By Nanu Marol Thottam
Mangaluru, Nov 19: Every time after watching a Konkani movie, I decide not to watch any Konkani movies again due to the outdated subjects they take up. But again I make the mistake of watching a Konkani movie for a single reason of Konkani being mother tongue. This is out of sheer love for my Konkani.
But the movie ‘Kantaar’, which I watched last Friday, has helped me to distance myself from such thoughts of mine. I may not be in a wrong if I say that ‘Kantaar’ is a path breaker in Konkani film world.
I was very much disturbed on Friday morning after reading suicide news of one more youth in Mangaluru. I was asking questions to myself what is happening to our youth. Why they are running away from facing the life? Their parents give them good life, quality education and when they are looking forward for their bright future, why our youths are putting their parents in dark? Why our youths are making their parents cry throughout their life? Is suicide the only solution? What steps should be adopted to come out from this fatal decease called suicide? With all this disturbed thoughts, I entered the film theatre. As I was watching this movie, I got answers to all my questions.
Yes, we need a person like Jordan in our family and also with us .Then only we can save many lives who are thinking about this fatal decease called suicide.
It was my pleasure to watch two beautiful scripts and equally good acting in a short span of seven days. First one is the short play presented by my close buddies Melwin Kalakul and Darrel D’Souza during Geet Gazal 2.00 on the poetic life of Melvyn Rodrigues on November 1 and the second one is on the movie ‘Kantaar’ which I watched on November 8.
The story of ‘Kantaar’ revolves around a singer who struggles, fights and ultimately by wins crossing all the obstacles in life. The failure of her father in music industry in front of her own eyes , selling of old house and land to cover up the losses caused due to failure in business , father’s immense love towards music , untimely death of the father when younger sister is still in womb, the difficulties the mother faces to bring up two girls with minimum earnings from small bread shop , failure in previous love , kidney problems of younger sister and mother’s woes in earning the daily bread are some of the impediments she faces in life. And there is this music industry which brought misery to the family.
Fed up with all these issues, Angelica Fernandes decides to end her life’s musical journey by committing suicide by jumping into water in a hurry. At the last minute, Jordan saves her life. Jordan explains to her stage by stage as how to live a good life happily. The character of Jordan is well drafted.
We have to learn from this movie, the importance of good screenplay for the success of the movie. Our directors and producers have to learn from this movie instead of blowing their own trumpets by saying we had done this and that in so many years. Instead of saying people are jealous on them and narrating similar stuff, they should give a thought on how much impact they have made on the society through their movies?
There is no much comedy in the movie but whenever comedy appears, the director has given his best and has managed in making the audience to laugh. It is a clean comedy and nowhere the director allows comedy to run away from the script.
‘Kantaar’ film is a perfect example and the lesson for the people who write double-meaning dialogues, below the belt jokes and ‘C’ grade words just to make audience to laugh.
Cinematography of the film is wonderful. It gives a feeling of virtual Goa tour. Capturing the greenery, covering of main locations of Goa and shooting in picturesque locations by using the drones have given an opportunity for viewers to enjoy the beauty of the nature. Viewers never feel like watching the daylight incidents at night. I am glad that director and cinematographer know the difference between day and night.
Director has studied and put a lot of time on the subject of the movie which is evident in each character. What all difficulties and boundaries a singer has to overcome to materialize her dreams to pursue her career in music have been well depicted. This shows the labour of the director.
By just putting a stethoscope around the neck, you cannot portray a doctor’s character. But you need to study the complete routine life of a doctor. His professional life, difficulties a doctor is facing, his family life, social life and the also the viral deceases sometimes transmitted to him have to be well studied by the director before capturing the character on camera. Then only it will be possible to create a powerful character which will remain in the public memory for long. Angelica Fernandes and Jordan were two good examples of this. Giving the roles to the actors just because of someone has given gifts, provided accommodation or looked after travelling expenses makes negative impact on any movie. Due to such recent tradition, our movies have become laughing stock of late. At least I am happy that the director of ‘Kantaar’ has not compromised here.
Angelica Fernandes, Jordan and others in this movie have managed to remain in me even after I left the theatre. These characters will disturb be always. Jackie Shorff as Jordan uses his entire Bollywood experience and takes viewers to a different world. He has acted brilliantly in this technically tough character. Esther Noronha as Angelica Fernandes steals the show. Noel as the hero mesmerizes the audience. All these three steal your hearts with natural acting. Even a small character of the Insurance Agent makes a great impact on viewers.
Music of Kantaar film is very melodious. Background music is very good. The title song has been used many times in flashbacks but definitely viewers are not bored with the same since it is relevant in heroine’s life. Again the director has displayed his skills and knowledge here by proving that only rich lyrics will not make any film great but the director should know the meaning of words and should have the in-depth knowledge of words and intention of every word of song.
Though the ‘Kantaar’ movie is made in Goan dialect, it is not very difficult to get the meanings of words. There should not be any boundaries to understand the art and music and ‘Kantaar’ movie has proved it.