Filipino movie premiere goes Bollywood

ROBIN Padilla made a deal with wife Mariel Rodriguez that they will put off having a baby for at least two years, so they can fully, truly enjoy each other’s company. However, the couple recently unveiled their first offspring—“Tum: My Pledge of Love,” a movie made in India, during their much-publicized honeymoon last year.

A red-carpet event held on Monday night at the Rockwell Powerplant Mall in Makati hewed closely to the Bollywood theme. Guests came in Indian costumes, including Mariel’s grandparents, May and Raffy. Approaching Lola May, Robin quipped, ever-so-gallantly: “’Di ko po kayo nakilala. Akala ko’y isa kayong prinsesa mula sa India. (I didn’t recognize you. I thought you were an Indian princess.

Robin’s mom, Eva Cariño, turned up in a modish sari, like his daughters Queenie and Kylie and his sister Rema Padilla-Ohno. Before the gala screening, Queenie, who appears in the film with her dad and stepmom, showed off her belly-dancing skills, with the Alala and Snake Charmerz dancers. The premiere also gathered the other costars, including Bing Loyzaga, Ejay Falcon, Kat Alano and Rich Herrera.

Show biz friends likewise graced the event: Mark Gil, Pokwang, Maja Salvador, Bianca Manalo, Empress Schuck, Christine Bersola and Julius Babao, Jun de Leon and Abbygale Arenas, Cathy Garcia-Molina, Bianca Gonzales, Diether Ocampo and Mariel’s manager, Boy Abunda. Also present was producer Sameer Raza.

“Tum,” Robin explained, means “you” in Hindi. The film, he said, is an “ode to love and lovers.”Also before the screening, Robin and Mariel addressed the audience in a routine that echoed classic Dolphy-Panchito shtick: Robin spoke in eloquent Tagalog which Mariel translated to English. They stumbled on just one phrase, “pinagyayabong na pag-ibig,” translating it as “exploding love.” Robin’s take was just as perplexing: “Connivance.”The couple’s comic chemistry was also evident in the film, which was written and directed by Robin.

“We were inspired during the shoot,” said Mariel, who also served as cameraman. The movie, which opens April 6 in theaters, showcases the beauty of Alipur, India—a place that Robin loves deeply. “We shot in the mountains, in remote areas,” Robin recalled.

Included in the film is footage of the couple’s controversial wedding held near Taj Mahal. Robin also set key scenes in Noble School, which serves as model for his own Liwanag ng Kapayapaan Foundation. Some Indian friends were in the cast as well. The premiere was largely a family affair.

Robin’s brother Rommel said he worked on the film behind-the-scenes. “We set up a post-production company, RCP Studios,” Rommel said. “I handled sound. We hope to show the film in India, too.”