Mirada de mujer

Mirada de mujer (The Gaze of a Woman) is a Mexican telenovela premiered on Azteca Trece on June 9, 1997 and concluded on June 5, 1998. Based on the Colombian drama, entitled Señora Isabel written by Bernardo Romero Pereiro and Mónica Agudelo. The show is produced by Argos Comunicación and TV Azteca. It stars Angélica Aragón, Ari Telch, and Fernando Luján as the titular characters.

Following the success obtained, a sequel was released in 2003, titled Mirada de mujer, el regreso.

Synopsis
A woman stops in front of a mirror, she questions herself, inquires into the traces that her eyes have become, and what she sees paralyzes her. The reflex on the crystal tells her of a story full of dreams, full of promises, children and prosperity, but empty of passion. It's the Story of Maria Ines, a woman in her 50s, her husband, his mistress 20-years-younger, her three adult children and a man 20 years younger, who'll help her discover that there is love and life after turning 50.

That woman is María Inés. Nothing of what has occurred in her 27 years of marriage was moved by her own dreams. Her entire life has been one of dedication to her husband and children. She is fifty and her husband has found in another woman, half his age, freshness and intimacy. To his mistress he gives the vitality he thought was lost, to his wife tiredness and failure. That man is Ignacio Sanmillán. María Inés look at her present and discovers loneliness, although Paulina, her best friend encourages her to keep on living. She is surrounded by complaining grown ups (her children) and a mother that tells her she has not been capable of keeping her family together. She is Mama Lena. But Maria Ines is not alone. Someone starts looking for her. A man who is 20 years younger. This man is Alejandro Salas. Writer, father of a boy, with an enormous desire to plat life a treat, Alejandro is a man that fights for his emotions and his work against hypocrisy, falsehood or prohibition.

But María Inés is not alone in her self-discovery journey. Her best friend, the feisty and maneater Paulina, will also start to question her life and the decisions she made along the way.

To make matters worse, her three children blame her for the break-up of the marriage of hers and their father, but Life will soon show them the truth.

This is "Mirada de Mujer". An intimate story that none of us had the opportunity to view "through the keyhole". "Mirada de Mujer" is different, of the present time, its unbearable as only a mirror can be.

Theme song
The telenovela also gave rise to the song Dime written by Armando Manzanero, and sung by Aranza, which became a great hit in Mexico, Puerto Rico and Central America, and which peaked at #22 in the U.S. Hot Latin Songs Chart. To this date the song is considered a classic, and arguably one of the most important songs to come out of a telenovela, not only for its beautiful melody but also for its profound lyrics that fit the story perfectly.

The Philippine-dubbed airing however, had a different theme song, "Bakit" performed by Rachelle Ann Go.

Main cast

 * Angélica Aragón as María Inés Domínguez de Sanmillán
 * Ari Telch as Alejandro Salas
 * Fernando Luján as Lic. Ignacio Sanmillán
 * Margarita Gralia as Paulina
 * Evangelina Elizondo as Doña Emilia Elena viuda de Domínguez 'Mamá Elena'
 * Verónica Langer as Rosario
 * María Renée Prudencio as Adriana Sanmillán
 * Bárbara Mori as Mónica Sanmillán
 * Plutarco Haza as Andrés Sanmillán
 * Martha Mariana Castro as Daniela

Supporting cast

 * Muriel Fouilland as Ivana
 * Álvaro Carcaño Jr as Nicolás
 * Olmo Araiza as Alex Salas
 * Carlos Torres Torrija as Marcos
 * Paloma Woolrich as Consuelo
 * Carmen Madrid as Marcela
 * René Gatica as Francisco
 * Mariana Peñalva as Andrea
 * Víctor González as Fernando
 * Alma Rosa Añorve as Gloria
 * Enrique Singer as Enrique
 * Dora Montero as Elvia
 * Ana Graham as Marina
 * Guadalupe Noel as Doña Felisa (1997-1998)