Zabranjena ljubav
Encyclopedia
Zabranjena ljubav is a Croatia
n daytime soap opera
about the lives and loves of both young and older characters, focused on the major Croatian city of Zagreb
. Actors Mario Valentic, Antonija Sola
, Nada Rocco, Dejan Marcikic and Anita Berisha (last one with some months of break) are the only remaining original cast members.
The soap tackles controversial issues, such as rape
, homosexuality
, adultery
, and deadly diseases. The viewers of this soap are varied, ranging from small children to senior citizens.
Zabranjena ljubav is a remake
of Australian soap opera Sons and Daughters
, initially based on that serial's original story and character outlines, before diverging as the new series progressed.
In April 2008, RTL Televizija
announced that the highly popular soap opera will end its run after 4 years this fall in its time slot 7:30 PM.
, on his 22nd birthday, after losing his job in Italy
. At the railway station, he bumps into a beautiful girl. They both feel immediate attraction. Danijel doesn’t even get the chance to ask for her name as they are greeted by their friends and family.
The girl is Petra Novak (Anita Berisha) who also returned home, after studying photography
in London
, funny enough, on a present day she also celebrates her 22nd birthday.
It soon transpires that Danijel and Petra were twins separated at birth. Danijel had initially been raised by the wise Nada Horvat (Nada Rocco) before returning to his father Josip Loncar (Drazen Mikulic), and Petra raised by her mother Viktorija Novak (Sanja Vejnovic) who had married into money to a rich aristocrate widower Stjepan Novak (Velimir Cokljat).
The parents of the twins had each married other people and raised families which had other adult children. The Loncar family comprised Danijel's father Josip Loncar, a construction worker; and Josip's wife Biserka Loncar (Vanja Matujec), a warm-hearted, down-to-earth housewife. Their children were Iva Loncar (Marija Kobic) and Matija (Filip Riđicki), Iva had just started a romantic involvement with Igor Carevic (Dejan Marcikic) and Matija started seeing his class member Lana Kos (Petra Kurtela). Petra had grown up with her mother Viktorija (Sanja Vejnovic), Viktorija's husband Stjepan who was a successful wineyard owner and businessman, and Stjepan's son from an earlier marriage, the spiteful Borna Novak (Mario Valentic).
After Danijel's investigation into Petra's whereabouts, he slowly enters the world of the powerful Novak family by landing a job as a gardner
, not knowing he is working for his biological mother, nor that he has fallen in love with his own sister.
Other major characters include Lidija Bauer (Katja Zupcic) who has always had strong feelings for Stjepan, but who stepped away out of respect towards the family and her children. Lidija has two children of her own: the spoiled and stubborn teenager Tina Bauer (Antonija Sola
)and the good-natured medical student Leon Bauer (Mario Mohenski) later (Marin Knezevic), who was betrothed to Petra at Viktorija's instigation only for the wedding to be cancelled after a revelation about his homosexuality
. Viktorija's best friend, the dizzy socialite Stela Vidak (Matija Prskalo), was introduced as a minor figure during the show's early days as someone to whom Viktorija could recite expository dialogue about her latest scheme to, but soon emerged as a key character.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n daytime soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
about the lives and loves of both young and older characters, focused on the major Croatian city of Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
. Actors Mario Valentic, Antonija Sola
Antonija Šola
-Early career:Born in Zagreb to Kaja and Marko Šola, both whom hailed from Tomislavgrad, she studied sociology and Croatian culture before turning to show business. In 1998, she won the regional contest of Miss Croatia as Miss Istria and Kvarner....
, Nada Rocco, Dejan Marcikic and Anita Berisha (last one with some months of break) are the only remaining original cast members.
The soap tackles controversial issues, such as rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
, homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, adultery
Adultery
Adultery is sexual infidelity to one's spouse, and is a form of extramarital sex. It originally referred only to sex between a woman who was married and a person other than her spouse. Even in cases of separation from one's spouse, an extramarital affair is still considered adultery.Adultery is...
