Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Nov 1: Goa’s cultural fraternity plunged into mourning on Saturday following the demise of veteran tiatrist, writer-director, and senior lawyer Mike Mehta (Michael Rodrigues), who passed away after a prolonged illness at the age of 78.

A towering figure in the world of Konkani tiatr, Mehta was widely admired for his sharp intellect, bold experimentation, and deep commitment to Goan culture and language. His funeral will be held on Monday.

Born on August 6, 1947, in the picturesque village of Borim, Ponda, Mehta carved an extraordinary path as both a respected criminal lawyer and a creative visionary of the tiatr stage. Notably, he was the first lawyer from his native village, and during his illustrious legal career, he served as legal advisor to several prominent Goan politicians, including Monte de Cruz and Churchill Alemao.

Despite his professional success in law, Mehta’s heart always belonged to theatre. Beginning his artistic journey with English performances, he later devoted himself to writing, directing, and acting in tiatrs, which he considered the truest expression of Goan identity and emotion.

Over a span of 35 years, he performed in more than 550 shows and went on to write, direct, and produce 11 tiatrs, many of which broke conventional moulds with their social and political themes.

Introduced to the tiatr stage by Rosario Dias in Vivasghat, Mehta rose to fame in John Claro’s legendary tiatr ‘Purtugez Kolvont’ (1980) — a production that made history with over 200 performances across Goa, Mumbai, and Pune. He later appeared in Claro’s Inglez Madam, and went on to work with nearly all stalwarts of the Goan stage including M. Boyer, C. Alvares, Jacinto Vaz, Remmie Colaço, Kamat de Assolna, Premanand Sangodkar, Anil Kumar, and Fr. Planton Faria.

Among his most acclaimed works were Grant Road (1982, music by Chris Perry), Goenkaranchem Rogot (on Konkani’s inclusion in the Eighth Schedule), Goem Viklem Ghanttar (on political defections), Politik (on the Emergency), and O Papagaiyo, Canta E Beira (on Goan identity). Grant Road remains a landmark for its daring narrative and musical brilliance.

A strong advocate of creative evolution, Mehta often said, “A popular tiatr need not necessarily be a progressive one; experiment alone is the path to progress.”

His death has left an irreplaceable void in Goa’s cultural and legal circles.

Expressing grief, Anthony Barbosa, President of the Tiatr Academy of Goa (TAG), said, “He was a tiatrist par excellence and an intellectual who constantly pushed creative boundaries on stage.”

Veteran tiatrist and journalist Fausto V. Da Costa remembered him as “a fearless thinker who used tiatr to challenge and awaken society — his pen and stagecraft reflected courage, intellect, and an undying love for Konkani.”

Goa bids farewell to a legend whose legacy will continue to inspire generations of tiatrists, thinkers, and artists.