Media Release
Doha, Jul 25: It’s a milestone in Konkani, an event to remember, a memory to cherish and a legacy to be continued. Konkani’s pride and numero uno entertainment ‘The Wilfy Nite’ is turning golden this year and the Wilfy’s Konkani Sangeet Gharana is all set to virtually recreate this magic that created history exactly 50 years ago.
It was on Sunday September 19, 1971 that the first-ever Wilfy Nite was held at the Town Hall, Mangalore. The event was organized under the banner of Roop Raag, an association started and promoted by renowned Konkani playwright the late Gabbu Urwa and the late Benna Ruzai. It was the first-of-its-kind full-fledged Konkani musical nite. The first-ever Wilfy Nite was such a mega success and received unprecedented support from Konkani lovers that Roop Raag organized the Second Wilfy Nite a week later, that is, on Sunday September 26, 1971 at the Town Hall. It was during this second Wifly Nite that Wilfy Rebimbus was conferred with the title ‘Konkan Kogull’ by the then bishop of Mangaluru the late Basil D’Souza.
Soon Wilfy Nite became a Konkani tradition and attained popularity. Inspired and supported by Wilfy Rebimbus many more Konkani composers went on to stage their own musical nites in the later years, making Konkani Musical Nites as one of the most popular and complete Konkani entertainments. It remains the same today, even after 50 grand years.
Born in 1942, Wilfy Rebimbus composed his first Konkani song at the age of 14 in 1956. Since then he never looked back and went on to compose more than 3000 Konkani songs with his own lyrics and tunes, which in itself is a record that is almost impossible to match. Apart from being a singer and composer, Wilfy was poet, playwright, journalist and a novelist as well. Before the advent of Nites, Wilfy used to compose songs for Konkani plays, Konkani music competitions etc. By the time he created history by staging the first-ever Wilfy Nite, he had already composed almost 300 Konkani songs, penning the lyrics and setting the tunes, all by himself.
Post Wilfy’s demise, his family under the leadership of Wifly’s illustrious partner-on-stage-and-in-life Meena Rebimbus, has continued to stage Wilfy Nites and release Konkani albums, continuing the rich legacy of the legend. Continuing in the same vein now Wilfy’s Konkani Sangeet Gharana in association with United Youngsters is all set to recreate the first-ever Wilfy Nite, exactly after 50 years, albeit on a virtual platform. Wilfy-Meena’s daughter Veena Pais nee Rebimbus has taken up the lead to make this historic event a memorable one and troupe of some of the most well-known voices of Konkani stage as well a few young Konkani singers are preparing to dish out another complete entertainment package to the Konkani buffs in the coming days. Don’t miss this opportunity and keep watching this space for further details about this historic event.