LayarHijau – WeTV Indonesia and RAPI Films have officially begun production on their latest original series, Tante Sonya, a romantic drama that centers on a relationship with a significant age difference. The project marks the first collaboration between the two companies while reintroducing a well-known story from the 1990s in a more contemporary context.
Production kicked off with a traditional tumpengan ceremony in Jakarta, attended by executives, the creative team, and the lead cast. The event signaled the start of filming for the 10-episode series.
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The series is adapted from the classic film Catatan Harian Tante Sonya, though it does not strictly follow the original storyline. Instead, the narrative has been reworked to better reflect present-day social realities. Producer Sunil Samtani emphasized that the project is not simply a remake. “This first collaboration is not exactly a remake, but rather a reimagining of the Tante Sonya story to make it more relevant to today’s situation,” he said.
From the platform’s perspective, stories about relationships with an age difference have shown strong audience appeal. Executive Producer & Country Head WeTV Indonesia, Febriamy Hutapea, explained that this decision was based on performance data from previous productions. “WeTV has produced more than 50 original series. Based on that data, we see that the age-gap genre is one of the strongest-performing,” she said.
She also noted that the series offers a different angle compared to similar stories. While most narratives of this kind tend to feature an older male character, Tante Sonya reverses that dynamic. “Women who are getting older often feel insecure, doubtful, and unworthy of falling in love again because of their age and past romantic trauma. This story reminds us that women can fall in love again, be happy again, and even be pursued by a younger man,” she said.
Director Surya Ardy Octaviand added that the series introduces several new characters not present in the original film. “WeTV Original Tante Sonya certainly takes a different approach compared to the film version. Many new characters are introduced in this series. Each character has their own version, which will make viewers even more curious,” he explained.
The story follows Sonya, a 42-year-old successful career woman who has gone through various life challenges, including past emotional trauma. Her life changes when she reunites with Ben, a 28-year-old man who was once part of her past. Their encounter opens up a relationship that challenges not only their personal feelings but also the social norms surrounding them.
Raihaanun, who plays Sonya, shared her experience in approaching the role. “Since receiving the offer for this series, I’ve been curious about the story. I studied the dialogues and tried to understand Sonya’s character, who, like many women, has a lot of insecurities. Those dialogues made me even more eager to take on the role,” she said.
Meanwhile, Maxime Bouttier, who portrays Ben, highlighted the unique perspective offered by the series. “I think this series is different. It presents the story from Ben’s perspective as he sees Sonya. Usually, the perspective is from a woman toward an older man. That new perspective is what drew me to this project,” he said.
Tante Sonya is currently in production and is scheduled to premiere exclusively on the WeTV platform. The series aims to present a romance that not only explores personal relationships but also the social pressures that come with them.
