Viewers favourite Netflix franchise, How To Ruin, returns with its first-ever spin-off on the 31st of May. The new series, How To Ruin Love: The Proposal, created and produced by AFDA alumna Rethabile Ramaphakela revolves around Zoleka (Sivenathi Mabuya) who sabotages her relationship with Kagiso (Bohang Moeko) just days before Valentine’s Day.
Desperate to make things right, she enlists her overprotective dad and over-the-top Dabs (paternal aunt) , played by Dumisani Mbebe and Tina Jaxa respectively, and her future parents-in-law (Marjorie Langa and John Morapama to make things right. The star-studded cast includes the likes of Noxolo Dlamini, S’dumo Mtshali, Thando Thabethe, Sandile Mahlangu and AFDA alumnus Thabo Malema.
Rethabile shares what fans can expect in this brand-new spin-off. “With this spin-off, the audience can expect different families coming together but with the same drama they loved so much from How to Ruin Christmas. The audience will once again be able to relate and recognize themselves and their family members, through the colourful characters in the series.”
On having the opportunity to create a spin-off on Netflix, Rethabile said, “Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine that How to Ruin would turn into a franchise on a global platform and we’re so grateful that we have the opportunity to tell African stories on Netflix. Stories that are a celebration of us and who we are. We hope to bring even more joy and laughter with this spin-off.”
Rethabile kick-started her career as a kids’ presenter on SABC, KTV and Supersport. As soon as she completed her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Motion Picture Medium at AFDA, Rethabile started tackling the TV industry head-on working across a range of TV genres (reality shows, sitcoms, dramas, telenovelas, comedy-dramas) as a writer, showrunner and director. In 2019, she was named a Producer to Watch from Africa at MIPtv in Cannes.
In 2020, Rethabile made her feature film directorial debut with the Netflix Original Film, Seriously Single and she has gone on to co-create and produce three seasons of the first Netflix Original African holiday special, How to Ruin Christmas. Most recently, her YA Netflix series, Miseducation, premiered on Netflix in September 2023.
In 2023, she was also the Creative producer behind season 3 of MTV Shuga Down South and created a new 13 part comedy-drama for Mzansi Magic (Multichoice), Magaeng.
