Direk Wenn Deramas Says 'Bekikang' Is Not His Tribute To Brocka But The Story Of His Life

BOX OFFICE DIRECTOR Wenn Deramas believes gay comedian Joey Paras is ripe for stardom, so he’s launching Joey in the title role of “Bekikang, Ang Nanay Kong Beki”. “I didn’t really know him but Eugene Domingo invited me to watch her play, ‘Bona’, at doon ko unang napanood si Joey,” he says. “Galing na galing ako sa kanya. Ibang klase. Sabi ko kay Uge, sino yung kasama mo sa play. Kinuha ko ang number at isinama ko agad sa ‘Kapag Puso’y Sinugatan’ as best friend ni Iza Calzado. Dapat guest role lang siya roon pero humaba nang humaba ang role kasi very positive ang dating niya. Then sinama ko na siya sa movies kong ‘Sisterakas’ and ‘Bromance’. Itong ‘Bekikang’, matagal ko nang concept ito, inoffer ko pa ito sa ABS. Pero di ko alam kung kanino ko ibibigay. Hanggang dumating nga si Joey at siya talaga ang bagay na bagay rito.”

In the story, Joey is the son of Janice de Belen and Tirso Cruz III. When Janice dies, Tirso remarries to Malou de Guzman who has her own daughter, Maricar de Mesa. When Tirso dies, Malou and Maricar, become the evil stepmom and stepsister who maltreat Joey as Bekikang. Joey finds romance in Tom Rodriguez, who sires a son with Carla Humphries. Tom and Carla leave their son with Joey, tot star JM Ibanes (the son of Aiza Seguerra and Tom in ‘Be Careful with My Heart’). Joey raises the boy by himself but Tom returns to get his son back, just like the late Dolphy in ‘Ang Tatay Kong Nanay’. Is this Wenn’s tribute to the late Lino Brocka?

“Actually, bawat pangyayari sa pelikulang ito, galing sa buhay ko. Yes, it’s inspired by my own life story, muli umpisa hanggang wakas. Kasi may ampon din ako sa tunay na buhay na pag maysakit, akong nag-aalaga, kinakantahan ko pa nga ‘Kastilyong Buhangin’ hanggang mazkatulog. Sa umaga, hinahanda ko ang breakfast at uniform niya kahit puyat ako sa taping. Pati mga naging karanasan ko bilang baklang inaapi at kung paano ako lumaban, naririto. Kaya lahat ng mapapanood nyo rito, true to life.”

After this, his next project is “Boy Girl Bakla Tomboy” with Vice Ganda and Maricel Soriano. And since “Momzillas” with Maricel is a hit, he’ll next direct her solo in “Maria Leonora Teresa”, not a tribute to the doll of Guy and Pip but a trilogy of comic stories with Maria playing three different roles. Why not a drama? “Ay, ayaw ni Boss Vic gumawa si Maria ng drama, puro comedies raw muna siya.”