How ‘Collision’ exceeded producer’s expectations

WHILE prejudices of several forms affect people from all corners of the globe, love and family is all that ultimately matters.

This was the essence of the proudly South African movie Collision, which debuted on Netflix last week.

It has since been ranked in the top three of the most watched movies in the world on the streaming platform, after it was released in 192 countries.

And while the movie’s producer, Tarina Patel, is thrilled with how well it has been received around the world so far, she admitted that it had exceeded her expectations.

“I couldn’t imagine the movie being received so well, because as a producer you sit too close to your project, and you can never really gauge what the next person objectively thinks about it,” she told the Saturday Star this week.

“Everyone who makes a film thinks it’s the most amazing story and that everyone will love it, but most times this is not the case. The fact that people are loving it and feel the same way about the story that I do, is pretty amazing.”

The new action and crime thriller tells the tale of a corrupt businessman and his socialite wife racing to save their daughter from a notorious crime lord over the course of one, fateful day.

Their mission “collides” in dramatic fashion as the film also delves into racism, classism, xenophobia, gangsterism and poverty against the backdrop of Johannesburg society.

“It truly is a South African story, because love and family is all we have; those are things we should focus on,” Patel believes.

While she loves South Africa and all its people, she could not shy away from some of the darker issues the movie unpacks.

“I have lived around the world and travelled extensively, but when I come back to South Africa, I am reminded of the realities of our society because there is simply no escaping it. Through

Collision I wanted to better understand it, and I wanted everyone else to better understand it, so we can all do our bit to improve society.”

Collision’s stellar cast includes some of South Africa’s best talents, including Tessa Jubber, Langley Kirkwood, Bonko Khoza and Zoey Sneedon.

“I want people to watch Collision because it is a good story, but I want South Africans to watch the movie because it’s an important story and it’s one of our own,” she said.