Doña Bella is a 2010 Spanish language remake of the original 1986 Brazilian production titled :pt:Dona Beija|Dona Beija, commissioned and produced by Telefutura. The latter series was derived from various Brazilian novels centered on the life of historical persona :es:Dona Beija |Ana Jacinta de São José. The series aired weeknights at 8pm central on Telefutura starting on April 25, 2011 and ended its run onSeptember 19, 2011 with 97 episodes. The opening theme song is Bella by Carlos Aguera y Mariatta.
Plot
The telenovela incorporates themes of forbidden love, betrayal and revenge, as well as personal sacrifice and perseverance. Bella Cepeda is a beautiful young woman who is in love with her childhood friend, Antonio Segovia, a member of a prominent conservative family. As a consequence of her unequal social station, Bella has to contend with the inevitable heartaches caused by the Segovia family's distrust and contempt of her relationship with Antonio. The central character's life worries are amplified when she becomes the target of desire of an unscrupulous, yet powerful businessman, Román Montero, who is lured to the banana exporting region from the capital city with the hopes of tapping into the underdeveloped local economy. Infatuated by Bella, Señor Montero intends to make her his lover, however, upon rejection by the maiden, he abducts her and secludes her in his grand estate. During her captivity, nobody, particularly her beloved Antonio, comes to her rescue. On the contrary, Antonio is led to believe that Bella willingly initiates a romance with Montero, motivated by avarice. Further compounding the heroine's misfortune is the loss of her remaining family member, effectively becoming deprived of family and love. Abandoned by loved ones and abused by a degenerate, a young Bella's heart is poisoned with bitterness. Notwithstanding, she refuses to suffocate under her calamity and determines to take back charge of her life. She accomplishes her goal by engaging in the sex trade, soon being able to amass wealth and a particular prestige. As a whole new woman, she returns to her home village, Agua Hermosa, with a singular aim in mind: to take revenge against those that did her wrong. At the top of her list are her former lover Antonio and her former tormentor Román.
