Nasaan Ka Maruja? Explained
Nasaan Ka Maruja (where are you Maruja?) is a Philippine weekly television series aired from May 2 to August 8, 2009 on ABS-CBN. It was adapted from the 1967 movie Maruja, itself based on a 1950s comic by Mars Ravelo. The series premiered on the Komiks Presents showcase which featured works of Ravelo.
Origins
Earlier versions
Maruja is one of Mars Ravelo's masterpieces. He first published it in comics during the 1950s. In 1967, the first film entitled Maruja was released starring the queen of Philippine movies, Susan Roces. The movie was remade in 1978 as Gumising Ka Maruja and again in 1996 as Maruja starring Carmina Villaroel.
Series adaptation
In 2007, ABS-CBN bought the rights to make Maruja into a TV series. Maruja was supposed to be included in Sineserye Presents: The Susan Roces Cinema Collection, which featured Susan Roces' most classical films. It was supposed to star Sheryl Cruz and Ruffa Gutierrez. But even before production began, the Ravelos stated that Mars Ravelo's name should be included in the title because Maruja is his work and not the movie firm's. ABS-CBN then decided to put the show's production on hold until the problem was fixed. A year later, ABS-CBN then released Nasaan Ka Maruja? as part of Komiks Presents which featured Mars Ravelos masterpieces. New actors and actresses were also involved in the project, because of some problems.
Synopsis
Cristy dreams of a certain couple, Maruja and Gabriel (Piolo Pascual), who had a hard time being together because of their different status in life. They were both killed after getting married. Little did Cristy know that she and Ross, her half-sister's fiancé, would bring back to life the unfinished love story of Maruja and Gabriel.
Reincarnation
The storyline deals with the concept of reincarnation: Maruja (Kristine Hermosa) reincarnated as Cristy & Gabriel (Derek Ramsay) reincarnated as Ross. Cristy Rivera (Kristine Hermosa) is a magazine columnist who possesses psychic & paranormal abilities that help her see ghosts. She has a half-sister named Helen (Karylle) who is engaged to Ross Lozano. Ross used to draw sketches of Maruja even before they met in real life. What is the connection between Cristy & Ross to Maruja & Gabriel? Will Ross leave Helen for Cristy? And what will be Helen's move?Cristy having an open third eye can see ghosts or dead people and communicate and talk to them.
Mediumship
Cristy believes that she can see the spirits or ghosts of dead people. This brings the idea of having a third eye but is also able to dream about the past or even see the future through dreams. Later, a ghost of her mother shows to her what exactly is this ability and that she should use this gift to help other spirits cross the light, at the same time, knowing her true identity.
Cast and characters
Main cast
- Kristine Hermosa[1] as Maruja S. Martinez/Cristy Mondes Rivera† – Gabriel's love interest in the past when she was Maruja and as Cristy, a magazine columnist who possesses psychic and paranormal abilities and helps dead people who are not in peace. She falls in love with her sister's fiancé, Ross. She is haunted by the persistent and vague dreams of Maruja and Gabriel.
- Derek Ramsay as Rodrigo Santiago/Ross Lozano – Maruja's fiancé in the past when he was Romualdo and when he is Ross, he is marrying Cristy's half-sister, Helen. He falls in love with Cristy. He has visions of Cristy as Maruja. Ross also experiences dreams of Maruja & Gabriel. He drew Maruja when he was younger and then started drawing Cristy. Ross confessed he had feelings for Cristy because he had a dream of her as Maruja. Ross reveals the truth to Helen (Karylle) that he is in love with another woman which is Helen's half-sister, Cristy. In the past, he killed Gabriel (Piolo Pascual) and Maruja and after that he killed himself. In the present, he accidentally killed Cristy but Cristy survived.
Supporting cast
- John Estrada as Michael – an editor-in-chief in a magazine where Cristy works, who is also in love with her.
- Karylle as Helen Rivera† – Cristy's half-sister who is engaged to Ross. Helen discovers Cristy is the girl in Ross' sketches. She discovers Ross & Cristy's relationship. She died after learning about Ross and Cristy's relationship. She has been haunting Cristy but doesn't want to connect. Helen is willing to protect Cristy from Ross.
