JANELLA Salvador (left) and Elmo Magalona
Not all that long ago, Janella Salvador and Elmo Magalona were paired with love teammates Marlo Mortel and Janine Gutierrez, respectively. But new career moves and developments this season have found them “officially” together as the TV-film scene’s latest love team, by way of the rom-com, “Born for You.”
The fact that a new show has been produced to launch their love team is a “big deal” move—so, the powers that be at ABS-CBN must beleive in their new tandem’s superior prospects in a major way.
In terms of looks alone, they have reason to feel confident in their decision to “invest” in the ElNella love team. Like the hit team-up of Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil, they look really good together, making it easy for rom-com fans to emphatize with their screen romances.
On point of talent, both young stars sing, so their new series is packaged as a “drama with music.”
What about their acting chops? Janella is a more dynamic player, while Elmo has to keep working on boosting his performances in terms of edge and bite.
Still, the pressure of making their new show a success could push him to finally get his thespic act together—so, hope springs.
We caught the first telecast of “Born for You” on Monday, June 20, and saw that its young leads had yet to make their grand entrance, so we have to defer commenting on the effectivity of their romantic team-up.
Instead, let’s focus on the series’ backstory, which has senior leads (Vina Morales-Bernard Palanca for Janella; Ariel Rivera-Ayen Munji for Elmo) being involved in pop music.
The show’s basic bone of dramatic conflict and contention soon emerges: Bernard writes a song, recording executive Ayen buys it from him for her husband Ariel to record in order to revive his singing career.
When Bernard tries to get the song back (he wrote it for his wife), Ayen refuses, there’s a chase, Bernard is hit by a car, Ayen’s vehicle speeds away—you get the “cold-hearted” picture.
The fact that all these happen in the series’ first telecast is a tribute to the show’s brisk pacing.
Bernard’s change of heart regarding the song’s “sale” is rather puzzling, but there you go.
As for Ayen’s “heartless” activations at this early point in the show’s plotting, it could mean that she’s being built-up as the resident kontrabida—or one of them, at least.
Succeeding telecasts of “Born for You” initiate events that force the new impoverished Vina to work in Japan, where Janella’s character grew up into a talented and scrappy young woman.
Meanwhile, it appears that Elmo’s character enjoys a much better life. Aside from growing up in the lap of luxury, he becomes a singing star like his father, with hit shows both here and abroad.
And, one fine day, he finds himself in Japan for a performance tour—and that’s where he’s “fated” to meet and fall for his “intended” love Janella. The rom-com plot sweetens—and thickens.