Sarah Geronimo, James Reid and Xian Lim understand that to be truly happy, one must listen to his heart then let it guide him towards his destiny. (From left): James Reid, Sarah Geronimo and Xian Lim The subject was brought up at the pocket interviews for the three main characters in Viva Entertainment’s “Miss Granny.” James revealed that about two, three years ago, he suffered a crisis wherein he felt everyone was telling him what to do. Yes, there was a ton of projects and making money was almost ridiculously easy, but he knew there were other things that could complete him. Music saved James. Recall that last year, the singer released his third studio album “Palm Dreams” under his own label Careless Music Manila. Writing all the songs himself, he did not use formula at all. The bid paid off. James album is up for several awards and, more importantly, people recognize the artist is bonafide one. “When I started my own music, writing my own songs, that’s when I found fulfillment,” he said. Sarah pointed out that ones self is responsible for steering the course of his life. She added that parents, friends, and loved ones are only there to help and guide. “At the end of the day, they’re not the one who will do the work for you,” she said. “They’re not the ones who decide for you. If you let that happen for the rest of your life, then you will be dependent on your parents, siblings, manager, or PA endlessly. You will be become unaware of what is happening around, you will become too fragile and delicate – and that’s my greatest fear.” Xian agreed. “And if you’re not happy with whatever it is you’re doing now, then you should look for your happiness,” he said.”You really have to work at finding it.” The singer-actor shared there also came a point in his life when he wanted to take a different direction. “Every day we are not sure where we are going or what we are going to do, there’s no certainty,” he related. “But whatever it is, make sure what you’re doing is not half-hearted.” Director’s POV “Miss Granny” is a woman in her ’70s who magically finds herself back in the body of her 20-year-old self after having her picture taken at a mysterious studio. The 70-year-old pensioner Fely (played by veteran actress, Nova Villa) is cranky and a control freak. Living with her son’s family leads to the hospitalization of her daughter-in-law and her son wanting to throw her out of his place. But she is a loving grandmother as well who gives all-out support to her grandson Jeboy’s (James) dream of becoming a musician. According to director Joyce Bernal, the takeway is a deeper understanding of the elderly. She said that at some point in the lives of grandparents, because their kids grew older and have families of their own, the seniors go back to their own struggles having their own life and struggles, including feeling left out and isolated. “We forget that maybe our passion in life came from them, that maybe we inherited their talents,” she said. "If we reach out to one another, maybe they can still have a life with us that’s exciting.” The cast with director Joyce Bernal The drama-comedy film is based on the South Korean blockbuster movie released in 2014. Topbilled by Eun Kyung Shim and Moon He Na, the movie bagged several prestigious awards and has had similarly successful adaptations in China, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Germany, and other countries. Currently in the works are the English and Spanish language versions from Hollywood. Joyce watched the original version but not the other remakes to avoid being influenced too much. Working with the boys Joyce said Sarah is perfect for the role because as a singer, she can go deeper into her emotions. Well, the 30-year-old singer-actress didn’t disappoint the director as Joyce said Sarah really has “it.” Between James and Xian, the director said she had to work around one thing about James. “Because he’s really handsome, it was hard to make him look regular to fit his role as this ordinary musician,” she said. Xian, who had just transferred to Viva when filming commenced, was able to adjust to the new environment smoothly. “He was in the process of adapting yet he delivered work perfectly,” she related. James on his co-actors James, whose status can carry a film by itself, has no qualms sharing the spotlight with Sarah and Xian, if only for the chance to work with them. He said the actress is “incredibly professional” and does her role “really well.” Scenes from ‘Miss Granny’ Even though it is his first time to work in a movie with Xian, James likes it that the latter is very lively and talkative. “It’s such a light film. We shot it so fast, it all happened really quickly but I enjoyed doing it,” he said. Lessons learned Sarah immediately accepted the project, seeing that it imparts important lessons in life. This is the reason she insisted the story remains true to the original. The movie imfluenced her perspective on time and love. She said hatred and jealousy have no place in people’s hearts. “Just always focus on yourself and be happy. Do your best to be a good person,” she said. “It is really hard to be kind, to be obedient, not only to your parents but also to God. But at the end of the day, you should go back to what He meant you to be.” When it comes to love, she said people should give it everything they have but not to lose themselves in the process. (With report from Stephanie Bernardino)