, and deadly diseases. The viewers of this soap are varied, ranging from small children to senior citizens.
Zabranjena ljubav is a remake
Remake
A remake is a piece of media based primarily on an earlier work of the same medium.-Film:The term "remake" is generally used in reference to a movie which uses an earlier movie as the main source material, rather than in reference to a second, later movie based on the same source...
of Australian soap opera Sons and Daughters
Sons and Daughters (Australian TV series)
Sons and Daughters was a Logie Award winning Australian soap opera created by Reg Watson and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation between 1981 and 1987. The first episode aired in December 1981, during the Christmas/New Year non-ratings period, and the official broadcast date of the final...
, initially based on that serial's original story and character outlines, before diverging as the new series progressed.
In April 2008, RTL Televizija
RTL Televizija
RTL Televizija is a Croatian commercial broadcaster with national availability that has been broadcasting since April 30, 2004.RTL Televizija is 74% owned by the RTL Group....
announced that the highly popular soap opera will end its run after 4 years this fall in its time slot 7:30 PM.
History
The original story begins by introducing a handsome 22 year old Danijel Loncar (Zoran Pribicevic) coming home to ZagrebZagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, on his 22nd birthday, after losing his job in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. At the railway station, he bumps into a beautiful girl. They both feel immediate attraction. Danijel doesn’t even get the chance to ask for her name as they are greeted by their friends and family.
The girl is Petra Novak (Anita Berisha) who also returned home, after studying photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, funny enough, on a present day she also celebrates her 22nd birthday.
It soon transpires that Danijel and Petra were twins separated at birth. Danijel had initially been raised by the wise Nada Horvat (Nada Rocco) before returning to his father Josip Loncar (Drazen Mikulic), and Petra raised by her mother Viktorija Novak (Sanja Vejnovic) who had married into money to a rich aristocrate widower Stjepan Novak (Velimir Cokljat).
The parents of the twins had each married other people and raised families which had other adult children. The Loncar family comprised Danijel's father Josip Loncar, a construction worker; and Josip's wife Biserka Loncar (Vanja Matujec), a warm-hearted, down-to-earth housewife. Their children were Iva Loncar (Marija Kobic) and Matija (Filip Riđicki), Iva had just started a romantic involvement with Igor Carevic (Dejan Marcikic) and Matija started seeing his class member Lana Kos (Petra Kurtela). Petra had grown up with her mother Viktorija (Sanja Vejnovic), Viktorija's husband Stjepan who was a successful wineyard owner and businessman, and Stjepan's son from an earlier marriage, the spiteful Borna Novak (Mario Valentic).
After Danijel's investigation into Petra's whereabouts, he slowly enters the world of the powerful Novak family by landing a job as a gardner
Gardner
-Towns in the United States:*Gardner, Colorado*Gardner, Illinois*Gardner, Kansas*Gardner, Massachusetts*Gardner, North Dakota*Gardner, Wisconsin*Glen Gardner, New Jersey-Geographical features:*Gardner on the Moon...
, not knowing he is working for his biological mother, nor that he has fallen in love with his own sister.
Other major characters include Lidija Bauer (Katja Zupcic) who has always had strong feelings for Stjepan, but who stepped away out of respect towards the family and her children. Lidija has two children of her own: the spoiled and stubborn teenager Tina Bauer (Antonija Sola
Antonija Šola
-Early career:Born in Zagreb to Kaja and Marko Šola, both whom hailed from Tomislavgrad, she studied sociology and Croatian culture before turning to show business. In 1998, she won the regional contest of Miss Croatia as Miss Istria and Kvarner....
)and the good-natured medical student Leon Bauer (Mario Mohenski) later (Marin Knezevic), who was betrothed to Petra at Viktorija's instigation only for the wedding to be cancelled after a revelation about his homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
. Viktorija's best friend, the dizzy socialite Stela Vidak (Matija Prskalo), was introduced as a minor figure during the show's early days as someone to whom Viktorija could recite expository dialogue about her latest scheme to, but soon emerged as a key character.
