from daijiworld's special  correspondent

Panaji, Dec 4: Completely disagreeing that Goa lacks film culture, noted Konkani film producer Rajendra Talak today lashed the filmmakers for lobbying with the sole aim to shift the festival outside Goa.

“Goa has a film culture and it has contributed most the Bollywood right from 70’s. The state will figure in the list of five states which has contributed most to the Hindi film industry,” Talak contended briefing presspersons at the backdrop of International film festival of India, 2006.

Several music composers like Anthony Gonsalves, Cameraperson like K Vaikunth and others hailed from Goa. Even Mangueshkar family had migrated from Goa, he pointed out.

The IFFI 2006 was marred with several controversies following allegation of festival’s pro-Bollywood attitude by regional filmmakers. The filmmakers including Kannada director Girish Kasaravalli had said that the festival should be shifted from Goa.

“There is a strong lobby from South and Bengal working to shift the festival from Goa, which is not fair. I don’t understand why they are against Goa. West Bengal does not require this festival so also kerala,” Talak said.

Commenting on the mismanagement during the festival, Talak held delegates responsible for the mess. “I suggest that next time one delegate should be allowed to watch two to three films a day so that there is no chaos,” he said.

Talak, whose first celluloid Konkani movie, Aleesha, was screened during IFFI 2005 and later went into Berlin Asia Pacific Film Festival 2006 in regional films section, is in the news again with his film Antarnaad.

The film is shot in two languages. “In Konkani it is called Antarnaad while in Marathi it is titled Sawli,” Talak explained. Sawli would be released in Pune on December 15, he added.