By Gasper Crasto / Image Art – Simon Dias
Kuwait: His comedy is half intelligence, half execution. It is not necessary for him to make faces to look comic, nor does he need catchy dialogues to tickle that funny bone. Even his silence extracts peals of laughter from the audience.
Well-known comedian John D’Silva, dubbed as ‘The Emperor of Goan Stage’ will be one of the major attractions in the mega show 'SATH PANVDDE' scheduled to be staged in Kuwait - 7th November 2014, 4.30pm at American School Hall, Maidan Hawally.
'Sath Panvdde' (Seven Steps), a Special Tribute to Rosary Ferns, a celebrated Goan singer who passed away in 2011, is written and directed by Rosary's brother Fidelis Fernandes. It will feature a galaxy of well-known artistes from Goa and Kuwait.
Star artistes from Goa will consist of Lawry Travasso, Xavier Gomes, Francis de Tuem, Chitra, Andrea, Marcus Vaz, Comedian John D’Silva, Comedian Sally & Comedian Joana.
Kuwait-based artistes include Cajetan de Sanvordem, Mario de Majorda, Michael D’Silva, Katty de Navelim, Laurente Pereira, Bab Agnel, Xavier Furtado, Lopes Brothers, Clemmie Almeida, Esparansa & Gasper Crasto.
Music for the show will be provided by Kuwait’s magical maestro – Shahu Almeida accompanied by his Jolly Boys. London-based Goan drummer Matias Rosario will team up with the band. DJ Marlon will provide the sound while Lekinson will be in-charge of stage setting. Management of the Hall will be done by Derick Gomindes & Julio Cardoso while Laurente Pereira & Katty will be Stage Managers for the show.
Ms. Kyoko Matsukawa, a Japanese Researcher based in Goa will attend the show as a chief guest. Special guests that will be in attendance are Francis Correia (Bahrain), Simon D’Silva (Qatar), Tony Gonsalves (UK), Anthony de Varca (Dubai), Raymond D’Sa & Bosco Leitao. (Kuwait).
The director Mr. Fidelis Fernandes hails from Colva, Salcette, Goa.
Fidelis is President of the Konkani Heritage Kuwait (KHK) which has, in the past, presented Konkani tiatrs, one-act play competitions, singing competitions, and Konkani ‘songit sanz’ (musical) shows in Kuwait under his able direction.
In a short span of years John D’Silva has achieved a tremendous landmark and fan-following in the Tiatr field. He has always been in the limelight as a Tiatrist ever since he made his foray on the Konkani stage, but he made the whole country to sit up and take notice of him when he made it to the Limca Book of Records in 2010 for the unique feat of writing, directing and producing over 25 Konkani Tiatrs with their titles having a double alphabet in it.
In the rich century old history of the Konkani stage, John D’Silva is incidentally the first tiatrist to enter the Limca Book of Records. It took him 12 years to create this unique record. For achieving this great feat, he was even congratulated by the Goa Legislative Assembly.
John D’Silva is the first Goan artiste to receive the first Yuva Srujan Puraskar Award from Art and Culture, Government of Goa for his immense contribution in the tiatr field. As his Tiatrs are always written with thought provoking dialogues, powerful moral and message, the script of his Tiatr ‘Bovall’ was selected by Goa Konkani Academy to publish in a book form.
This versatile tiatrist hailing from Sao Jose de Areal is indeed The Emperor of Goan and Konkani Stage being a well-known writer, director, actor and one of the best comedians at present.
Coming to his background, this Science under-graduate from S.P. Chowgule College, Margao, did not take up the usual pattern taken by most of the well-known tiatrists of today. In lieu, he went to the Gulf in 1984 and worked in Doha Qatar as an Administrative Secretary for a Qatar Building Company for 3 years before his return to Goa.
Back home, he took the opportunity to discover his innate talent. His debut acting in Lino’s tiatr called ‘Dhorm’ was amazing while he gave another telling performance in ‘Kantteantlem Ful Bavoilem’. But his expedition on the stage had come to a standstill by then, as he made it to Doha Qatar once again after spending 3 years in Goa. For a second time he served as a Secretary, this time for Dahaitsur Company, but returned home in 9 months.
Back in Goa, he found his calling and started his own production house. His debut venture ‘Chuklele Roste’ (1991) which he wrote and directed, was well received. Subsequently, he came out with ‘Chitarlolo Fator’ (1992), Jith (1993), Liplele Rupkar (1993), Puja (1994), a video film ‘Xinn’ (1995) and thereafter, under the banner of S.B Art he wrote and directed over 30 Tiatrs each of which the title has a double alphabet in it.
The most acclaimed John D’Silva dramas are: Vell, Dennem, Ekvott, Vatt, Umannem, Sokallim, Menn, Avessor (Chapter), Bott (Finger), Somzonni, Magnnem, Bovall, Kirnnam, Porddo, Suknnim, Ugddas, Konn?, Vann, Vaitt, Jinn, Dhull, Xidkavnni, Voddem, Nattok, Devull, Kal,Kuttumb, etc.
John has staged his dramas in Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Malwan, Karnataka, New Delhi, etc. Outside the country, he has travelled with his troupe to Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Dubai, Muscat, London, etc.
John D'Silva in Video Films
Tiatrs apart, John has acted, produced and directed numerous Video films. The most prominent ones are Duddvankar, Fugddi, Jinn, Lofdde, Gondoll, etc.
When he made his debut on the Konkani stage, he did serious roles like ‘villains’ and other characters with negative shades, but in the year 1999 when he was not having a comedian in his troupe, he switched to main stream comedy in his Tiatr ‘Umannem’, which was a huge hit. Today, he is regarded as one of the top most comedians and one of the best script writers of Konkani stage.
John is the first one to enact triple role in his VCD film ‘Fugddi’ and a double role in VCD film ‘Lofdde’. He is the first Goan director to release his Tiatr ‘Nattok’ in London and Germany which was later staged throughout Goa.
It is not just his own dramas that John has acted in, but several times he has been to Kuwait to act in dramas directed by renowned directors such as Rosary Ferns, Jose Rod, etc. He has also been to London with the troupe of Fr. Lucas Diniz. Recently, he toured London and USA with Sammy Tavares’ troupe of ‘Tim Thikam Sandlelim’.
John D'Silva was bestowed the Title ‘ Emperor of Konkani Stage’ by the magazine ‘Hello Margao, Hello Panjim’, for his immense contribution in the field of Konkani Tiatrs.
Born to Custodio and Maria D'Silva, John is the eldest among 4 children. His sister Milly D'Silva and brother Marcus D'Silva may not be much popular, but his younger brother Simon D'Silva, based in Qatar, is a prominent personality among overseas Goans and a recipient of NRI Leadership Award from the Goa government. John is happily married to Sunita and has 2 sons Christ and Benhur.
In the company of some selected comedians, the ‘Emperor’ is expected to make the American School Hall in Kuwait a sea of 'crazy' laughter by his presence in 'SATH PANVDDE' - 7th November 2014.
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