Many of our Goan musicians lived in Bombay where they worked wonders,
especially for the Hindi Film Industry. October 12, 2005 was the 64th
birthday of the Indian living legend, Amitabh Bachchan. One of his most
successful films in the 1970s was AMAR, AKBAR, ANTHONY (AAA). In this
film, there is a song titled MY NAME IS ANTHONY GONSALVES and the name in
the song belongs to none other than the 78-year old Goan maestro and living
legend, Anthony Gonsalves from Majorda, Goa. It so happened that Pyarelal
(of Laxmikant-Pyarelal fame), who had learnt violin from the Goan, was in
the process of composing music for the film AAA, and grateful as he was to
Anthony, he contacted and asked him if he could use his name for a song to
be featured on Amitabh Bachchan. Since many Hindi movies have portrayed
Goans as drunkards, Anthony agreed with the condition that his name should
not be abused; Pyarelal agreed. He just clad the tall man in a suit and a
top hat and made him leap out of a giant Easter egg and sing the song. The
song became a sensation overnight and went on to become one of the best hits
of the decade. Surprisingly, the real Anthony Gonsalves has never met the
reel Anthony, as by 1965, Anthony quit the film industry and shifted to
America. Kudos to Pyarelal for immortalizing his teacher in the song! I
also salute him for following the ethics.
As I said last week, M. Boyer always kept pace with the happenings in Goa
and composed songs on varied subjects. Here are the lyrics of one of his
songs Doulot Goenkaranchi which reveals the real identity of Goans working
in the background of the Hindi Film Industry:
DOULOT GOENKARANCHI
I
Amchem Goa xar bhorlam famad uxear muzganim
Ami music xiktanv Goeam igorjen iskolanim
Aiz Indiechea mapar musican poile ami
Bombaim film industry gazoilea Goenkaranim
Chorus
Ugddas astolo sabar vorsam pattim, Bombaim Albela mhunn ek picture laglelem
Tantun acting famad Baghwanan kelelem, punn music Goenkaranim gazoilelem
Tem svadik music Goenkaran boroilelem, dekun Albela picture nanv zoddunk
pavlelem
Amchea Chic-Chocletan music tem ghatlelem, punn lokan nanv C. Ramchandrak
dilelem
II
Vhodd-vhodd musician Goenkarank ditat vhodd man
Mhunttat music assam mhunn Goenkaranchea rogtan
Aiz Laxmikant-Pyarelal asat Director zavn
Ekleak xikoila amchea Anthony Gonsalvesan
Chorus
Oi music ek doulot Goenkaranchi, thoddeank khobor nam eka uxear muzgachi
Tannem soglleank vollok dovorlea apnnanchi, zoddun xebaski Nirmonn, Amchea
Noxibachi
To dis-rat filmank music boroupi, tannem xeva keli kitleanch directoranchi
Ghevn mozot amchea Frank Fernandachi, aiz famad zalem Kalyanji-Anandji
III
Aslet dog music director tantlo eklo melo
Shanker-Jaikishan mhuttlear konnui voukotalo
Tanchem music borem mhunn lok kantaram mhunttalo
Punn tancho sogllo vavr Goenkar Sebastian kortalo
Chorus
Ami Goenkar sodanch ugttea monanche, ami kuskeaponn soddun konnaichem
soboita
Ami amche Goenche Mandde-Dekhnneo ghalun, aiz kitlimxim Hindi pikcheram
gazoita
Punn filmanche director hem sogllem visron, Goenkar bebde mhunnon filmanim
dakoita
Ami uxear mhunn filmanim vazoupak apoita, punn ami uxear mhunn poddddeacher
dakounk lipoita
From Doms antique shelf!
P.S. It was the title of this song that inspired my ganv-bhav, the
renowned Konkani novel writer, Bonaventure DPietro, to write his 12th novel
titled SONGIT Doulot Goenkaranchi!
Moi-mogan,
Domnic Fernandes
Anjuna/Dhahran, KSA
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