Dolla Mangalore chosen for Konkani Kutam Bahrain Award
Media Release
Mangalore, Jul 20: Avitas Adolphus Cutinha, veteran Konkani playwright, director, radio artiste and comedy actor, popularly known as Dolla Mangalore, has been selected for the Konkani Kutam Bahrain-2013 Award, which carries a cash prize of Rs 50,000, a citation and a memento.
The award will be presented during a ceremony to be held at St Sebastian Platinum Jubilee Hall, Bendore on Sunday July 28. MLA J R Lobo will preside over the programme while Udupi diocese PRO Fr Denis D'Sa will be the chief guest and renowned Konkani writer C G S Taccode will be the guest of honour.
Avitas Adolphus Cutinha (Dolla) is a multifaceted personality. As a little boy he started watching Tamil movies and animal circus. At the age of 10, Shri Giri had given him an opportunity to play a speechless role in his Konkani drama "Kalloka Pattlean Uzwad" (Light Behind Darkness).
Later Dolla was offered a comedy role in Ibrahim's Tulu play "Kaljigada Madimal". Ever since, he has played comedy roles in a number of Tulu and Konkani plays as well. He has also penned a few Tulu and Konkani dramas.
Dolla has directed more than 50 dramas and played comedy roles in more than 300 Konkani and Tulu plays. He has directed some religious plays like 'Mother Teresa', 'Devache Dha Upades' (Ten Commandments), 'Shipai Santh' (Soldier Saint), 'Somia Tum Khaim Vetai?' (Lord, Where Thou Goest?) and others. He has performed quite a number of magic shows apart from his popular comedy shows like Dol-Fel-Chal, Dolla-Kulla etc.
As a fabulous actor Dolla had opportunities to prove his talent in the movies too. He played comedy roles in Konkani movies 'Bhoglant' (Allegation), 'Mog Ani Moipas' (Love and Affection) and also a few Kannada films like 'Tuvvi Tuvvi', 'SMS 6260', and Tulu telefilm 'Sahana'. He has produced 'Dol-Fel-Chal' and 'Fokannam Fokannam' audio cassettes containing his unique jokes. He has also published two books of jokes - 'Kuch Kuch Kuchileo' and 'Hip Hip Hurray'.
Dolla has given numerous comedy shows not only in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts but also in Mysore, Bangalore, Mumbai, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. He has been felicitated by quite a number of associations in India and abroad including Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy. At present Avitus Adolphus is serving MCC Bank Ltd as one of its directors.