PLATILDA THE WELL-KNOWN TIATRIST.
It was in mid sixties while watching one Tiatro at Mapusa of the then famous Tiatrist M. Dod de Verna who was the top Playwright, director, songs composer and singer and when he came to sing a Trio along with the smart and attractive young girl wearing a Red short Skirt and a White Blouse along with her equally smart elder brother, the young girl mesmerizing the audience and youngsters like us more not only with her attractive looks but more with the way she was singing so beautifully and so confidently like a seasoned artiste, she was none other than Bai Platilda whose real name is MARIA PLATILDA AFONSO E DIAS a resident of Betalbatim at the huge ancestral house of her. BY seeing the structure from outside one could easily deduce the conclusion that this is the heritage house and once you enter inside, you notice the reality with two big family Altars and old fashioned Chairs called Lovers Chairs besides many other different type of Utensils and etc. Though she developed in the Tiatro art at an early age especially in singing where both of them she and her brother excelled so well that even the Governador of Portuguese Government of Goa Vassalo e Silva patted them doing highest degree of eulogy. It so happened that when they were performing an item of singing in her Eacola Primaria – the Portuguese School where she was studying Portuguese, the Governador then was attending that day’s school function in his capacity as the Chief Guest. For that cultural programme, she and her brother Aires were singing one beautiful Portuguese song “QUE SAUDADES” that captured the attention of the Portuguese Governador. Immediately the news of this incident flared-up like wild fire even alerting some of the top Tiatro directors. She proved her smartness in acting and singing in Tiatros during the Portuguese rule in Goa and she developed this Tiatro art during the rule of Bharat “Serkar” when she beautified it more by attracting greater attention of the audience because of her comments in Portuguese in which she was perfect since she was the Liceuist at Margao and she was speaking Portuguese with ease just as the late comedian Anthony Mendes used to do by passing a few comments in Latin which were creating peals of laughter in the Hall. She was combining well in the Play or in the songs with her co-artistes namely the seasoned comedians Jacinto Vaz and Luis Rod whom she had highest regards. She was at her best doing the comedy roles. Her comedy duets with Luis Rod were always sought after by the audience and most of the times they received the encores.
Then immediately a flood of request offers came to her from the top directors one of them was M. Dod de Verna but her elders at home refused to let her go to act in the Tiatros. It should be noted well that during those days acting in the Tiatros was considered as an act of low grade and cheap people. There was a time during the earlier days decent family would not easily get their daughters married to the Tiatrist boys and it was even said that “instead of getting your daughter married to a Tiatrist boy it is better to tie a heavy stone to her neck and throw her into the Well, though exceptions were there. And it must be noted very well that somehow or the other the Tiatrists acting in Tiatros received bad name, they were considered as low class of people, high category of people were not acting in Tiatros, of course again exceptions were there and not only this even seeing Tiatros was considered as an act of low grade people. And if it is a female artiste then you cannot accept anything
If you analyse the history of Tiatro when it was initiated by Lucasinho Ribeiro from Assagao Bardez Goa, one and a half century back, it was considered both as acting and seeing it as an act of elite class of Goans with a nice educational background, very good discipline and best character. In fact the founder and initiator of Tiatro Lucasinho Ribeiro was himself an educated man. This image of Tiatrists and that of the audience lasted for about 25 years. However, after this period Tiatros went into the hands of Rostad Tiatrists many of whom were illiterate and who were very cheap and coming from hoi-polloi family background. And the attendance also came from cheap quality of people. All dirt and vulgarity started entering into Tiatros so much so even the Church started talking ill of Tiatros, in one word it was considered as the venue of Sin. Seeing this state of affairs of our Tiatros, one fine morning Joao Agostinho Fernandes from Margao Salcette Goa and who is called Pai Tiatrist, while sitting on the ground at Cross Maidan in Bombay and while feeling hurt for seeing the state of affairs of our Tiatros which gone down so low level inspite of the fact that he along with its initiator Lucasinho Ribeiro worked so hard to bring it to such respectable level that it is gone now into the hands of ROSTAD TIATRISTS. This he told to one of the passers-by who saw Joao Agostinho in very sad mood and tears were pouring from his eyes. At that moment that passer-by approached Joao Agostinho Fernandes asking him very humbly “Irmao, kitem zalam ani kiteak roddtai tum he porim?”
Meantime, Platilda got the much required permission from her elders and she started her acting freely. As an youngster Platilda gained lot of limelight in her locality tempting the local directors some of them were the renowned ones and among these was the late M. Dod de Verna who approached her guardians and elders not once but thrice but unfortunately he was denied the liberty by Platilda’s elderly Tiu (Uncle) who was the orthodox type of a Goan and being so he believed in some of the traditional disciplines of Goans especially of those Goans who were considered themselves as feudal type believing themselves as superiors to others having low level. Finally when M. Dod de Verna agreed for all the conditions imposed by her Uncle,then only he agreed for Platilda over anxious to participate in the Tiaatros with top professionals having gigantic images on the Stage to participate. Then saying Eureka – Eureka, Platilda went ahead and there was no stop not only for Platida but also for her brother who both started to participate in the Side Show singing Trios and Duets with M. Dod de Verna who considered then as the most prolific composer and singer like Alexinnho de Candolim. In fact he was then called as second Alexinho de Candolim. This was the most glorious period of her career because she not only acted well in the Plays but also sang very well and when she noticed the audience were very happy too with her performace she enjoyed the most. She loved to keep the audience happy because since they are the people whom we are performing otherwise she never cared and secondly they are coming to see us by spending their precious time and hard earned money, it is because our duty is to satisfy them, they can either make or mar us, said Bai Platilda.
