PAGKALIPAS ng anim na taong absence sa showbiz ay muling nagbabalik si Aga Muhlach sa ABS-CBN para maging isa sa mga hurado ng Pinoy Boyband Superstar na mapapanood na sa Setyembre. Makakasama niya sina Vice Ganda, Yeng Constantino, at Sandara Park.

Nitong nakaraang Huwebes, pumirma si Aga ng kontrata sa Kapamilya Network para sa nasabing reality show, kasama ang long-time manager niyang si Manay Ethel Ramos, ABS-CBN CEO/President Carlo Katigbak at ABS-CBN Chief Operating Officer Cory Vidanes.

Ang ganda ng bati ni Aga nang humarap siya sa entertainment press para sa solo presscon niya kinagabihan at nabanggit niya na nahirapan siyang magdesisyon sa muling pagbabalik niya sa showbiz dahil anim na taong naging normal ang buhay niya bilang asawa ni Charlene Gonzales at ama ng kambal na sina Atasha at Andres.

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“Pagdating ko kanina (sa ABS-CBN compound) parang it’s so normal, parang I never left home to see old faces, friends whom I worked with for 19 years,” simulang kuwento niya. “FYI, I was in ABS for 19 years. But the only difference now is I was gone for six years and I didn’t work for three years and I stopped. So this is my first day na makahawak ulit ng mikropono, first day na makunan ako ng picture, first day akong nai-interview, kaya medyo naiilang ako. But it’s so nice to see old faces here na mga kaibigan ko, ang press, since day one, magandang-magandang gabi sa inyong lahat.”

Nahirapan ba siyang tanggapin ang offer para maging isa sa mga hurado ng Pinoy Boyband Superstar?

“It wasn’t easy… how do I say this? It was a question of parang… ‘Am I ready?’ The question of coming back to ABS, wala na ‘yun, eh, that’s fine kasi d’yan ka naman talaga pupunta. Nagpaalam lang naman ako sandali, but going back to work was a big question talaga and it took a couple of days or weeks also, and parati kong sinasabi na, am I got tired of working and I get burned out already? And I was enjoying the regular life, really having fun with it.

“But then I was thinking, I was 46 that time, I said, parang it was too young for me to retire. I don’t mind, really, pero marami pa akong gustong gawin. I’m 47 now kaya lang hindi ko alam paano ako papasok o babalik, ang alam ko lang talaga at hilig ko is pelikula.

“These thing came in, Pinoy Boyband ganyan, and I get a message from Lea (Salonga) and my wife na parang, ’oh, bakit may (offer) na nanggagaling na isa… iba-iba… So sabi ko, parang ito na ‘yun, iba, and there’s no much pressure because there’s four of us. So, sabi ko, this is the best way to make a comeback at ABS, and I’m happy to do the show because again, it’s not focused on me,” kuwento ni Aga.

Giving back ang idea ni Aga sa pagiging hurado sa Pinoy Boyband Superstar dahil magiging mentor at tutulong siya sa pagtupad ng pangarap ng mga bata na aniya’y pinagdaanan din niya noong nagsisimula pa lang siya sa industriya.

Bukod sa push daw ni Charlene na nagsabi sa kanya ng, “By (Baby, term of endearment nilang mag-asawa), that’s the group of Lui (Andrada, business unit head ng show), sila ‘yung mga nag-aalaga sa akin before (sa Keep On Dancing, 1998-2001).’ Then sabi ko, ‘kilala ko rin sila’.”

Ang magiging style niya bilang hurado at ang hahanapin niya sa show ay, “Being in a boyband, it’s not just all about singing, also, may character, lahat, di ba, kasi hindi ka naman puwede masyadong presko, hindi naman puwede masyadong bilib sa sarili mo.”

Samantala, hindi itinanggi ni Aga na medyo hirap siya sa pagbabalik niya dahil nga nadagdagan ang timbang niya.

“First and foremost, with my weight issue. I’ve got to prepare for that. That’s the hardest part, so ongoing ito.

Hopefully, by next month again, while waiting for the second part, I’ll get thinner and thinner, and when you get thinner and thinner, you feel better and better,” pagtatapat ni Aga.

Inamin din niya na hirap siyang mag-adjust ngayon sa muli niyang haharap sa camera.

“It’s hard when you’re doing and living a normal life. Now, siyempre, ‘pag nagsu-shoot ka ulit, kasi naka-shorts ako parati, long sleeves, eh, ngayon, parang kailangan nakasuot ka palagi,” aniya.

Kailan siya babalik sa paggawa ng pelikula? Matutuloy na ba ang muling pagtatambal nila ni Lea?

“Malapit na. Naamoy ko na. That’s why today, when I got here, Star Cinema was here to welcome me also and handed me a script right away. So, there’s a script now that I will have to read when I get home. So, within the week malalaman ko,” masayang balita ng aktor. (REGGEE BONOAN)