News: Shodhan Prasad
Pics: Sonu Bantwal
Dubai, Mar 3: Sangati Creations’ maiden venture, mega Konkani film ‘Zanvoy No. 1’ written and directed by well-known director Harry Fernandes Barkur had a grand overseas audio release on March 1 at Winny’s Restaurant auditorium, Karama.
On behalf of Sangati Creations, the producers of the movie and overseas distributor Sandhya Creations, compere Uttam Menezes welcomed the audience and gave a brief of the current trend of Konkani movies released. He said that this trend gave break to many Konkani artistes to come on silver screen. “Today, they are all recognized and it is nice to know they have contributed a lot to Konkani community and language. It is not only through films but also lot of Konkani singers, writers and musicians have in the past contributed a lot to Konkani entertainment industry thus keeping the language and traditions alive,” he said. He mentioned that the current trend of Konkani cinema started with Frank Fernandes’ ‘Ek Aslyar Ek Na’ then moved on with Henry D’Silva’s ‘Nashibacho Khel’, Maxim Pereira’s ‘Ashem Zalem Kashem’, Janet Noronha’s ‘Sophiya’ and now Sangati Creations ‘Zanvoy No.1’. This trend will move forward successfully only if the members of the Konkani community come forward and support wholeheartedly, he added.
He invited on to the stage, entrepreneur, singer and philanthropist, Joseph Mathias, businessman and Konkani leader James Mendonca, businessman Simon D’Mello, businessman and producer of various movies and recently doctorate honoured Frank Fernandes, president of Rachana, coordinator of Mand Shoban, businessman, actor and DCC president Stany Alvares, filmmaker and director Harry Fernandes Barkur, Sangati Creations’ producer Cyril Castelino, philanthropist Nelson Rodrigues, multi-lingual actor Deepak Paladka and producer-distributor Sandhya Creations’ Shodhan Prasad. Cyril Castelino honoured all the guests with flowers.
After prayer, a lamp lighting ceremony was performed by all the guests on dais.
Harry Fernandes spoke on the event and briefed on film making which he started from Bhojpuri, Marathi, and Hindi. He said that it was good to direct his own community’s Konkani films. He mentioned the names of all those directors who had served in Konkani movie industry and who made attempts successfully. “If fifty percent of our community people come to watch our Konkani movies, then all our movies will celebrate silver jubilee,” he added. He said that he felt happy when many movies distributed in Dubai and other places in the recent past had received houseful audience’s appreciations and hoped that ‘Zanvoy No.1’ will also be welcomed as it has got a good package of family comedy with Bollywood actress Varsha Usgaonkar acting for the first time in Konkani movies along with good comedy by Goan Comedy King Prince Jacob, Stany Alvares and Deepak Paladka. He requested everyone to come forward and watch the movie when released in April and guaranteed good entertainment in return for sure.
Ace Director Harry Fernandes was felicitated by Sandhya Creation’s Shodhan Prasad with shawl.
All the guests released the music CD of ‘Zanvoy No.1’ while in the background, a melodious song was played. Uttam announced the names of music directors Eric Ozario, Jerry Bondel and Gunwant Sen. Lyricists Jerry Bondel, Llyod Rego and Harry Fernandes, music arranger Patson Pereira and singers Gunwant Sen, Loy Valentine Saldanha, Shilpa Cutinho, Jasmine D’Souza, Patric Pereira, Wilma Pereira and Dixon Rodrigues.
The beautifully captured preview of the move was presented on projector screen which included the dashing action scenes, comedy punches, romantic moves, dance sequences and finally glimpses showing making of the movie in the end. It was nice to see Varsha Usgaonkar appealing to UAE audience to come and watch the movie in pure Konkani along with Prince Jacob’s appeal from Goa. Both the actors have promised to come and meet their fans here in Dubai during the premier show of the movie in Dubai while all the audience cheered and applauded.
Cyril Castelino thanked the audience for their support. He briefed on how he got connected to director Harry Fernandes and how his interest developed in joining the team as a producer along with Leo Fernandes and Walter D’Souza. He said that the movie gave them an opportunity to come down from Mumbai to Mangaluru and see the beautiful sceneries in the city where they had visited almost ten times in three months. While appealing to the audience to watch the movie, he guaranteed good entertainment for sure with ‘Zanvoy No. 1’ which will be released in Mangaluru first and then in Karwar, Honnavar, Goa, Mumbai and Dubai. He also briefed on some beautiful moments he had with music director Gunwant Sen in his office in Mumbai about the music of the movie and said that the movie is almost completed and censoring was in progress. Earlier, they had thought of making the movie a bilingual in Konkani and Tulu (Aan Magey), but later felt that they will conclude in Konkani with English subtitles, giving importance to both Mangalurean and Goan Konkani accent, so that audience from both these states can watch and get entertained, he added.
