Mano Po 6: My Mother’s Love to be shot partly in Beijing, China

A whopping P70 million movie!
by: Richard Roxas | STIR Contributor
16 Nov 2009 | 09:48 AM

When it was announced that megastar Sharon Cuneta was tapped to play the lead role in Regal Films’ Mano Po 6: My Mother’s Love, the public already got a glimpse of the importance and the bigness of the new Mano Po movie. For Sharon’s first movie in the said film outfit, producer Lily Monterverde assured everyone that only the best would be given to the megastar and to this significant movie, including a whopping P70 million budget.

True enough, Mano Po 6 boasts of having only the industry’s best in the production team headed by acclaimed director Joel Lamangan and scriptwriter Roy Iglesias. Sharon shares the screen with showbiz’s most respected actors and actresses like drama king Christopher De Leon, singer-actress Zsa Zsa Padilla, young stars Heart Evangelista, Dennis Trillo, Ryan Eigenmann, and movie icon Boots Anson-Roa with Kris Aquino in a special role.

“It’s a dream come true for me to finally get Sharon to do a movie for Regal,” Mother Lily allows. “I kept on saying that I want to do that before I retire. I’m really happy that Sharon said yes to this project.”

A moving story of a mother’s love for her daughter is the core theme of Mano Po 6, where Sharon plays a Chinese matriarch whose desire is to get back her rebellious daughter (Heart Evangelista) at all cost. The compelling family drama strongly delves on relationships and the bond within the Chinese clan. It also espouses the family values and the rich culture and tradition of the Chinese.

Asked what sets this Mano Po movie apart from the previous ones, Mother Lily replies, “This project for Sharon is exceptional and very detailed, moving and dramatic. Bagay talaga kay Sharon ang role.”

Aside from being Sharon’s first project with Regal, Mano Po 6 also marks another first – the featuring of Mother Lily’s Greenhills mansion, which serves as the Megastar’s house in the movie.

“It was Sharon herself who requested to shoot in my house,” Mother Lily discloses. “I couldn’t say no to her. It turned out to be a good decision.”

Mano Po 6 will even send a 50-member entourage of stars, production crew and members of the press to Beijing to shoot added footage, thus giving more interesting and authentic Chinese visual to the film.

Mano Po 6: My Mother’s Love, which opens on December 25 during the 2009 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), promises to be the most unforgettable, biggest drama movie in recent years. Also in the cast are Nina Jose, JC de Vera, Nicole Uysiuseng and John Manalo.

Zsa Zsa Padilla experienced bruising from Sharon Cuneta’s slap
PEP.Ph
Jocelyn Dimaculangan
Monday, November 16, 2009
10:53 AM

Zsa Zsa Padilla studied Fookien for her role in the upcoming Metro Manila Film Fest entry Mano Po 6: My Mother. The singer-actress plays Olive, kontrabida to the character of Melinda (Sharon Cuneta). Olive and her parents maltreat Melinda because they consider her “malas,” a harbinger of bad luck.

One of the highlights of this year’s installment of Mano Po is the confrontation scene of the characters of Zsa Zsa and Sharon Cuneta. In a press conference held at the Imperial Palace Suites last Saturday, November 14, Zsa Zsa narrated how she got a black-and-blue bruise on her face because of the Megastar’s slap.

“Nagka bruise ako [pointing to her jaw] kasi dun sa eksena, hindi mo na mararamdaman kasi umaarte ka. Several takes yun, eh, siguro three takes to perfect it. Yung first two, nag-usap naman kami [ni Sharon] kahit umaarte ka, dito mo lang patatamain [below jawline]. Sa third take, pagigil na nang pagigil itong scene na ito, so ano ba ang dapat niyang gawin? Kulang pa nga yung pasa ko, sa totoo lang,” narrates Zsa Zsa about a crucial scene.

“The next day, naging green siya at naramdaman ko, ang sakit ng panga ko. Nagulat ako, na yun na pala yung sampal! Alam mo, pag sinampal ka, nakakatulong yun sa pag-arte kasi nagugulat ka…nasasaktan ka…naiiyak ka. It adds on to the scene.”

Zsa Zsa revealed that she initially declined being part of Mano Po 6 because of conflicts with her schedule. “Actually, when this offer came, I turned it down because I was supposed to tour kami ni Erik [Santos]. Kaya lang hindi natuloy yung tour niya so the role came back to me. So, sabi ko, para sa akin talaga ito.”

The singer-actress will soon be leaving for Beijing, China along with other cast members of Mano Po 6. This is Zsa Zsa’s third time to appear in the franchise movie produced by Regal Entertainment since Mano Po 2 (2003) and Mano Po 4 (2005).

When asked how she felt about competing against her partner Dolphy in this year’s MMFF, she pointed out that it was no problem for them. “Okay lang kasi nagpaalam naman ako for this and he said yes. Siguro kung ako talaga yung lead…support lang naman yung role ko dito.”

Dolphy will be starring in the MMFF entry titled Nobody, Nobody But….Juan, which also stars Willie Revillame. According to Zsa Zsa, the cast members of the film will soon be shooting scenes in Chicago. In the movie, the King of Comedy is cast as a senior citizen who lives in a nursing home located in the United States. He is a big fan of noontime game shows since it allows him to connect to his roots in the Philippines.

ON CHIN-CHIN GUTIERREZ. Since Zsa Zsa herself experienced being on the receiving end of a powerful slap, members of the press curiously asked the Divine Diva regarding her opinion on the controversial slapping scene between Lorna Tolentino and Chin-Chin Gutierrez. It will be recalled that the two had a slapping scene in the ABS-CBN show Dahil May Isang Ikaw. (CLICK HERE to read related article)

http://www.pep.ph/news/23751/Lorna-Tolentino-refuses-to-work-with-Chin-Chin-Gutierrez-again

Zsa Zsa managed to joke: “Nung araw na nagte-taping kami ng sampalan at saksakan—sorry, Chin Chin and LT, may saksakan kami dito—nasa Bulacan kami nun nang mabalitaan namin yun.

“Hindi ko alam kung paano nangyari sa kanila pero pag nag-iba na ang dialogue…kasi pag may napamura, cut na yun. Pag nag-iba na ang dialogue, siyempre, [iisipin mo] ‘ tuloy pa ba ito or what?'”

Will Zsa Zsa be willing to work with Chin-Chin in the future?

“Why not? Nakikita mo itong ten fingers ko? Joke lang ito, Chin-Chin, pero lalagyan ko lahat ito ng singsing.”

Zsa Zsa revealed that they did a lot of violent scenes in Mano Po 6. “May sampalan, saksakan, at suntukan. Sa Madrasta nga, very civil lang ang confrontation namin kasi nag-smoke lang ako sa confrontation scene namin.”

Aside from Mano Po 6, Zsa Zsa will also be seen in the upcoming Star Cinema film starring Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson. When asked to describe her role in this film, she stated, “I’m a proud cougar—in the film ha!” She will team up with a young leading man in the film but she has no idea yet who he is. The movie is slated to be released in February next year.