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Post by mhie on Sept 20, 2005 6:47:24 GMT 8
MALAYA ENTERTAINMENT
STUDIO WHISPERS
ETHEL RAMOS
Aga Muhlach said that Star Cinema has to spend an additional P1M for one scene for "Dubai." The scene, which would last no more than a minute in the movie, had to be shot on location in the U.A.E. It was a crucial scene.
Only Aga and JOHN LLOYD had to leave as the scene involved just the two of them. With them were Direk Rory Quintos, cameraman Charlie Peralta and two members of the staff.
"Star Cinema could have improvised by changing the scene in the movie. But we all thought the film will not be what it should be kung ‘di babalik ng Dubai for that one scene," stated Aga.
It helped that Malou Santos, managing director of Star Cinema, cannot imagine shortchanging the audience. She gave everyone the go-signal to leave.
"I have high hopes for ‘Dubai’," said Malou. "I have good vibes for the movie, the same vibes which I felt for ‘Milan’ (starring Claudine Barretto and Piolo Pascual) which, to date, is one of Star Cinema’s biggest moneymakers.
"Besides, when we premiered ‘Milan’ in Dubai, I promised the Filipinos there that I would do a movie about and for them kaya, I want ‘Dubai’ to be a beautiful movie," she said further.
In the story, written and scripted by Ricky Lee and Shaira Mella-Salvador, Aga works in Dubai and later sends for his younger brother, played by JOHN LLOYD, to join him there.
"The story is very Filipino," related Malou. "Truth to tell, ang ‘Dubai’ ay kabuuan ng mga istorya ng mga Pilipino sa Dubai. Kaya sa bawa’t eksena ng pelikula, makaka-relate tiyak ang mga Pilipinong nagtatrabaho sa Dubai."
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Post by mhie on Sept 21, 2005 6:15:12 GMT 8
ABANTE TONITE
JOE BARRAMEDA
SEPT. 21, 2005."Aga is too good to be true," ang binitiwang pananalita ni JOHN LLOYD Cruz nang tanungin siya kung ano ang masasabi niya sa magaling na actor na kasama niya sa pelikulang Dubai with Claudine Barretto.  Hindi mai-describe ni Lloydie ang nararamdaman galak nang mapabilang siya sa pelikulang Dubai na nagkaroon ng malaking epekto sa kanyang buhay. Nang makausap muli namin si Lloydie noong isang gabi ay ibang JOHN LLOYD Cruz ang humarap sa amin.  Masayahin at punung-puno siya ng buhay habang nakikipagtsikahan sa mga kasama namin sa panulat. Dati ay mahiyain siya at napakatipid magsalita. Aminado si Lloydie na malaking bagay ang pagsasama nila nina Aga at Claudine sa Dubai. First time niyang makasama ang dalawa sa trabaho. Marami siyang natutunan kay Aga kung paano haharapin ang mga magaganda at bagyo na darating sa kanyang buhay. Syempre, puro positibo ang payo ni Aga sa kanya. Hindi sukat akalain ni Lloydie na si Aga na tinitingala niya at isa sa mga magagaling na artista na kanyang hinahangaan ay down-to-earth at super-kalog. Wala sa isip ni JOHN LLOYD na isang araw ay makakatrabaho niya si Aga. Kaya isang achievement sa kanya ang pelikulang Dubai. Sa world premiere ng Dubai ay maglilibot sa iba’t ibang bansa sina Lloydie, Aga at Claudine. Aalis sila nang Oktubre 11 at babalik nang Oktubre 18. Wala siya sa 18th birthday ni Bea Alonzo sa Oktubre 17. Gayun pa man ay nasisiguro namin na magkakaroon ng pagkakataon ang dalawa na ipagdiwang ang birthday ni Bea . Hindi pa namin alam kung ano ang gift ni John Lloyd kay Bea.
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Post by mhie on Sept 21, 2005 6:25:48 GMT 8
MANILA STANDARD TODAY
By Mario E. Bautista
SEPT. 21, 2005
Getting high in Dubai
After Sana Maulit Muli with Lea Salonga (which is about the plight of some Filipinos in the US),
Aga Muhlach is now in Dubai, playing an overseas worker who belong to a group of Pinoys who are doing better than the rest of the lot in the Middle East.
Rory Quintos directs from a screenplay by Ricky Lee.