- Enchong Dee as Brian Lorenzo – Ross' brother: He learns the secret of Ross as Gabriel in the past.
- Gloria Romero as Lola Rosing – Cristy and Helen's grandmother. It was later revealed that she also has the same ability as Cristy.
- Kitkat as Debbie – Cristy's best friend who works together with Cristy as a magazine columnist.
- Bing Pimentel as Shirley Rivera – Alfred's second wife. She finds it hard to accept Cristy as her stepdaughter
- Menggie Cobarrubias as Alfred Rivera – Cristy and Helen's father.
- Raquel Villavicencio as Mirasol Lozano – Brian and Ross' mother. She divorced their father after knowing that he was having an affair with another woman.
Guests by episode
Episode 1: Stefanie
- Tirso Cruz III as Dr. Joselito L. Ocampo Jr. – a doctor who suffers miserably due to the recent death of his wife. He later committed suicide.
- Assunta de Rossi as Stefanie Miranda – Dr. Ocampo's wife, who wants Cristy to tell her husband that it is time to move on and stop him from committing suicide.
Episode 2 and 3: Teddy
- Mat Ranillo III as Teodoro "Teddy" Lozano – Brian & Ross's father – Ross and Brian's father who rejected his family but recently came back for Ross' wedding. Unfortunately, he died in a car accident and wanted to communicate with his family through Cristy.
Episode 4 and 5: Jenny
- Andre Tiangco as Raul Sandoval – Jenny's father who was trying to be strong after his only child's death.
- Yayo Aguila as Brenda Sandoval – Jenny's mother who still feels awful after her daughter's death.
- Angel Sy as Jenny – a ghost of a little girl who died of an illness. She stays in a hospital bed and can't move on unless she is able to talk to her parents.
- Francis Magundayao as Myrno "Boy" Alicante
Episode 6: Diane
- Dimples Romana as Dianne Gomez – she died of cancer and later found as a ghost that her husband is having an affair with her best friend. She then started to startle every woman who came near her husband including Cristy.
- Baron Geisler as Jeff Gomez – Dianne's husband. He loves his wife but admits that he had an affair with his wife's best friend.
- Ina Feleo as Aimee – Dianne's best friend who had an affair with Jeff.
Episode 7: Caloy
- James Blanco as Caloy Rueda – a ghost of a security guard who was murdered in the same building where Cristy works.
- LJ Moreno as Linda – the security guard's girlfriend whom he wants to warn that her new man is the one who killed Caloy.
- Ryan Eigenmann as Jimmy – Linda's new boyfriend, who actually killed Linda's former boyfriend, Caloy.
Episode 8 and 9: Sammy
Episode 10: James
- Coco Martin as James – the ghost of Leila's ex-boyfriend, he is a drug addict and thinks that the ghost of a guy named Edgardo is haunting him. He seeks help from Cristy after dying from an overdose of sleeping pills.
- Maja Salvador as Leila – James' ex-girlfriend. She was supposed to leave for Canada but after finding out that James died, she changed her mind.
- Joross Gamboa as Edgardo – the man who Leila and James accidentally killed after drunk driving. He was haunting James when he was alive, forcing him to resort to using pills which led to his overdose.
- Nikki Bacolod as Sarah – Edgardo's wife, she received a letter from James before he died.
- Carlo Aquino as Randolf – friend of James and Leila.
Episode 11: The Real Gabriel
- Piolo Pascual as Gabriel Montero – the mysterious man who is connected to Maruja's life. It was later revealed that he was the man Maruja was running away with and not Ross' past self.
- Jairus Aquino as Young Gabriel
- Alexa Ilacad as Young Maruja
- Melissa Mendez as Maruja's mother
Episode 12: Romualdo
Movies
1967 original movie cast
1978 Movie remake cast
1996 Movie remake cast
See also
References
- Web site: Mike Tan has not found anyone after a break-up with LJ Reyes .
External links
