Mano Po 2: My Home
Mano Po 2: My Home () is the second installment of the Mano Po franchise, after Mano Po (2002). Produced by Regal Entertainment, Mano Po 2 stars Susan Roces in the leading role. This was also the first Mano Po movie that was not directed by Joel Lamangan, director of the first movie; rather it was directed by Erik Matti. It was one of the official entries in the 2003 Metro Manila Film Festival which garnered 5 awards alongside Filipinas. Plot. On a rainy night, Antonio Chan (Christopher de Leon) was killed in his car during  a random mugging. In his lifetime, Antonio sired children with three different women: Sol (Kris Aquino and Susan Roces), the first wife, and non-Chinese; LuShui (Zsa Zsa Padilla), Chinese wife that was arranged to Antonio; and Belinda Ke (Lorna Tolentino), the concubine who is of Filipino-Chinese descent. His death divides his children whose parents harbor hatred for one or another, directed at Belinda in particular. Belinda and his Half-brother, Johnson (Jay Manalo), hatches a plan to pin the blame on Sol, making it appear that Antonio's death was not random but premeditated. Production. While Susan Roces  was the original choice to play the first wife, the Filipina Sol, the role of the third wife was mired in controversy. The contested role, the Chinese mestiza Belinda, was originally offered to Dina Bonnevie. However, Lolit Solis, manager to both Christopher de Leon and Lorna Tolentino, threatened to pull out her talents if the role was not given to Tolentino. The role was ultimately given to Tolentino; Bonnevie, who would have played the role of the second wife, the Chinese immigrant LuShui, bowed out of the production citing that she would not fit the role of a pure Chinese  character. Zsa Zsa Padilla replaced Bonnevie in the film. Legacy. A famous line of Lu Shui (Zsa Zsa Padilla), ""Ako, legal wife!"", inspired the fourth "Mano Po" installment, Ako Legal Wife, which, like Mano Po 2, revolves around concubinage (albeit in a more comedic tone) and also stars Padilla as Chona. Jay Manalo also starred in the film as her husband Elton.