On January 23, actor Aga Muhlach discussed how they carefully tackled the age gap of the characters in Ikaw Pa Rin Ang Pipiliin.
During the media conference for Ikaw Pa Rin Ang Pipiliin at the Viva Cafe, which LionhearTV covered, Muhlach emphasized how the production ensured that there wouldn’t be any problematic themes in handling the May-December love affair in the film.
“Before we even announced, bago pa kami mag-umpisa ng paggawa ng pelikula, we had a lot of meetings with Direk no. We had to change a lot of scenes, and we edited [already] (some) scenes sa script, kasi we’re [very] careful of that thin line of this age gap. Ang masasabi ko nga, when it [was offered] to me, I felt a bit awkward, no.
“Pangalawa binuksan na din namin ‘yung istorya. Tignan natin ‘yung medyo off dito, medyo magiging parang, hmm medyo alanganin, out na natin ‘yan. So we had to fix and fix, and it came out, and ito lumabas na ‘tong pelikula namin na napaka linis at napaka–magandang panoorin.”
He then recounted his reaction when the Viva offered the role to him and what made him accept the project.
“So, when that was offered to me, I was like, ‘What? Talaga? Ako?’ Parang sabi ko hindi pa ako handa, sabi ko at that time ang laki-laki ko pa. But then they said, you’re playing a role your age. Dapat naman siguro. Okay parang sabi ko di naman ako pwedeng maging 30 years old dito parang kalokohan na ‘yun.
“So, when they said that you’re playing your age Aga and Julia’s playing her age and a bit older than that, so that’s why Direk and I, we met a couple of times, we focused on the script, and we had to fix it, and fix it, until we came up with this film that we’re going to show.”
He then acknowledged the feedback regarding the age gap in the storyline, ensuring potential audience of the story’s quality.
“Of course, hindi natin maiiwasan na there are some reactions, but unfortunately parang I’m not really– hindi ko masyadong nababantayan ang socmed no, so, kasi ang buhay natin as actors, we just work, we do it right, we do it well, and we present it to the public no. It’s really the choice of the public para kung panoorin nila or hindi. Ang responsibilidad lang talaga namin is do the best we could.”
As for their film, Ikaw Pa Rin Ang Pipiliin stars Aga Muhlach and Julia Barreto.
Under the direction of Denise O’Hara, Ikaw Pa Rin ang Pipiliin, under Viva Films, opens in cinemas on February 7.
