Playing the iconic “Darna” in 1979’s “Bira, Darna, Bira” has brought back memories to Rio Locsin as she is cast as Roberta Ferrer-Custodio, Jane de Leon’s grandmother in the latest “Darna” reincarnation.

Locsin recalled the big disparity between “Darna” then and now.

“‘Yung Darna ko noong araw walang Valentina, hindi ma-super powers. Sa akin kasi mga sindikato, mga head ng kumukuha ng mga babae, mga smuggling. ‘Yun ang mga kalaban ko. Kaya action, mga goon ‘yung kalaban ko noong araw. May mga stunts, may mga action scenes,” she recalled during the face-to-face media conference for the said series, Aug. 8.

(My Darna then does not have Valentina, not so much on super powers. During my time, it was all [about] syndicates, heads [of gangs that] kidnap women, smuggling. Those were my nemesis. It’s action, the goons were my enemies then. There were stunts, there were action scenes.)

Rio Locsin. Image: screengrab from YouTube/ABS-CBN Entertainment

The technology then, according to Locsin, was very low-tech.

“Hindi pa advance ang teknolohiya noon. Ang paglipad ko sa ibabaw ng table tapos electric fan lang [ang gamit],” she recounted. “Ngayon, ibang-iba na ang technology. Ibang-iba na ang pagkakagawa ng Darna. Siyempre, ang layo na ng technology. Nakaka-excite na panoorin. Iba na ang generation ng Darna.”

(The technology then was not advanced. I was placed on a table to show I am flying with the use of electric fan. Now the technology is different. It’s different how Darna is made now. Of course, the technology has gone far. It’s exciting to watch. It’s now a different generation for Darna.)

Locsin recalled that Moody Diaz played her grandmother in the movie and Romnick Sarmenta was her Ding.

When asked for an advice to Jane de Leon who now plays the much-coveted Darna role, Locsin said, “Lagi ko ‘tong sinasabi kay Jane, napakalaki ng karangalan, napakalaking pribelehiyo, mahirap pero hindi lahat tinatawag na Darna, hindi lahat nabibigyan ng pagkakataon.” (I always say it to Jane, it is a big honor, it is a big privilege, it is hard, but not all is called Darna, not all is given the chance.)

“Darna” starts airing on Monday, Aug. 15, via Kapamilya Channel, A2Z and TV5. /ra

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