Get to Know King Coward, the TikTok Comedian Turning Filters into Sensational Skits
Ungahambi bhuti… not before you get to know Ntando Khambule, the comical actor behind the famous King Coward brand. Hailing from the rural parts of the southern regions of KwaZulu-Natal in Mhlabuyalingana, Khambule grew up a boy with a dream—a vision that he’d be a star someday like the celebrities he grew up admiring on the other side of the TV screen. And with TikTok skits sure to keep your sides hurting with cramps of laughter, the comedian has bridged much of the gap between himself and the stars he grew up admiring.
“Growing up in rural areas, I always dreamt big and saw myself as a superstar. I grew up watching TV dramas and listening to East Coast Radio. The songs I heard on radio blew my mind and because of them I saw myself in bigger places. I would imagine myself playing those songs in my car someday. I would be inspired by these artists and how talented they are just by listening to their music. That sparked my creativity and imagination. The ambition took me out of the rural areas, because I always saw myself as a superstar, just like all the Justin Biebers of the world I listened to on the radio,” he said.
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Famous for his skits on TikTok as King Coward, the persona behind many other embodied faces, Khambule spoke about the process of coming up with new content.
“I am very observant when it comes to social interactions. I love studying people’s behaviours, especially funny ones or those that draw my attention. Be it something ironic, something diabolical or something wrong, I use those incidents to create content and then add humour to them,” he said.
Ntando expressed a sense of freedom that came with shooting skits, allowing him to portray different characters in order to stretch the scope of his limitations as an actor.
“I have done multiple series, from Baby Mama and Jealous Ancestors to Methiloni Phithibhuli, Domoh, Uncle Mabuda, and etc. But my favourite one is the current series about the filter I’m using. The filter usually portrays different kinds of people in certain situations. I really love the current series, and I am comfortable with acting under it. The characters are funny and allow me to portray different behaviours of people so that other people can relate. I also enjoy shooting them because I get to laugh in the process as well. Getting positive feedback from my fans about the series motivates me, too,” he said.
Watch the famous “Ungahambi Bhuti” TikTok skit:
The comic shared that King Coward isn’t an end but a stepping stone to help him graduate to high places in the industry.
“The reason I decided to put King Coward out is because of the power of social media. My dream is to be an international actor and presenter. Growing up, I learnt of the hardships of getting recognised in the entertainment industry without building your name as a brand first. Putting myself out as King Coward in the form of content for me was about building a stepping stone towards becoming what I want and accomplishing my dreams. Dreams start somewhere before they can become big,” he said.
Although he’s become known for his comical artistry, Coward made it clear that comedy was never his first and true love; becoming a versatile actor was and continues to be his purest ambition.
“Comedy was never my thing, nor do I have passion for comedy. However, I use comedy to build my name so I can become an actor. Yes, I love embodying many characters to better my acting skills. I love exploring new roles and characters. I am intentionally doing that to train myself to be versatile and vibrant, so I can play any role. Acting has been my passion since childhood. I would watch myself in the mirror, give myself a topic and act it out. And I would judge TV actors and pick who I thought was the best,” he said.
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Khambule spoke about what impact meant to him, and the legacy he desired to leave with his artistry.
“I would like to set the tone for generations to come. I would like to be the talk of the town. Even if I were to retire, I would like people to miss me and remember me as a legend. I’ve seen stars that have left an impact on the industry, and I wanna be seen in high regard and have people mimicking things I used to do while I was in the game. I want my impact to be long-lasting. I am glad that I have seen my impact so far, witnessing people make videos and tagging me while saying the things I say on my videos,” he said.
For King Coward, more is to follow, and his fans must simply keep their ear to the ground.
“I would say the future looks promising, and I am super grateful. More content is coming, I’m still gonna get people’s jaws dropping with laughter. And yes, brand deals and sponsorships are promising. And yes, bookings for shows are following me. People must just watch the space,” he said.