By Amira Danica Pasion
Actor and former politician Herbert Bautista showed his excitement for the reincarnation of the 1980s hit movie Puto. The big screen comedy feature is now a television series and airs on TV5 every Saturday night.
The series, which was officially unveiled in a virtual event on June 16, is based off Bautista’s first solo movie that paved the way for his other projects on the silver screen.
In the series, Ivanhoe ‘Puto’ dela Cruz, still played by Bautista, continues his story together with his son Uno, portrayed by McCoy De Leon.
In the TV5 reboot, Puto and Uno embark on new adventures as their lives get intertwined with the colorful characters of the duwende realm. Beks Battalion’s Lassy Marquez, MC Calaquian, and Chad Kinis play The Mamitas, the three elves rescued by Puto in the movie now take on human form and help care for Uno. The Mamitas serve as Uno’s mother figures growing up.
“In this series, dala ko nga yung 80s saka 90s na beat na itinuro sakin ni Salvador (former director of Puto) pero yung flare; yung technical flare, yung timing, yung importansya ng off-beat (…) galing naman yan sa aming bagong director,” Bautista shared in the series’ digital media conference.
The former politician was thankful to have this opportunity to participate again in a tv series even in the surge of a pandemic and was also glad to have worked with a brilliant team of creative workers and artists.
Meanwhile, as an avid fan of old local comedy shows, McCoy De Leon showed his admiration to Bautista whom he considers as his mentor.
“Kapag sa puso at sa comedy, si tatay Herbert. Kaya nabuo nila yung Uno hanggang sa huli,” De Leon added as he elaborated his progress in learning the world of comedy through the show.
McCoy also noted the lesson shared with him by Bautista on being part of a comedy segment.
“Kapag comedy pala kailangan ng puso. Mahirap din ang comedy, like drama, doing comedy has a lot of challenges,” he elaborated.
Puto airs every Saturday, 6:00 p.m. on TV5 with recap episode every Sunday at 5:00 p.m. on Sari-sari channel.