TAG to Observe Rosario’s Birth Anniversary
Presentation of Lifetime Contribution Awards to five Khell-Tiatr artistes
Every year on 24th October, Tiatr Academy of Goa, (TAG) celebrates the Birth Anniversary of late Rosario Rodrigues, one of the greatest pioneers of Khell-Tiatr. On this occasion, TAG also presents Lifetime Contribution to Khell/Khell Tiatr Awards to the five artistes who have given their valuable contribution to the Khell/Khell Tiatr during their lifetime.
This year the award has been conferred on A. M. Pacheco, Priti P. Lotlikar, Sacramento Pereira, Thomas Antao and Antonio Vital Furtado. The awards will be presented at a specially organised function to be held on 24th October, 2014 at 3:30 p.m at the Gomant Vidhya Niketan, Margao. Also a Konkani Musical Show based on the life and works of late Rosario Rodrigues will be staged by Shri. Vital Furtado and his troupe.
Shri. Avertano Furtado, Minister for Labour & Employment , Fisheries , N.R.I. Affairs will be the Chief Guest and present the Awards while Veteran Khell-Tiatrist, Shri. Menino de Bandar will be the Guest of Honor on the occasion.
Brief information about the awardees:
A.M.PACHECO
Antonio Menino Pacheco popularly known as A. M. Pacheco was born on 18th November 1954 to late Constancio P. Pacheco and Rosa Maria Pacheco. He began his career as tiatrist at a tender age of 16. He used to participate in village tiatrs and khells during carnival. Encouraged by the accolades from the audience for his performances, he began writing his own khell-tiatrs. His very first khell-tiatr, ‘Odruxtt’ was an instant hit which established him as an acclaimed writer/director of khell-tiatrs. This was followed by another khell-tiatr ‘Mr. Romeo’ which also tasted huge success.
So far, Pacheco has written and directed 22 dramas/Khell-tiatrs which includes ‘Odruxt’ (1974), ‘Mr. Romeo’(1974), ‘Vis Vorsam Adim’ (1975), ‘Mhozo Konnuch Nam’ (1976), ‘Kalljidar’ (1977), ‘Don Roste’ (1978),‘Visvas Ghat’ (1979), ‘Lolo’ (1979), ‘Daag’ (1980), ‘Fator’ (1981), ‘Ghor’ (1982), ‘Mati’ (1982), ‘Udok’ (1983),‘Tan’ (1984), ‘Tunch Mhoji Savlli’ (1984), ‘Aimori’ (1985), ‘Tem Tujem’ (1985), ‘Kantto’ (1986), ‘Rekad’(1987), ‘Tukach Ravtali’ (2004), ‘Kunead’ (2009) and ‘Nam Tem Nam’ (2012).
Beside writing his own tiatrs, Pacheco has also acted in number of tiatrs of veteran tiatr artistes of yesteryears like C. Alvares (Konnank Sangonaka), Prem Kumar (Rakhnno), Rosario Rodrigues (Patkinn, Yevnk Nam, Ekech Ratri), Patric Dourado (Mhoji Sangatin, Nomoskar), Vitorino Pereira (To Nhoim Voh, Sot Vo Sopon, Hippy, Upkari), Premanand Sangodkar (Dolle Dhampche Adim), Mike Mehta (Vingas) and also in tiatrs of present generation directors like Anton Santiago ‘Gobro’ (Dev Dotor Duddu), Churchil Alemao (Bhatt ani Vatt), Jose Mascarenhas (Tujim Utram Mhoje Dolle), Tony Dias (Mahanand Monis Vo Soitan), Diogo Gracias (Gharache Dive, Jurament, Odruxtt Ghorabeacher) Comedian Ambe (Dantui Mhoje Vonttui Mhoje, Kallem Mazor, Denvti, Hi Kudd Matiyek Laitat, Dhanvta To Ghoddo, Khori Khuxalkay, Osleo Suno Gharant Yetoch, Ekuch Pavtt Zolmota, To Fottoilear Fottovna, Utram), etc.
Pacheco also acted in Konkani telefilms entitled ‘Zulum’ produced by Bonifacio Dias and ‘American Dollars’ by S. Pegado.
ANTONIO VITAL FURTADO
Born on 5th June 1948 at Benaulim in the family of tiatrists, Antonio Vital Furtado is the second son of Constatino Furtado and Josephine Rodrigues. He took up singing at the very young age of 11 when he got an opportunity to sing for the cultural programme of his school Holy Trinity High School, Benaulim. He rendered a duo ‘Dogui Dholye’ with his cousin David Rodrigues. Their lively performance caught the eyes of the audience.
