Dendam Aurora

ASTRO has been experimenting with producing long-running soap operas, beginning with the 137episode Memori Cinta Suraya in 2015. The format must be working as a new 100-episode soap opera, Dendam Aurora, just premiered. And from the looks of its first few episodes, the series is quite promising.

Dendam Aurora – an adaptation of Italian telenovela Tuscan Passion – centres on Aurora, played by Nabila Huda, who has just been released from prison. She spent eight years behind bars for killing her boyfriend Harris’ (Ungku Ismail Aziz) father. But things aren’t as they seem; Aurora was framed for his murder.

Not only was her freedom robbed, she returns home and finds her family’s tea business bankrupt.

Aurora’s imprisonment tarnished its reputation, losing most of their business to a competitor, run by ... wait for it ... Harris!

As the show revolves around the tea business, naturally it’s set in Cameron Highlands, which gives rise to some picturesque sights. The scenes that take place in the tea plantations are particularly breathtaking.

Being a 100-episode long series, I was worried Dendam Aurora’s storyline may have been dragged out. But quite a lot actually happens in each of the episodes I’ve seen.

There are so many questions raised: If Aurora didn’t kill Harris’ father, who did? Why did the perpetrators want to kill him? And despite their hatred towards each other because of what happened years ago, do I sense a little romance going on between Aurora and Harris now?

Dendam Aurora airs weekdays at 6pm on Astro Prima (Ch 105) dan Maya HD (Ch 135).