“In Dubai, Pinoys are (employed as) executives and hold managerial positions, not domestic helpers or blue collar workers,” Aga says. “I play the character of Raffy whose goal is to move to Canada with his younger brother, played by JOHN LLOYD Cruz. But since he has a high-paying job, he opts to stay in Dubai for nine years more. While he earns a lot, he also helps other Pinoy workers there who have personal problems. It is the reason he can’t save
enough for himself. A conflict arises when his brother graduates from college and follows him to Dubai to work there as well. Then a woman comes between us.”
What is his impression of Dubai? “It was so hot. We got there at the start of their summer season and it was really scorching. But the place was very progressive. It was amazing how they were able to develop the place when it was in the middle of the desert, with tall skyscrapers all around. We stayed there for 17 days and we made a lot of new friends who belong to different nationalities. I’ve talked to a lot of Filipinos working there and a lot of them no longer want to return to the Philippines. What for? They’d ask, a hint of
sarcasm and dejection in the voice. Magulo lang sa Pilipinas. I can’t blame them, so I wish our government will really do some nice things to make our country a better place to live in at nang hindi mag-alisan ang mga tao rito (so that people would not leave to work someplace else).”
How’s working for the first time with JOHN LLOYD? “He’s very good. What’s nice is that he loves his craft and there’s this desire to continually improve what he’s doing. You can see he has passion for acting and he’s not just doing it just for the money. This early, you know he’s a good actor and I’m sure he’ll go a long way.”
Last Friday, Aga left for Dubai to shoot the final scene of the movie. “It’ll just be me, JOHN LLOYD, direk Rory Quintos, and the cinematographer,” he says. “We’ve already shot the ending the first time we went there, but I thought of a better ending and told direk Rory about it. She found it nice and a more fitting conclusion to the story, so we’re now returning there to shoot this scene involving John and I. This new ending is so touching and I’m sure
maiiyak ang viewers dito.”
For this scene alone, Star Cinema is spending an additional P1 million. “I do a film just once a year so I want it to be really good. Before we started shooting this film, the script had 12 revisions. We even met in my own home para ayusin nang husto ang script at mas gumanda ang flow ng story. My character is based on a real guy Ricky Lee met when they made a research in Dubai. He’s a do-gooder who wants all the people around him to be happy. Takbuhan siya ng lahat for help and he doesn’t know how to say no. In the process, his life suffers. This is a different kind of OFW movie. Most local films about OFWs show them having
problems with exploitation in their workplace or with the family they left behind in the Philippines. This one shows exactly what happens to them in Dubai. There’s also a beautiful love story of patience and sacrifice in it.”
The film will be premiered in various cities in Europe and the US.“I will go to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and London premieres. First time for Star Cinema to premiere a movie in so many venues abroad, kasi kasama rin ang San Francisco, Vancouver, Vienna, and Milan.”
Because of all the blessings dropping on his lap, Aga is thankful that he has his wife Charlene Gonzales on his side for inspiration and motivation. “Si Charlene ang suwerte sa buhay ko. I can feel her love for me is real and she never changes. She always thinks of me before making any move or decision. She’s very supportive of my career. When I’m shooting a movie, I usually don’t want to break the mood so when I get home, I don’t even want to talk or relate with anyone. I just keep to myself. Sometimes, I’d sleep in another room, but she’ll just let me alone, without asking too many questions. Sometimes nga, I’d check in sa hotel and it’s also fine with her. She trusts me completely and just visits me the next day with our kids
to ask if I’m okay. ”
Aga adds, “other wives would suspect agad na may ginagawa kang kalokohan. But not my wife, sobrang bait niya. The truth is, I’ll have second thoughts bago ako gumawa ng kalokohan kasi hindi ko ipagpapalit ang asawa ko kahit kanino. I respect her so much and I’ll never do anything na mababastos siya. She has given metwo beautiful kids and I really should thank the Lord for giving me a fine family and a fulfilling career.”
On TV, Aga is also seen regularly in OK Fine, ‘To ang Gusto N’yo with Edu Manzano, Gloria Romero, John Estrada, and Bayani Agbayani. “On TV, viewers can see me doing comedy. On the big screen, that’s where I do drama. It’s a very comfortable arrangement that works
very well with me,” Aga concludes.
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Post by anajasdel on Sept 21, 2005 10:50:29 GMT 8
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Post by anajasdel on Sept 21, 2005 10:51:40 GMT 8
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Post by anajasdel on Sept 21, 2005 10:57:00 GMT 8
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Post by anajasdel on Sept 21, 2005 10:57:45 GMT 8
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Post by anajasdel on Sept 21, 2005 10:58:22 GMT 8
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Post by anajasdel on Sept 21, 2005 10:58:58 GMT 8
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Post by anajasdel on Sept 21, 2005 10:59:41 GMT 8
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