its more of a roommate situation. The production centres on the three main characters but not anyone in particular in the real world,” says Bresson, who co-founded his video production company in 2006.
The story line revolves around Zacharia Femi, played by Eddy Peter, who grew up in a rural homestead and worked hard in school which saw him get a University scholarship to the city and he never looked back.
He would later find love and settle down in the city with his wife, Toni (Diana Mulwa). One day he was startled with the news that his older brother Alphonse had suffered a heart attack and passed on.
INHERITED WIFE
Zach must inherit his late brother’s wife Damaris (Wakio Mzenge) as his own but he believes the idea is old and outdated. His mother tricks him into the idea by telling him that he will inherit 20 acres of family land if he inherits her.
How does he navigate through the confusing emotions of inheriting his brother’s wife, and the steadfast marriage he has managed to build for himself?
Facing financial difficulties and the promise of a piece of land Zack takes Damaris back with him to Nairobi.
As time passes Zach and Damaris develop a natural bond, they share the same childhood memories from the village, things Toni will never understand; against his will, he finds himself drawn to Damaris.
In a recent interview with Nairobi News, lead character Mr Eddy said he is happy that his real life is totally different from that of the character he plays in the series.
“I’m just playing a character and I thank God that my wife is not like that. If I was Zach I would have run away a long time ago, that is not an easy life,” said the father of three who is happily married to one wife.
Other than My Two Wives, Insignia, one of the top production companies in Kenya, is also behind other TV shows such as Junior which airs on KTN and Socialites which airs on ShowMax.