In this month at Kuwait City Cassette Shop, 4 new Konkani Albums are kept on sale. Price is very cheap, each costing 250 Fils while the same Album in the original cover at Tiatro Hall and at Football Ground sold at KD 1.000, either CD or VCD. This VCD Mr. Godwin has dedicated to his beloved mother. All the songs and skits are written by Mr. Godwin Afonso and the musical score is provided by Llenoy Gomendes.
The VCD “ZOXEM MHAKA TOXEM TUKA” by Godwin Afonso deserves mention now and hence I pen down a few lines on this VCD consisting of Songs and Comedy Skits; songs are rendered by various well known singers, namely majestically pretty looking Jessica, seasoned singer Felcy, Platilda’s daughter Ilma, Anthony San and Godwin Afonso himself. While the comedy skits performed by natural comedian Jesus, renowned comedy queen Platilda, ex Kuwaitkar and prominent Tiatro writer – director Pal Soares whose new Tiatro will be released shortly and other artistes.
The comedy was excellent and both the natural comedians Platilda and Jesus played their roles extremely well, Jesus was at his best while rendering a comedy duet “Antonet ani Competer” with equally smart Platilda, exhibiting his natural feelings thus making the song more lively. As for Platilda, once beauty of Konkani Stage but now inspite of aging dished out her role exactly in the same manner as she used to do when she first appeared on Konkani stage in mid-sixties with her brother Aires and promoted by the late M. Dod de Verna. She truly gives an added booster to this film even, as usual, speaking in Portuguese. Her assetic values on Konkani Stage are still vissible and in fact she is still an asset for Konkani Stage even though she is seen acting after a decade. I still remember her fantastic comedy roles she used to perform with Jacinto Vaz and Luis Rod. She has not lost any touch of her comedy even though it was a decade back she was last seen acting.
The songs to be admired are the ones rendered by Jessica with her mellifluent and trebulous voice with Felcy and other with Godwin Afonso. Anthony San’s solo is also meaningful. Godwin’s solo on “Cardanchi Pack” resembles that of the solo M. Dod de Verna rendered in his tiatro “No Vacancy” staged somewhere in 1958/59. Both the singers describe Biblical names and events by displaying the Cards while singing and comparing the same with the figures on the Cards. M. Dod de Verna's song was more meaningful and more educative. Here below I give its last two verses:
Khellak bhullele munis, paddinant Aitar sont
Eko munnnchem somzotat, ek Dev Sotivont,
Him assat don soimbam, Dev ani Munis jivont,
Martoch he tin khille, Jesuk bhogli khont.
He aslet choug Evangelist, thoddik panch chagam, Jesuche kuddik poi sou dissani Devan sounsar ghoddlo,
King vortoulo dhoni Sorga Sounsaracho, kon khellak bhulleat tanni xevttak Joker zauncho poddlo.
Mr. Dod de Verna was hard hitting at those who are afflicted with the vice of “Kartancho Khell” finally turning into JOKER. How true M. Dod de Verna was!! May his soul rest in peace. Since his death Konkani Stage has not produced another like him and if I am permitted, I can rightly say tha Konkani Stage will never produce another M. Dod de Verna.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.