PRADEEP NAIK is currently one of the best Konkani Stage artistes and among the few Hindu artistes shining on Konkani Stage more beautifully. I must rate Pradeep Naik as the best among all. His forte lies in doing serious roles very strongly and appropriately.
Pradeep Naik in the middle, next to the Chief Guest Prince Jacob
Hindus are known to act in Marathi Nattaks in Goa while Christians in Konkani Tiatros. The late Alexinho de Candolim probably was known to introduce for the first time on Konkani Stage some of the Hindus in his professional Tiatros somewhere in late forties/early fifties, two of them were Roghlo from Calangute and Kanta Divkar from Arpora. They were important artistes of his troupe and they gained the expertise in this field by participating earlier in the Marathi Nattaks where the standard was very high. Alexinho Candolim was expert in using the young talents of these youngsters then and as an ace natural director without proper high educational background nor proper expertise and training in this field, he acquired their services to promote and to flourish our Konkani Stage.
Pradeep Naikh receiving Honours from Prince Jacob hands
Then came on the Konkani Stage the most popular Hindu artiste, Kamat de Assolna from Assolna, Salcette who was a very good singer, composer, director and script writer. He appeared on Konkani Stage in early fifties and very quicly in mid fifties he blossomed fruitfully with a fury where he carried the Tiatro followers with him in big number. However, shortly then after he migrated for greener pastures to Portuguese Africa in Beira where too he displayed his stage talent occasionally.
Currently there are some Hindu Tiatrists among us on Konkani Stage who are very dedicatedly serving the Konkani Stage and a few of them are Comedian Ambe, Ullas Tari, Miss Shrutti and Pradeep Naik. My choice as my favourite goes without any hesitation to Pradeep Naik not only because he is a very good actor on the Stage but in his personal life too he is a very good human being and above all as I am aware he is the morally upright man and an upright husband and upright father. His upright persona life reflects on his Stage life.
Yesterday, along with others from Tiswadi Goa, he was felicitated by the “125thAnniversary of Tiatr Celebrations Committee: Tiatr Academy of Goa and Directorate of Art and Culture”, in Panjim at Institute Menezes Braganza Hall, at 4.00 PM for his excellence on Konkani Stage and his enormous contributions in the promotion of Tiatros. Earlier too, Pradeep Naik received lot of prizes for his contribution in the promotion of Konkani Stage. I am very happy to see Pradeep Naik receiving the latest award and for this I congratulate Pradeep Naik.
A.Veronica Fernandes.