Aga back to the usual grind

MANILA, Philippines - Aga Muhlach thought he was done with the showbiz grind of overnight tapings and shootings. He thought going home, all knocked out and ready to hit the sack, only to wake up early the day after to face the cameras again, was a thing of the past.

Until Malay Mo Ma-Develop (M3) came along, originally a movie with a twist.

Aga liked the concept of two people from different worlds bumping into each other and coming up with something hilarious together. So he asked ABS-CBN to get Ai-Ai delas Alas as his leading lady and Jeffrey Jeturian as director for his comeback project, the romantic-comedy-drama series M3, which premieres on Saturday, July 3 at 9:45 p.m.

You think someone of Aga’s status would cry bloody murder when the location is hot and he can feel sweat trickling down his brow. Thanks to the air-conditioned tent and the trailer the network gave him, he did not.

The new schedule needed some adjusting to, though. Taping finished at 6 a.m. That means Aga is still on the set at 11 p.m. when his twins, Andres or Atasha call him up.

The children are aghast.

“You have work at this time?” they asked. Aga could imagine his twins’ eyes growing wide with shock. No wonder Andres told his dad he will never become an actor.

“It’s so tiring! You’re always on the go,” the boy observed.

What they probably don’t know is that their dad is enjoying himself.

“This is not the type of show which you can miss for one week without losing sight of the story,” explains Aga. “It follows a story thread that will make them laugh and cry. And the situations are true-to-life.”

Creative manager Mel del Rosario adds, “This is not episodic.”

Aga’s pride in his work is seen in how he doesn’t keep everyone waiting on the set, this time around. Showbiz insiders know Aga can be notoriously late.

Ai-Ai says, “I came to the set prepared. I brought my laptop and lots of DVDs.”

She was surprised when Aga arrived on the set ahead of her.

Direk Jeffrey was also briefed on what to expect. “I was warned that taping may start in the afternoon. But no, Aga was on the set early.”

So they easily adjusted to the work flow. They developed a “third eye” in sensing what line the other would say. Direk Jeffrey just guided them and the action just flowed, like a river winding effortlessly down the road.

“Take the stag party scene,” Aga points out. “Direk described the situation to us, and we were on our own. He just told us where and when to stop. It was a matter of timing and camaraderie.”

There were quiet moments, too. And this, Noel Trinidad as Aga’s grandfather, loves most. This, the semi-retired actor says, made working with Aga the first time around, a pleasure.

Game shows and other daily projects are no longer sources of pleasure for Aga though. He has turned down many offers he felt will bring him back to the old grind needlessly.

“I’m done with going home just to take a shower before rushing back to the set,” he says.

 “Hindi naman kailangan tayong mangarag. It will show on screen,” he explains. But Aga also knows he still has to work hard “to come up with something good.”

 That’s why his new movie with Angel Locsin is most welcome. Aga admits his role is demanding. But he’s not complaining.

 “I play a dancer down to his last performance and facing retirement. Thus, I have to do serious dancing — ballroom, pasa doble, even breakdancing. This is not a dance movie though. It’s about what happens to dancers 10 to 15 years after they retire.”

The demands go beyond dancing. Aga must lose 10 pounds to tip the scales at 150 pounds for the role. 

It’s tough. But the adrenaline rush he gets from the film makes everything worth it for Aga. He’s glad to be back in the thick of things again.