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If Polo Ravales would have his way, he’d like to do a Jay Manalo — make quality sexy films that would win him awards. After all, Polo is taking the path Jay took in the ‘80s to the ‘90s. For starters, the Folded & Hung image model is taking the path less traveled these days: Star in a daring film, Joel Lamangan’s Silip with Diana Zubiri and Francine Prieto.
It’s a risk not only Polo — but the whole Seiko Films production team is taking. After all, no producer has made a daring film for quite sometime now. So the pressure is on.
Besides, Polo admits, he has no background in doing sexy films. On TV, Polo’s roles on GMA 7’s Lupin and the now-defunct Majika don’t require him to bare. He remains as wholesome as
Oh yes, Polo has starred in the sexy play Penis Talks 2. But that was years ago, and theater tends to be more liberal than film.
But a film where he throws all inhibitions to the wind, goes stark naked and engages in torrid kissing and love scenes with his leading ladies? This is a whole new Polo people will see in Silip once it opens across the nation on June 6.
Direk Joel says it’s about time. The director has no regrets he heeded Manila Standard Today Entertainment editor Isah Red’s suggestion to cast Polo as Diana’s husband and Francine’s lover. The guy is so good in his scenes his director won’t be surprised if he (and Polo’s co-stars) not only gets nominated, but wins an award for the project.
Polo is just as appreciative. “I wouldn’t have agreed to do Silip if it weren’t for direk Joel,” he says. “I know he won’t let me down. My kissing scenes won’t cheapen my image at all.”
Besides, Polo notes, his director has made serious actors out of big stars today, Jay and Glydel Mercado among them. Elizabeth Oropesa won a grand slam, thanks to a Joel Lamangan film.
More than the baring, however, Polo is keeping his fingers crossed moviegoers will notice his acting. If they do, they won’t box him in and label him — ouch! — as bold actor.
After all, the film is not about something as mundane as a peeping Tom, although kibitzers did try to spy on the stars while they were shooting their daring scenes. Direk Joel describes the new sex drama as “a peek into the mind of an alienated person, someone who lives in a world of his own.”
The heavy theme merits a just-as-serious treatment. And Silip has Romy Vitug’s cinematography to partly take care of that.
The acting, therefore, is just as serious. And Polo, Diana and Francine hope they’re up to the challenge.
“I have reached the point of no return as an actor,” admits Polo. If that means goodbye to those light, decorative roles that don’t move the story forward, so be it.
“From here, I have to study my roles well. Moviegoers will see me differently from now on. I just hope they will see the acting that went into each scene. If critics recognize my acting, that’s enough for me. ”
It’s enough for Polo too that he and ex-girlfriend Ara Mina are now friends (he sang during one of the campaign sorties for Chuck Mathay, Ara’s dad). Ara also happens to be one of the reasons why the thought of a romance with Francine or Diana never crossed his mind.
“Both are Ara’s friends and co-stars on Bubble Gang,” he explains. And in all fairness, Francine and Diana were complete professionals, confining the steamy scenes on the Bongabong, Nueva Ecija set where they were shot, sometimes in full view of the villagers. Look ma, no hanky-panky!
As for the fact that Ara and ex-boyfriend Jomari Yllana are finally talking again, Polo doesn’t show the slightest sign of jealousy or resentment. In fact, he feels happy for what happened.
“I’m glad. Hazel (Ara’s nickname) and Jomari didn’t part ways amicably back then,” Polo says.
Now, all he has to do is watch and wait for how things will turn out in his first foray into the brand-new world of daring films. Will Polo usher in the return of the bold genre?
Nobody knows. All he knows is he gave it his best shot. And that is what matters.
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