Kim, Xian back to comedy in Bride For Rent

MANILA, Philippines - Aside from their first big-screen romantic-comedy starrer Bakit Hindi Ka Crush Ng Crush Mo by Star Cinema, Kim Chiu and Xian Lim also teamed up in two Kapamilya soaps, My Binondo Girl and Ina Kapatid Anak. Their reputation as one of the country’s popular love teams was cemented in those two soaps which enjoyed good ratings.

As a welcome breather and feel-good opener for the New Year, Kim and Xian return to comedy in Bride For Rent, Star Cinema’s first salvo for the Year of the Horse, opening nationwide on Jan. 15.

Directed by Mae Czarina Cruz from a story and screenplay by Carmi Raymundo, and Charlene Grace Bernardo, Bride For Rent features an all-star-cast that includes Tirso Cruz III, Martin del Rosario, Empoy Marquez, Mariann Flores, Matt Evans, Zeppi Borromeo, Lloyd Zaragoza and Pilita Corrales.

In the story, Xian plays Rocco Espiritu and Kim is Rocky Espiritu who have one thing in common — they both need fast money.

On the eve of his 25th birthday, the day he’s set to receive money from his trust fund, Rocco parties, gets drunk and loses all his money on a poker match. His dilemma: He has to produce the amount, otherwise he will lose the client he needs to defeat his father’s TV commercial production company.

Meanwhile, Rocky also needs money to pay the rent, otherwise her family will be homeless.

There’s only one way for Rocco to be able to get money from his trust fund: Fulfill the conditions set by his grandmother and that is to get married.

Rocky agrees to act as Rocco’s pseudo wife in exchange for a “talent fee.” They seal the deal.

As they live like a married couple, Rocco and Rocky face one problem after another, forcing them with no alternative but to reconcile their differences and work with each other. Complication arises when they start to feel for each other, with their bond getting closer.

Question: Will they be able to make their agreement work or will they be victims of their own scheme and turn their whole pretense into something real?

Although in real life they haven’t categorically admitted that they are an item, their partnership on and off screen continues to fascinate their fans who wish that, like their Bride For Rent characters, Kim and Xian will end up happily together ever after.