2008 Cast
| Actor | Role | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Anita Berisha | Petra Loncar | 2004–2008 |
| Mario Valentic | Borna Novak | 2004–2008 |
| Dejan Marcikic | Igor Carevic | 2004–2008 |
| Antonija Sola Antonija Šola -Early career:Born in Zagreb to Kaja and Marko Šola, both whom hailed from Tomislavgrad, she studied sociology and Croatian culture before turning to show business. In 1998, she won the regional contest of Miss Croatia as Miss Istria and Kvarner.... |
Tina Bauer | 2004–2008 |
| Nada Rocco | Nada Baric | 2004–2008 |
| Vesna Tominac Matacic | Karolina Novak | 2005–2008 |
| Zoran Gogic | Jure Saric | 2006–2008 |
| Maja Petrin | Dunja Barisic | 2006–2008 |
| Vladimir Tintor Vladimir Tintor Vladimir Tintor is a Serbian professional football player currently playing in Montenegrin First League club FK Berane.-Career:... |
Franjo Barisic | 2006–2008 |
| Robert Plemic | Luka Lausic | 2006–2008 |
| Andjela Ramljak | Marijana Bencic | 2006–2008 |
| Frano Lasic Frano Lasić Frano Lasić is a Croatian actor and singer.- Television roles :* "Ruža vjetrova" as Milivoj Matošić * "Dolina sunca" as Toni Herceg * "Ples sa zvijezdama" as Frano Lasić... |
Marinko Ruzic | 2006–2008 |
| Danira Gović Danira Govic Danira Gović is a Croatian actress, best known for a recurring role in the British television Comedy-drama series Hotel Babylon.-Biography:... |
Angelina Kovac | 2007–2008 |
| Lorena Nosic | Mirna Saric | 2007–2008 |
| Ozren Domiter | Ivica Saric | 2008 |
| Sandra Bagarić Sandra Bagarić Sandra Bagarić is a famous Croatian opera singer. She was born in Zenica . She went to the Music High School in Zenica. After that, she went to Music Academy in Zagreb. She sang in many operas including Madame Troubadur, Grofica Marica, Šišmiš, Boccaccioand Tko pjeva zlo ne misli... |
Eleonora Saric | 2008 |
Recurring cast members
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Mario Mlinaric | Jakov Barisic |
| Sime Zanze | waiter Robert |
| Danilo Vukcevic | Mate Grom |
| Mario Lukajic | Tom Ruzic #2 |
Departed cast members
| Actor | Role | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Mario Mohenski | Leon Bauer #1 | 2004 |
| Marin Knezevic | Leon Bauer #2 | 2004–2005 |
| Sanja Vejnovic | Viktorija Novak | 2004–2005 |
| Mirna Medakovic | Maja Vukovic | 2004–2005 |
| Marina Kostelac | Vesna Kos | 2004–2005 |
| Andrej Dojkic | Aleksandar Baric | 2005–2006 |
| Ivan Martinec | Ljubo Carevic | 2004–2006 |
| Filip Ridjicki | Matija Loncar | 2004–2006 |
| Zoran Pribicevic | Danijel Loncar † | 2004–2006 |
| Drazen Mikulic | Josip Loncar | 2004–2005; guest in 2006. |
| Petra Kurtela | Lana Kos | 2004–2006 |
| Velimir Cokljat | Stjepan Novak | 2004–2006 |
| Matija Prskalo | Stela Vidak | 2004–2006 |
| Katija Zubcic | Lidija Bauer-Novak | 2004–2006; guest in 2007. |
| Mirsad Tuka | Zlatko Fijan † | 2005–2007 |
| Jelena Percin | Ana Fijan-Bencic | 2005–2007 |
| Marija Kobic | Iva Loncar | 2004–2007 |
| Vanja Matujec | Biserka Fijan (ex Loncar) | 2004–2007 |
| Marko Cabov | Nikola Bencic | 2006–2007 |
| Jozo Suker | Antun Bencic | 2006–2008 |