Later on he started participating in the village tiatrs and concerts. Somewhere in 1971 he joined his cousin Rosario Rodrigues, and formed a troupe under which Rosario’s hit non-stop tiatr ‘Meenakxi’ was staged. This opened the gates for Vital to make a career in tiatr from where he went on to become an established actor.
He has participated in almost all the tiatrs staged by late Rosario Rodrigues where this versatile actor played different roles like a priest, beggar, inspector, advocate, etc. He is still remembered for his comedy role in Rosario’s non-stop tiatr ‘Fattim Pavlo’ and his punch line “mamre”.
Besides acting and singing, he has written his own tiatrs like ‘Dis ani Rat’, ‘To Tuzo Bhav’, ‘Miss Aruna’, etc which were well received by the tiatr lovers. He has also composed a number of songs and written one act plays.
PRITI P. LOTLIKAR
Priti P. Lotlikar, (Maiden name, Maria Blandina Arcadia Rodrigues, alias Blanche) first stepped on Konkani stage at very young age of 12. She acted in the tiatr named, ‘Mauxi vo Manam’, written, directed and produced by Late Cassiano D’Costa from Colva. Incidentally Cassiano happens to be father of famous actors Josephine Dias and late Peter D’Costa (Comedian Peter). This tiatr was staged in her own village of Colva. Lively performance of this child with magical acting and singing skills caught the eye of the audience. Within no time she began amassing fame not only in Colva and surrounding villages of Salcete but in several other villages all over Goa.
Priti, later in 70’s acted in the tiatrs of Jess Fernandes, a well-known writer and director of that time. ‘Noxibantlim Khoddpam’, ‘Kallzacho Ghavo’, ‘Eksuro’, ‘Xekim To Zolmolo’, ‘Don Dukam’ and ‘Ti Noxtti Pidda’ are names of some of the tiatrs in which she acted in the lead role.
Born on 4th March 1955 at Margao to Antonio Luis Rodrigues and Maria Aurora Almeida, Priti is the youngest sibling among eight children in the family. She inherited the acting and singing talent from her father, Antonio or ‘Antonbab’ as he was fondly known, who was a Mestri (Choir Master) of Colva Church. He used to compose songs and sing in village tiatrs. Although he never performed on the professional stage, he was an all-time favourite of the local audience. Encouraged by her tiatr loving parents, Priti actively participated in cultural activities during her schooling.
In 80’s she joined the dramatic troupe of A. M. Pacheco. She acted in his khell-tiatrs namely ‘Visvas-Ghat’, ‘Don Roste’, ‘Daag’, ‘Mati’, ‘Lolo’ and ‘Fator’ which was a super hit. In between, she also acted in Ligorio Fernandes’ tiatr ‘Julias Ceaser’.
Childhood friends, Priti and Premanand Lotlikar, a well-known tiatr personality performed together for first time in A.M. Pacheco’s tiatr, ‘Fator’ as hero and heroine which were the perfect roles made for each other. Later on they went on to become real life partners. Priti acted in seven khell-tiatrs written and directed by her husband entitled‘Loz ani Dukh’, ‘Dhovi Fott-Kallem Sot’, ‘Povitr–Papi’, ‘Rup vo Rupnnem’, ‘Zindabad’, ‘Ho Mhozo Opradh’and ‘Kednach Borem Zainaka’. She played different types of roles, first as a child artiste and later on from heroine to other character roles like mother, etc. She also participated in many plays which were recorded and broadcast on All India Radio – Panaji.
Priti was seen in an impressive tragic role in a Konkani film ‘Mariola’ written and directed by Joe Rose and produced by Darshan Lolayekar which was screened at South Asia Film Festival in the year 2012 held in Goa and further at IFFI Goa (2013).
SACRAMENTO PEREIRA
Sacramento Pereira was born on 29th October 1945 at Cortalim. As a child his talent for singing was noticed by the Parish Priest of Loutolim were he started singing for the church choir. He stepped on tiatr stage at the tender age of 9 by performing in annually held Khell-tiatrs every 3rd of May at Cortalim Cross Junction; thereby kick starting his long journey on the tiatr stage.
After his graduation and undergoing a Course in Indian Penal Code, Sacramento joined Provedoria (Institute of Public Assistance) where he was appointed as a Social Worker. Despite a very demanding professional career, he was totally dedicated to the Konkani Tiatr stage, thus performing in and out of the State. Whenever he used to get free time, he used to dedicate it to practice and rehearse for Tiatrs.
