The www.goa-world.com team joins Bab Peter's family and friends in prayer. Bab Peter left for his Heavenly Abode this evening (19/2/2005) in Bahrain after a brief illness. May the Almighty God grant his soul eternal rest. - G.R. Crasto.
AN INTERVIEW WITH KONKANNI STAGE ACTOR-SINGER-DIRECTOR
BAB PETER
The man who considers himself just 28-years of age and who has thoughts of always remaining so and young at heart also, always, Francis Peter Thomas D'Souza had to say that not many people might know him by this name as he is known as BAB PETER on-stage and and remembers about the title of "BAB" being given to him by his father, when very young and he remembers singing for the first time at the age of seven in the drama "Cortub Voniechem", a drama that his father penned for him.
Bab Peter recalls that it was while taking part in Alfred Rose's "Natalachi Bhett" programme in Bombay, that he bagged the first place in the singing competition for child artistes and Prem Kumar (who was in the audience at that time) coming back stage to commend him for his performance and thereafter, inviting him to sing in his
dramas.
After that, there was no looking back for Bab Peter as Prem Kumar and later C. Alvares also, kept him on the go and he still feels grateful to both of them for their support as he remembers a lot of Child artistes of that time coming up and later fading off into obscurity.
Bab Peter had to say that his career got a boost after meeting Ophelia, as it was She who encouraged him to compose and sing his own songs and also to act, which he never used to do, prior to this.
It seems love blossomed between Ophelia & Bab Peter and both of them got married (when Bab Peter was 23-years and Ophelia much senior to him in age) and remembers the brunt of people's talks, write-ups in newspapers & publications, that both of them bore, with regards to their age differences, but he stated that it was Love & Love alone that prompted both of them to get married. He remembers the drama "Resperachi Nessoun" which he & Ophelia wrote & directed and considers Ophelia as his favourite actress because of her ability to play tragedy roles (for which She is known as the Tragedy Queen) and had to say that Prince Jacob is his favourite director while Jose Rod as his favourite amongst the actors.
He talked about his daughter, Babli, who he says is good in acting but does not want to take to acting full time as she is pursuing her career as an Editor with the Dicovery Channel and mentioned about her acting in his drama and her intention of doing so in his future dramas as well.
Taking into account his love for singing, Bab Peter has to date released three albums namely "Konkanni Mottiam", "My Rose (which he considers as his best) and "Tourist Centre".
Presently he is based in Bahrain (since 1989), where he works full time in marketing, he performs on & off when he gets an opportunity. He requested Goan Parents to encourage their Children to speak Konkanni and also at the same time to encourage their sibilngs (if talented) to come forward and show off their talents on-stage and was all for encouraging new and budding artistes so that the Konkanni stage & our culture can be
kept alive.
Having come to perform in Kuwait, he had to say that people out here should also encourage the Goan artistes based here and not only the ones coming from outside to perform.
Remembering the encouragement he received from the late C. Alvares & Prem Kumar that kept him in good stead on the Konkanni stage during his early days and allowed him to succeed, Bab Peter does not forget the same and was intrumental in getting Child Artiste Babloo and his Sister Valanka from Bahrain to Kuwait to sing with him in Jose Rod's drama "Tujem Naum Vhodd Zaum".
Speaking about the messages given in dramas, he said about actors being human beings who like priests may not always tend to practice what they preach.
With his enthusiasm for acting, he stated that when anytime he is in the audience and is watching any peformance he always feels a strong urge to go on-stage and act and had to say that he would prefer & it is his dream TO BE ON-STAGE AND DIE ON-STAGE.
When conversing casually with Bab Peter, he said that he may not have many friends amongst the stage artistes but he considers ANYONE
WHOM HE CAN TRUST AS HIS FRIEND.
- By Welly Dias
Kuwait/September 2000
Archived Pictures and text, courtesy: www.goa-world.com
Picture (B&W) from Tiatr & Tiatrist publication, also online on www.goa-world.com/goa/tiatr&tiatrist/
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