By Roland Francis in Toronto for Goanet
roland.fran...@gmail.com
Not too many people in Toronto coming to see the first
screening today of *Nachom-ia-Kumpasar* knew what it was
about. They heard it was a good Konkani film, winning some
awards and even making it to the Oscars, but beyond that, few
knew it was based on the Chris Perry and Lorna Cordeiro
relationship. Fewer still knew about the real-life drama of
these two famous Goan artistes.
They came because Goan culture means much to the Diaspora in
Canada. The Goans here are an eclectic mix -- from Africa,
Pakistan, the Gulf and finally from Goa and other parts of
India and this yearning for a touch of that period culture
was what director Bardroy Barretto [bardroy at gmail.com] was
counting on. He would not be disappointed and nor were they.
Twenty songs makes a movie essentially a musical
and therefore music the main pillar on which it
stands. Ronnie Monserrate, one of Chris Perry's
original band, did a great job here. The original
scores were re-arranged to live music and the
dulcet voice of young Cielda Pereira (not shown on
screen) doing most of the songs, outdid the living
Lorna. The music loud though it was, was
crowd-pleasing to the extreme. Palomi Ghosh the
leading lady sang two of the songs (the rest she
lip synched) and she was equally superb.
That was the least of Palomi's fortes. Her filling of the
Lorna role was outstanding. She was bubbly, frisky,
energetic, angry, sad, melancholic and teary exactly whenever
each of those emotions called for it. And all the while the
Bengali lass was as pretty as an unsophisticated Bombay
Dhobitalao Goan girl can be, even one with a stellar musical
career behind her.
No praises for the leading man though. He was wooden, spoke
less than the minimum words required of the role and when he
did, muttered Konkani under his breath while showing
discomfort at it. He did little justice to the vibrant
musical icon he was portraying. The real Chris' body language
always told a story, even when it was an angry one. Maurya
had no such language. Palomi got her role just 20 days ahead
of production. Maurya's selection on the other hand was 10
years in the making with Bardroy's promise to him as a friend.
No movie from Goa can be made without some comedy and a bald
John D'Silva did a good job as the musician's manager with
his typical Goan village mannerism, behaviour and specially
the Salcette accent.
Bardroy Barretto an ad-film maker, turned out to be a great
first-time feature film director, though as co-script writer
he or his partner-writer, or both, could have done a much
better job. In one scene where the hero Chris Perry, who is
really a villain due to his abuse of Lorna, finally gave in
to her request for a maiden autograph entry, the script
writer botched it. Name: Lawrence Vaz he says. Date of birth:
1930. What you like about me: is answered with an inane "I
like you". Bardroy, was it one of your down days?
The captioning was well-crafted and specially was the
composition and delivery of the prologue and epilogue
commentary. Could have been the voice of Naresh Fernandes of
the *Taj Mahal Foxtrot* fame.
The speeches by the event organizers were too many but the
audience welcomed Bardroy's brother who came from France and
an introduction by Sampson Santimano and Sera Barbosa, doing
a Chris and Lorna act with saxophone and vocals before the
movie.
Thanks G.O.A. for bringing it to us and the announcement of
an encore in September for those unable to be accommodated
for this show. Word will spread and the house will be full
again.
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