Pics: Daya Kukkaje

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SB)

Mangaluru, July 21: It is sad news for the Mangaluru-based cinema and serial industry. One of the city's best known shooting locations from 1956, Mendonca Compound owned by Mendonca brothers - Lawrence, Richard and James Mendonca - is being demolished for road widening. News of the demolition of the acclaimed shooting location has disheartened many cinema workers and artistes, especially from the Tulu, Kannada and Konkani cinema and serial  directors and producers.  The iconic house had created history by for being an iconic shooting house for several Tulu, Kannada and Konkani movies along with a number of serials and album songs.

According to sources, the national highway authority of India has given a notice to the owners to vacate the building for widening the Mangaluru-Moodbidri highway (NH169) road. The authority has also started demolishing those buildings which had already been compensated.

The entire 53 episodes of the much appreciated Konkani serial Mrs Meena and Family was shot at Mendonca compound. Apart from movies and serials, the  compound was also used  for shooting album songs of various languages, photo shoots and TV shows.

'Tuka Chintana', a Konkani single produced by Ro International and sung by Indian Idol fame Nihal Tauro was the last shot album song in the Mendonca compound. The song is expected to be released in August. The shoot for the second season of Mrs Meena is still going on in the Mendonca compound which will be known as the last entertainment production carried out at the place.   

According to James Mendonca, his father Late Paul Albert Mendonca, had a laterite stone and timber business since 1946 and survived for 35 years. The whole house was built using the laterite stone from their own quarry while timber from their own forest garden was used for the roof as well as a wooden false ceiling in the whole house. All doors and windows were made of teak wood.

“The original house had 14 rooms plus a hall, dining room, a kitchen, a storeroom besides toilets. It was refurbished in 2010 by changing the size of the rooms and adding modern flooring. There were no architects or civil engineers at that time. When foundation was laid my father kept on adding rooms since building material was available in the house and hence he ended up adding 14 plus rooms saying that one room was reserved for every child for the eight children,” he said.

Whole house had double tiled outer and inner ceilings tiles supplied by family relatives of the Coello tile factory .

Speaking to Daijiworld James Mendonca said, "Yes, of course the demolition of Mendonca Compound is a great loss for the entertainment industry. But for the residents of Vamanjoor it is heartbreaking. The senior citizens of Vamanjoor know the helping nature of the Mendonca family. It was the only house they could visit at any time and get monetary or other help during their difficulties. The rich nature of the Mendonca family made many families get good education and a better lifestyle. The compound was really an emotion for Vamanjooreans."   

"I visited Mendonca compound several times for the purpose of shooting. I experienced a homely feel in that house. The entire compound was very much suitable for village oriented stories. The entire 53 episodes of Konkani serial Mrs Meena and Family were shot at the same compound and now really we will miss a nostalgic shooting spot," says a crew member of the Konkani serial. 

Apart from film shooting it was also a venue for a number of weddings and Roce events since the yard was large.