During the time of invasion of Kuwait, Goans evacuated from Kuwait had very bitter experience of some Goan tiatrists especially of those who mocked Kuwaitkars from the stage for the unexpected misery Kuwaitkars have suffered due to Saddam�s invasion of Kuwait. Many of the tiatrists were the direct and indirect beneficiaries of Kuwait and Kuwaitkars before the invasion of Kuwait on August 2nd 1990. After the liberation of Kuwait on 26th February 1991, visiting tiatrists from Goa started pouring in Kuwait in bigger number than earlier period. They started coming to Kuwait and started entertaining the Konkani audience and in the bargain they earned also a good amount. Not only thru remuneration for the work they performed from the stage but also otherwise. When visiting tiatrists come to Kuwait they receive lot of goodwill and other material benefits from their nearest, dearest and admirers. When they come in contact with me whenever possible to some I try to give highlights in my writings because I know they are the promoters of Konkani and hence I feel they deserve some consideration even though some of them are so crooks, so cunning, so dirty, so vulgar, so ungrateful, so jealous and so selfish. According to history, some of the worst citizens of Goa are those belonging to Konkani stage and precisely because of this tiatrists did not enjoy good respect in society. Society liked only their stage performance because society accepted their worth of only entertaining from the stage. During the early days of Konkani Tiatro and even till recently, elite parents of girls would never easily agree their daughters marrying a tiatirst. It was lowering the reputation of reputed family by giving their daughter to a tiatrist. During those days �tiatristpon� was associated with �rostadponn� by many and as a matter of interest elite and higher echelon of Goan society refused to patronize this beautiful art. But now time is changed and tiatrists are enjoying good reputation in society because of many factors and changed of society�s attitude towards them.
Recently I had an opportunity to meet with well-known tiatrist comedian Jesus Antao during his recent visit to Kuwait to participate in one of the Tiatros. He is totally different in many respects from many of the tiatrists in the sense that Jesus Antao as a man is a decent person with few words, living a decent life with his family and doing a decent job at Port Trust Marmagoa. During the last war against Iraq he showed his great concern for the safety of Goans in Kuwait and this concern he showed by phoning Kuwait and enquiring of well-being of Goans. Thus he showed his gratitude for what he gained from Kuwait Goans. Comedian Antao whose real name is Jose Jesus Antao was born and brought up in Chinchinnim � Salcette, Goa. The way Chinchinnim gave Goa innumerable and great foot-ballers so also it gave innumerable and great tiatrists and comedian Jesus is surely one of them. Currently he is considered one of the best on Konkani Stage whose acting prowess came into fore in 1984 when he first time acted in a drama by George Fernandes from Raia. In this drama half the cast came from professional sector including Rosy Alvares and Jesus played the role of a comedian along with his yet another Chinchinnkar colleague comedian Jackson. Earlier, Jesus acted in many of the local dramas organized in Chinchinnim and ambient areas. During the last two decades of acting with topmost artistes and groups especially in Non-Stop shows he gained lot of fame and name. Among the topmost directors in whose shows he acted are Menino de Bandar, Rosario Rodrigues, A. M. Pacheco, Roseferns, Patrick Dourado, Ligorio Fernandes, John Claro, Adv. Mike Mehta, Vitorino Pereira, Mario Menezes, Pascoal Rodrigues, Christopher Leitao and others. He also acted in One-Act-Play competitions and won awards at All Goa Competitions. Besides doing comedy roles, he is also a good singer and that he is a good singer he proved in the recently acted drama in Kuwait where he rendered a beautiful solo �Chinchinnim - Chinchinnim� in a beautiful voice.
In addition to acting all over Goa, comedian Jesus also acted in Bombay, Poona, Mangalore, Ratnagiri, Karwar, Malwan and other places in India while in the Gulf he acted in Kuwait, Dubai, Abudhabi, Muscat, Bahrain and Qatar.
His greatness on the Stage lies not only in performing comedy in original style but also showing the audience originality in his performance. According to him, he prefers Sally as his comedy partner since he finds Sally exceptionally talented comedian.
Besides acting in Dramas and Non-Stop Shows, comedian Jesus Antao produced and so far released his 5 Audio Cassettes namely (1) Aum MP (2) Sagvad (3) Repeat-Repeat (4) Money Order and (5) Holiday and also rendered Jokes in the cassettes released by others.
There is a beautiful saying in Konkani �Dev Dita ani Devchar Kaddta�. This was what exactly happened to comedian Jesus Antao on 15th February 1990 when his theatrical career was disrupted by a major Motorcyle accident. This fatal accident not only disrupted his acting career but also almost destroyed his acting career. Before this accident Jesus was shining like a star, he was overpowering all other comedians and considered to be numero uno comedian of Konkani Stage. Exactly at this stage �Saitan� came on his way and snatched his greatness of Konkani Stage, which Jesus will never regain, the old greatness and charm that he was displaying was taken away by Saitan forever. Many times the greatness in our lives is either taken away by Saitan out of jealousy or taken away by God due to our superficial pride. For this reason one has to be very careful and must always fear the wrath of God or evil hand of Saitan. Because of this accident Jesus was kept in GMC Hospital for one month under coma and then when everything was lost for him in Goa he was shifted to Jaslok in Bombay where he was partially cured mainly because of the prayers and God�s powers. May God keep Jesus Antao in good health and May God give Jesus Antao his old health and memory back so as to allow him to perform well on Konkani Stage and to serve Konkani language and Goa.
For few questions that I posed Jesus, he answered thus: �I feel hurt to see you are living in very piercing summer� when questioned him about climatic conditions in Kuwait. He said �he was surprised to see everyone is on his/her toes in Kuwait and nothing goes slow here� for another question about our being always busy here. About the treatment he got in Kuwait he said �much satisfied with the organizers�. About Kuwait Tiatristanchi Sonvstha, surprisingly Jesus said he is totally unaware of its existence, not only existence, even the phenomenon used by its founder �To Nachlear Aum Nachona� which is absolutely bad on the part of its initiator. It is precisely because of this dirt that Konkani Tiatro is on the verge of extinction. About confiscation of Audio Cassettes of visiting tiatrists during their recent visit to Kuwait including that of himself, Felcy and William de Curtorim by Kuwait Customs, he said it was wrong on their own part to bring so many cassettes when it is prohibited by local rules and regulations. About his selection of best comedian and best writer/director of Non-Stop Shows, Jesus said it is none other than Dr. Rosario Rodrigues who is known as William Shakespeare of Konkani Stage.
A. Veronica Fernandes, Kuwait.
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