Paulo Avelino, Janine Gutierrez bring romance back to local theaters
AND what better way to herald its return than with a great love story starring today’s newest and most-talked-about love team? Paulo Avelino and Janine Gutierrez star in the highly anticipated Ngayon Kaya, which opens in theaters tomorrow, June 22.
Directed by Prime Cruz and written by Jen Chuaunsu (the creative pair behind Isa Pa With Feelings and Can We Still Be Friends), its story tells of college buddies AM (played by Janine) and Harold (played by Paulo), an unlikely pair of a shy probinsiyano and a rich city girl who are college buddies-turned-band mates. Harold had a crush on AM, but he never had the guts to tell her. Even after college, they stayed friends and continued pursuing their music dreams. Harold stifled his feelings for fear of losing her friendship. Eventually, time runs out for Harold when he’s forced to choose stability and work in Canada, leaving AM to wonder what could have been if he had stayed. Years later, AM and Harold meet by a chance meeting at their friends’ wedding, and this time, AM is the one running out of time as she realizes – one day before Harold’s flight back to Canada – that it was not just their dreams that were a big “what if” but also their relationship that never was.
Paulo and Janine believe that Ngayon Kaya’s appeal lies in its true-to-life relatability. I’m sure everyone has a lot of ‘what ifs’ in their lives,” says Paulo. “It’s always something that happens,” Janine says of their characters’ predicament. ”You daydream (what if), ‘Kung ito ang ginawa ko, siguro, itong taong ito ang kasama ko ngayon...’ I feel everyone can relate to that.” Music plays a big part in narrating Harold and AM’s saga, so the filmmakers have chosen the soundtrack of the biggest songs from the 2000s and beyond that not only define the milieu of the characters but also convey their innermost feelings and desires. Ngayon Kaya features songs by Mayonnaise, Typecast, Ang Bandang Shirley, Shirebound and Busking, and Johnoy Danao. Ngayon Kaya, produced by T-Rex Entertainment and coproduced by WAD Films, also stars Alwyn Uytingco, John James Uy, Donna Cariaga, Haley Dizon and Rio Locsin.