Joseph Mathias spoke on the event and said that there was a time when dramas in Tulu and Konkani were famous while only Hindi and Kannada movies were releasing in Mangaluru. Later, the trend changed and we saw many producers and directors showing their interest in Tulu and Konkani movies which started growing in Mangaluru. This was with their sole intention of promoting the language and not for money making which never happened in this regional industry. Earlier, there were very few Konkani releases, but with the attempt of Frank Fernandes’ ‘Ek Aslyar Ek Na’, the numbers increased giving many releases in recent months. He appealed to the audience to come forward and watch these movies unitedly with their family and friends and support these producers who have contributed their time and money for Konkani language and culture.
Frank Fernandes spoke on the event and thanked Sangati Creations for coming up with this new movie. He said that in 2008 he made ‘Kazar’ in Konkani which received state award and now ‘Zanvoy No. 1’. “To present a good movie, the producer and the director’s hard work is important. Artistes and technicians are responsible who contribute efficiently and then the contribution of the audience who can make the film a super hit,” he said. Quoting Mother Theresa “’Which thing I know, you do not know and which thing you know, I don’t know’, Frank Fernandes asked everyone to come together and make a great thing. He later briefed on his other movies made in Kannada, Konkani and Tulu which did not fare well because of various reasons though the movies were good. Finally the movie directed by Pradeep Barboza ‘Ek Aslyar Ek
Na’ and acted by known good actors of Dubai fared very well because it was first released in Dubai with the support of Shodhan Prasad and Deepak and later did well wherever it was released bringing revenue for the producer. He was happy that only this movie did well and that could make a name in Konkani cine world. While thanking the audience for their support he added that criticism should be there but one should not become ‘Critic No.1’ criticising everything. He appealed to the audience to support all those who come forward to produce movies in Konkani language irrespective of the movie banners so that more contributions pour into our community in this field.
James Mendonca also spoke on the event and said that director Harry Fernandes in the past had given two successful films in Konkani and that this movie surely will also be a successful one. Without audience support one cannot make successful film, hence he appealed to all to come in large numbers to watch the movie and make it a super hit.
Simon D’Mello also spoke and wished good luck to ‘Zanvoy No.1’.
Actor Deepak Paladka who is seen in a different but important role in ‘Zanvoy No.1’ later spoke and said that he was happy to be part of this movie as this is a very good family movie. He shared his experience whilst shooting of the movie and said that he could learn a lot from the director as well as experienced actress Varsha Usgaonkar with whom he had an extensive role to share. He also shared about his busiest time schedule while he had simultaneous acting assignments in another Tulu movie ‘Ammer Polisa’ and Kannada movie ‘Asothoma Sadgamaya’ during the same time. From the break he got in Tulu Movie ‘Nirel’ till the opportunity he received in many movies, he always came forward to support the marketing events of the film so that if the producers earn some profit, then they will do more films and he will get
opportunity to serve and entertain people. He thanked all those who offered him opportunities in dramas and movies and wished good luck to everyone.
In the end, Stan Alvares rendered the vote of thanks. He personally mentioned the names of everybody who helped them in the making the movie as well as for the warm welcome they gave during the audio release programme in Dubai. He shared some of the beautiful moments with all his directors and producers where he had acted and thanked them for the opportunity he got in Konkani movies. He also thanked Walter Nandalike and www.daijiworld.com for their continuous support for Konkani movies and thanked Shodhan Prasad, Dayan D’Souza, Pradeep Barboza and all those who contributed and supported Konkani movies all these years. Finally he thanked compere Uttam Menezes for carrying on the event smoothly and professionally.
While distributing free Audio CD’s to the audience, he requested them to come in large numbers to watch the movie with their friends and relatives thus making ‘Zanvoy No.1’ a super hit movie.
The programme ended with sumptuous dinner and photo session.
Overseas release is being arranged by ‘Sandhya Creations Overseas Movies’ and one can contact Shodhan Prasad on +971 52 5569786 for more information.