Kid Boxer

Kid Boxer

Real Name: Caetano Manuel Pereira

Born: 17th February 1917

Died: 3rd March 1991

Caetano Manuel Pereira was born on February 17, 1917 at Siolim, Goa. His childhood naughtiness earned him the nickname ‘Boxer’ which was adapted to the stage name of Kid Boxer by Ernest Rebello. At first he used to act in small small tiatrs and like other tiatrist he got his first break to sing in Ernest Rebello tiat BOMBAINCHI ISTIL. Kids song was was so good that gradually he got offers to sing in tiatrs of the famous directors and artists of the time like,  Joao Agostinho Fernandes, Souza Ferrao, J.P.Souzalin, Andrew Fernandes, Saib Rocha, Miss Julie,Anthony Too Loo, Champion Alvares, Minguel Rod, Anthony Mendes, Young Menezes,  C.Alvares, Alfred Rose, Remmie Colaco etc

Kid Boxers first tiatr was OSTORI, but his most famous tiatr was KIDACHEM SOPON, besides these he wrote Editor Ponch de Bombaim' Ankvar ani Kazari', 'Zata tem Boreak', 'Bhoinn', 'Militar', 'Zulum', 'Amchim Natalam', 'Goa', 'Bankruttan Bankrutt', 'Fuddar', 'Mhozo Oprad', 'Adeus vo Nimnni Bhett'.

He was a member of the famous Kid-Young-Rod trio. The second member was Young Menezes, a jet-speed singer, who once sang a self-composed song of 500 words without pausing to renew his breath. Minguel Rod, one of the greatest Konkani tiatrists, completed the triumvirate.

In 1958 Kid Boxer sang an Anti Indian Song in Mumbai. Goan Freedom Fighters there got him jailed and he was later deported to Goa( shows that Independent India knew that Goa was an independent entity). The Portuguese employed him in Emisorra Goa and as an artist he worked with the likes of Jacinto Vaz, Allen Costa and Georgina Jacques. 

According to many he was the highest paid Konkani artist of that time. Some of his hits were. Divo pettounk guneanacher/ Uzwadd ieunk Chintnacher/ Zo Kon zanna konnem ghoram bandleant tim pongeranchea zaddacher. Suskar soddlet maeyani/Dolle bhortat dukhani/ Aiz putancheo maeyom duddu na zaun, rodtat zorinnim. A song in codes though whose actual meaning was known to his close friends only. Yet his songs were Poppular. The above was scripted when the GOVT Of India banned money transfers and travel for Bombay Goans to Goa in wake of the economic blockade in the 1950’s.

  

After the Indian Invasion he was again arrested while singing in Mapusa. The song he sung was. Tum Bhitor sorlai chukon, mortoloi sukon, dusreacho desh pochona; Tum nestai fokot valo, ani khatai fokot palo, hem matui hanga sobona; Tum panpotti khatai, ani poch’chu korun thuktai, lozui kaim dissona…..

  

After his release Kid returned to Bombay and began stage acting again. In one of his shows containing a ‘zupatti’(tongue lashing) a so called Goan freedom fighter raised a rukus over his anti National song. Though the Audience was with Kid the Law was not. He was arrested and incarcerated at Nasik jail for 6 months and tortured Physically and mercilessly. Still his spirit was not quashed. He wrote another Tiatr, “Somzonnem Zali Chuk”. Here he sang a hit, “Suv mhoine Nasik coventan kaddle, torui converter zaunk na” which means “ Despite being in a Convent in Nasik for 6 months I was not converted”.

  

Kid boxer was an expert and incomparable delivering his melodious ‘zupattis,’ like ‘Nesson dusreachem kapodd, hath paiem kamrun bosleat Makod.” This was in accordance to his conviction and as that of many Goans that Goa was invaded and illegally occupied by India. He passed away on 3rd March 1991 in Parel, Bombay.

Among others, the three great pillars of the golden era were KID-YOUNG-ROD (Kid Boxer, Young Menezes and Minguel Rod); they went on to become the most popular combination of the period.

In the following song, Jr. Rod presents us the above-mentioned three characters by singing one each verse and chorus of their original songs: Here is the verse of Kid Boxer

"KID-YOUNG-ROD" by Jr. Rod

III

Khorench Young Menezes-ak azunui favo vhodd maan
Tannem fast kantaram mhunnon dakoilem tiatristank
Tosoch Kid Boxer oparinchea kantaranim azun asa tann
Dekun Kiddacheo opari atam aikat sintidan

Mim kevrila ala vota Goela, kai fine zaga mure dhandela
Thonddu dukhachi mannsa bogaila, ar’re xethkari gaborte bhattkarla

Va very good night, bhattkar light, xethkari xeth korun raddtta mhunnche kai re, atam tras dite vaitt, atam tumich boga saib, dita bolun pian vazta savkarachi wife

Mi Goela dete vote maddachi, avxila bore mhunntat kazunchi
Bomboila gete vote dobbeachi, punn baiko bolte guttan iete tonddachi
Hadnaim fuk, baiko marte bukh, jasti zali tor ti sangte bhair zavn zop

Ar’re darucha rop, mhunnchem jivitacha fog, mister telling to drink mekomblleacho sop

Kid Boxers popular songs were Simitir, Xenddo,Ugddas, Uzo Petlo and Marekar Teomp with Remmie Colaco.

