Chumani Pan reflects on ‘Projek Dina’, as series returns for third season

Actor Chumani Pan says he has grown into his character as sergeant Lux Dladla on drama series Projek Dina as it returns for a third season.

“Lux is a very special character for me to play. First of all it’s my first lead role in Afrikaans, which is essentially my fourth language. It was quite a challenge that I accepted gladly. From season one, Lux started off as this radical cop that does things outside of the book to get cases solved,” Pan shares with The Citizen.

Projek Dina has returned for a third season on kykNET (DStv Channel 144). Pan reflects on how he’s grown into his character as Sergeant Lux Dladla.

The former iGazi actor says the audience has been quite receptive to his character since the inception of the show. “These old tannies from Vereeniging, they love him [Lux]. It’s been an eye-opener, this black guy in an Afrikaans show, and they’re just loving it.”

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Chumani Pan on learning Afrikaans

Pan laughs off the idea that he received special training to speak Afrikaans to prepare for the role.

“No, we don’t have that kind of budget in South Africa where you go for training with dialect coaches and all of that,” says the actor. “Luckily I grew up in Mitchells Plain and I spoke a lot of Afrikaans growing up, most of my friends were coloured. But having said that, it doesn’t mean you have a strong command of the language.”

He admits that it was difficult at first.

“It was very difficult, but as an actor I always say the more difficult something is, the better for me because it helps me grow, it gets me out of my comfort zone. I had to dig deep a lot because when you speak a language that’s you’re not familiar with, you have to make sure everything is proper,” says the fitness enthusiast. “I didn’t waste a lot of time on set in terms of dialogue, I was very prepared for this role.

“There’s a very clear growth from Lux since we met him in the first season. Now he’s more grounded and more mature, but he’s still all about the work, solving cases and getting justice for everyone,” explains Pan.

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His cars

In each season Lux is seen driving a new car. In season two he was driving a red Ford Granada and Pan says his character will again be in a new ride in the upcoming season.

“Lux changes cars literally every season. He changed Malaika and he had Delilah in the second season. In our third season he has a new car,” says Pan.

“As much as he doesn’t want to admit it, his cars give him problems, that’s why he keeps changing them. But he doesn’t want the rest of the team to know that, he just hides behind the fact that he’s always evolving in terms of cars. But essentially the cars always give him a problem.”

Pan is not a petrol head himself, saying the best thing he can do is change a tyre.

“I don’t know when the car is overheating, I don’t know when the spark plugs are not right. I just know how to change the tyre, I’m not a car person,” says Pan as he bursts into laughter.

Lux’s character is in a romantic relationship with Charlie, portrayed by Kay Smith.

Pan says the two characters’ relationship is tested in the third season, after Charlie was shot at the end of season two. “That’s turning out to be a bit of a difficult situation for the couple because Charlie, being so independent, is not used to someone looking after her and Lux tries to be the best boyfriend and fusses over her a lot.”

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