He has composed more than a hundred songs and also performed in number of memorable Tiatrs. He worked with stalwarts like M. Boyer, Jacinto Vaz, Christopher-Meena, Anil Kumar, Menino de Bandar, Ligorio Fernandes, Jess Fernandes, Roseferns, Bonaventure D’Pietro, Tomazinho Cardozo, etc. He performed roles of wide variety mainly lead roles and has several awards to his credit for his acting and singing. He excelled in Ligorio’s Khell-tiatrs like ‘Papi’, ‘Julius Ceasar’, ‘Jesmina’, ‘Apovnnem’, ‘Jesjudas’, ‘Bhogsonnem Nam’, etc. In 1984, he wrote and directed his own, a religious drama entitled, ‘Sontosache Panch Mister’ which was a super hit completing more than 100 shows being performed all over Goa, Mumbai, Pune, Karwar, Mangalore, etc.
He has an unfinished Tiatr on the Life of Blessed Mother Theresa written in 1980 when she was still alive. However he was denied the permission by the Mother herself as she was against gaining publicity.
In the year 1984, he was promoted to the post of the Assistant Director of Provedoria, Panaji. However his love to explore the world made him leave the lucrative position and go to USA in order to fulfil his wish to see the world. For the next twelve years he continued to perform in Tiatrs after every eight months when he would come down to Goa for his holidays. In the year 1988 he produced a Konkani audio album ‘Mog Jezucho’.
In the year 1996 at the peak age of his life, he got a paralytic stroke. This was a great blow and a setback for his career in Tiatr. This unfortunate incident did not deter him for his love for Tiatr as he still performed successfully in the role of a paralytic offered to him by Ligorio Fernandes in his Lenten drama ‘Jezu-Vatt, Sot ani Jivit’.
He dedicated nearly 40 years of his life for Tiatr stage as an actor, singer, writer, director and producer. This versatile actor has to leave the Tiatr stage permanently when he suffered another stroke in the year 2000 and till now he has been completely bedridden. However, his immense love for Konkani stage will never end.
THOMAS ANTAO
Hailing from Dongorim, Nuvem Salcete, Thomas Domingos Rosario Antao popularly known as Thomas Mestri or Thomson was born on 7th March 1939. He started learning music at the very young age of 7 from Parochial Music School under the guidance of late Maestro Jose Antonio Gonsalves from Calata. Initially he started with violin, then turned his attention to play Banjo and Trumpet. He played Banjo for the bands of famous musicians of that time like Anton Moraes, Paixao Mestri, etc. Later he tried rehearsing trumpet on his own which he bought from the money he earned by playing Banjo for dramas.
At that time he got an opportunity to compose music for a ‘Quadril’ (a type of Carnival play) during carnival time. With his innovative music, this young talented musician won the hearts and accolades from the audience which brought him a lot of fame and popularity. From here he never looked back.
Once he was invited to provide music for a songit khell ‘Bhikari’ by Felly Lucas on All India Radio-Panaji. There were only three musicians; a trumpeter, a saxophonist and a banjo player. There was a Drum Set in the studio but no musician to play. So Thomas doubled up as a drummer too by pedaling with his leg to give beats while blowing his trumpet at the same time. Such was his mastery over musical instruments.
In 1971 he joined another famed musician Urbano Gonsalves to produce music for Rosario Rodrigues’ Troupe where he served for 23 years and performed for almost 50 khell-tiatrs. He also played for leading dramatic troupes of Peconz Rodrigues, Antonio Moraes, Vitorino Pereira, Patrick Dourado, Fr. Freddy J. Da Costa, Premanand Lotlikar, Pascoal Rodrigues, John D’Silva, Jeffy de Majorda, Pal Soares, Dod de Nuvem, Joaquim Faleiro, Vincy Pereira, Michael Gracias, Jack de Benaulim, Dada de Maina, Domnic Carvalho and many more.
Besides providing music for number of dramas, he also penned and directed his own two khell-tiatrs namely‘Ghatkeak Ghat’ and ‘Inosent Koidi’ which were performed on the feast day of his village chapel at Dongorim. In these Tiatrs, veteran artistes like Kid Boxer, Dod de Verna, Platilda, Aires had participated. He has performed as a musician for almost over hundred songit-khells on A.I.R.
Besides Tiatrs he has been teaching music and training young talent for many years and have produced many promising musicians in Salcete.
He was presented with ‘Gulab’ Award for best music for the Tiatr ‘Amchem Ghor’ by Rosario Rodrigues and was also felicitated by Kala Academy Goa on Tiatr Day in the year 2004.