Courtesy Inputs from the net

Anthony De Sa

Anthony De Sa
Born 1st March 1915
Died 10th July 1969

Anthony De Sa was born on 1^st March 1915 at Dandora in Cuncolim, Salcete Goa, wrote his very first tiatr titled, ‘Zuz Mogachem’ at a very young age in the year 1933.

J.P. Souzalin, one of the most celebrated tiatrist of yesteryears on seeing the singing talent of Anthony De Sa booked him for his next tiatr to sing the opening song. Before Anthony came on stage, it was a prerogative of singers like Patrick Fireman, Luis Borges, Emilidio Sailor, Anthony Vaz, Souza Ferrao and Dioginho de Melo to sing the opening song in any tiatr. Anthony took away that prerogative from these established singers. His first appearance in J.P. Souzalin’s tiatr established this. Thereafter it was only Anthony de Sa to sing the opening song in any tiatr. He had a lot of depth in his compositions and his voice was pleasant, clear and loud. Anthony, slowly started taking interest in acting and developed into a fine actor.

He wrote 17 tiatrs and directed 24 tiatrs of different writers. Some of the tiatrs written by him are ‘Rogtachi Bhett’, ‘Ghatkem Kumsar’, ‘Vingas’, ‘Maim Ti Maim’, ‘Soddtam Devache Nitik’, ‘Farikponn’, ‘Dotor Fotas’, ‘Nirbhag Axechem’, ‘Nores Fonddpi’, ‘Patok Dubavachem’, ‘Inam Zolmancho’, ‘Goemkarancheo Sonvoieo’, ‘Nisontton Fudarachem’, ‘Inam Patkacho’ and ‘Ayah’.

Anthony De Sa has acted in 2 Konkani films (1) Amchem Noxib and (2) Nirmonn. His role in ‘Nirmonn’ will always remain as a proof of his acting abilities for generations to come. He died on 10^th July 1969.

Rom Tony

Rom Tony

Real Name: Antonio Romao Rebello
Stage Name: Rom Tony
Date of Birth: 28h Feb., 1929
Died: 05th April 2005

Rom Tony’ was born on 28th February 1929 at Vasco da Gama and lived his entire life in this port Town. He was employed with the Mormugao Port Trust,  and served the organisation till his retirement. At the age of 18, Antonio Romao Rebello made his debut on the Konkani stage in an amateur production ‘Maim Ti Maim’. It was here that he was spotted by the then Writer-Director Nelson Afonso who  later introduced him to the professional stage.

Young Antonio later took the stage name ‘Rom Tony’ and with his natural composing talent went on to carve a niche for himself on the stage.  A die hard patriot, Rom Tony once composed and sang a song praising the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi and was instantly  arrested by the Portuguese government. But his other colleagues and fans encouraged him to go ahead and not to get disheartened. Rom Tony composed all the 21 songs in one tiatr during his early days. As a professional artist he has been part of the troupe of several well-known directors like M. Boyer, J.P. Souzalin, Prem Kumar, C. Alvares and others.

During his 42 odd years on the Konkani stage, Rom Tony staged several tiatrs of his own like; ‘Goenchem Eliesanv, Dotor, Uxttem, Raj Goribanchem, Dev Dita, Paicher Fest Poddlam, Piso Pulis Inspector, Nimnni Chitt, and Mhozo Put. These shows were staged in Goa and Mumbai. He was once arrested during the Bandodkar regime in Goa for the controversial and hard-hitting script of ‘Goenchem Eleisanv’.  Together with Nelson Afonso and Conception, Rom Tony was responsible for the formation of ‘Young Stars of Goa’, which was one of the strongest contingents of Goan tiatrists.  He formed the famed trio of Rom-Rem-Rod and after ruling the stage for many years one of its members ‘Remmie’ moved to the Gulf. Rom Tony did not give up the trio but substituted the male singer Remmie with a female artist ‘Josephine’ and continued for some more years.

As a composer of high calibre it was obvious that he should produce his own audio albums. When the trend of producing Konkani albums was just setting in, Rom Tony produced two audio albums  ‘Kud’di Bhoinn’ and ‘Kumarak Faxi’. Both his albums were well received.  Rom Tony was honoured by the Government of Goa for his contribution to the Konkani dramas in the year 1999 and was presented a State Award.  In January 2005, Rom Tony was felicitated and presented a memento by Comedian Dominic Coelho during his drama ‘Uzvaddant Kallok’at Gomant Vidya Niketan Margao.

Due to failing health Rom Tony gave up the professional stage way back in 1988, and his last public appearance on stage was for a special programme at Christmas time at the St. Andrew’s Parish Vasco, in 1997, where he composed and sang a special song.  He however continued composing songs till his very end and the songs he composed were rendered on stage by his two  daughters Felcy and Aplon. He passed away on 5th April 2005.

Source: Goanobserver 4th April 2005