Her Share (Charges) per Show was fixed as Rs 25/- and it was very good then when purchasing power of a Rupee was high. However, she never demanded money either high or low and never acted in Tiatros for the love of money only. In fact she loved acting and singing in Tiatros so much and she loved her audience extremely well who showered her with their love and affection. Such a love and support normally no person gets. Every artiste used to do her “APURBAI”, she received lot of patting from the senior artistes who used to take care of her and advised her to move in the right direction, one of them was Alfred Rose who when he and she too were not busy, Alfred Rose used to take her next day’s lesson and used to show her the lessons she was to do on the next day. It was like a Tution class for her. He taught her how to utilize every available minute and not to waste any single second. This indicates how the then senior Tiatrists used to groom her to be perfect in life and not only on the Stage and Alfred Rose being an educated person he could mould Platilda in the best of directions.
Every director knowing her peforming so well volunteered to induct her in his Tiatros and noticing their expectations she accepted every director’s demand as a challenge and ultimately she came out victorious. Even the then topmost Tiatrists and directors in whose Tiatros she acted namely J.P. Souzalin, Prem Kumar,John Claro, M.Boyer, Mike Mehta, Anthony Mendes, Anthony D’Sa, Remmie J. Colaco, Nelson Afonso, Star of Curtorim(Sesa Pai), C. Alvares, Alexinho de Candolim, Aristedes Dias, Vicent de Saligao, Saib Rocha, Robin Vaz, Peter Gomes and many others admired her talent. Her favourite Tiatros among others were “To Bhavtto Dhormancho” by Alexinho de Candolim, Almas dos Outro Mundo by Nelson Afonso in which he indicated to what level Goa would reach in few years time due to the unhindered influx of Non-Goans from other parts of India and how they will deGoanise Goa. These prophetic words in the title of that Tiatro, meaning “Dusrea Sounsarantlim Bhutam” became reality now and that it became a reality is firmly confirmed now. What we see in Goa now? Not the “Bhutam” from outside Goa? I salute Nelson Afonso for being a prophet who gave a prophetic message to Goans about 60 years back. His death at an early age was a heavy blow on Goa. Meantime she was already a part `of the group “YOUNG STARS OF GOA”.
Coming back to Platilda, her acting in the Tiatros has helped her tremendously, this acting part of her opened her horizon beyond her surrounding thereby helping her to be a huge part of the society. Then when she got involved in the Tiatros she not only became the “lokhpriya” but more than that she became the darling of the Goans. In one word she received highest respect from every segment of Goan society not only in Goa but even in Bombay and in the Gulf where she was treated with highest love by the Konkani community comprising Goans, Mangaloreans, Karwarees and Bombayites. The love and affection that Platida gained from different peoples from different Konkani communities was unique in the sense that all those people showered her with spontaneous love. Her each and every entry on to the Stage was fabuluousy applauded so too her exit, her audience would love to see her more and more. Speaking on this particular subject she said she is very grateful to all her supporters who admired her throughout her long career on the Konkani Stage. I was overwhelmed by such a warm welcome I was given by my fans she said.
Then she concluded saying though she enjoyed the best of life on the Stage yet in the beginning it looked so difficult task to perform. Secondly, during those days due to scarce amenities available at our disposal we had to face so many hurdles coming on our ways, there was no proper transport to ferry us from one place to the other, so many times we had to spend the nights after nights in the public Gardens in the major cities of Goa awaiting the first trip of the public transport to carry us and our luggage which at that dead nights we had to carry on our shoulders and heads and even walk such a long distance. However, never getting bored and disgusted but went on smoothly only for the sake of love of Tiatros and because we loved Tiatros we managed to carry on with our job so nicely. Though the share and emoluments we were getting for our service in the Tiatros was not much yet we never indicated any grudge.
Her message to all the Tiatrists is “Adore the Konkani Stage and respect your directors, be polite and do your part well, do not use vulgarity neither in words nor is dress code and not in action. Tiatros have got better days ahead. Always give your best when you are acting in Tiatro. Be grateful to those who helped you in ascending to the Stage and be respectable before the audience. I wish you all my Tiatrist brothers and sisters and everyone involved in associating In staging of our Tiatros namely Musicias, Contractors, sponsors etc. Please do your part well and memorable as our senior and elder Tiatrists have done so that your memories remain in the minds and hearts of the people by giving good messages to the audience as our elders – Tiatrists – have done. And precisely because of this they are still in the minds of the people. Their memories will remain as immortal. May God Bless You All.
A.Veronica Fernandes.