It was the best times and then it turned into worst of time. The Konkani film industry is minuscule when compared to those found in other states in the neighbourhood and yet it has managed to make its mark by winning national awards. Kaajro won a national award last year and prior to that K Sera Sera won the best regional film (Konkani) at the 64th national film awards and then of course there was Nachom-ia-Kumpasar. The film was a critically acclaimed movie that bagged many national film awards like in ‘Best Production Design’, ‘Best Konkani Film’ categories and received special mention for its female lead Palomi Ghosh. The Konkani film industry was wtnessing a very productive time. But then the Covid-19 derailed several plans. The industry just shut down like many others around the country including the mammoth Hindi film industry. Now of course the situation is improving but the question remains as to what affect it had on the industry and how was it looking now. And importantly what were the plans in the long run. Rajendra Talak, film producer said everyone was affected by the virus. He said “It was so bad even locals were not allowing anyone to shoot. Now even if projects are on the floor or shooting is completed, it is still bad. Earlier at least four films would be released every week but now it is just one or two. It has affected everyone”. Rajendra said the government had done its best to ensure there was good cinema being produced. “There is a government scheme for the industry. But some dues are pending. The dues till 2015-16 were cleared as far as I am concerned. But in some cases the producers have not submitted some documents. Now the system had been streamlined,” Talak said. He went on to say that depending on the category, government gave fifty percent of the cost. Asked about the challenges facing the industry, he said the market was small because the State was small. The kind of subjects he said would always be regional because that was the case with all regional cinemas. “Producers have to ensure their films are showcased in local cinema halls and only then go to the Ravindra Bhavan. The government is willing to provide assistance and ensure at least hundred 100 screenings are achieved. The government is giving Rs 7,000 per show, which works out to Rs 7 lakh,” he said. Despite all the support, the money is not enough to release a film every alternate year. “Films have to be made every year to ensure there is a functional industry. I am working on a movie script. The film is expected to go to floors in October,” Talak informed. Darshan Lolienkar, a Goan film maker, said for two years there was absolutely no activity. “Nobody came out in Goa. Even I was sitting at home. Now even after two years, production has not picked up. Restrictions are still in place. I was supposed to start work on a documentary on a prominent person in Goa called the Rose Man. He has raised Rose gardens across the country. But the project is yet to take off,” Lolienkar said. Although now physical restrictions have eased but there is money crunch. “Our financiers are either in hospitality or mining. The lockdown caused a lot of harm to the hospitality industry. Mining is shut. Some people have the money but they are not willing to give it for movies. It is tough,” he said. Asked about the long term plans he said, “I have the equipment and only need money to pay the salaries of the actors as well as the daily expenses that are incurred.” He is now working on a script and will start shooting in two months. The film would be titled “Ghar Wapsi”. “It would be about the Portuguese coming to Goa and those families which migrated to neighbouring Karnataka to avoid conversion,” he said. He is working on another script which is a murder mystery. The songs for both the films were complete. He expressed confidence things would work out fine. Rajesh Pednekar, the man behind Kaajro which won National Award, was blunt when he said he was still not able to release the film in Goa. He said theatres were open and with only fifty percent seating allowed it was tough to make money. “Then there is the problem of high rent. The cost of releasing a film is too much and the government is not doing enough to help Goan film makers in this direction,” he said. He said once the new government was in place, he intended to take a delegation and make a representation to the authorities of the problems they were facing. “Our dues have not been cleared for a couple of years despite us having submitted all the relevant papers. Grants have not been released. If it is done in a proper manner, we will get Rs 3 crore every year and everything will move smoothly,” he said. According to him, people would get paid and then post production studios would come up. “That is not happening now because there is no work and no surety of continuous work,” Pednekar said, adding, “there has to be an understanding of the situation on the ground”. Similar sentiments were expressed by Madhav Gad who said it was very difficult get money for a project due to the poor state of the economy. “It is still difficult to shoot outside because of the fear over COVID,” he said. Things were now slowly improving but it was still tight because most of the cast and crew came from outside. He said, “We had announced a biopic on Manohar Parrikar and the producers were hit due to the shutdown in the industry and no one else is forthcoming. We have had to depend on financing from outside the state.” These are tough times undoubtedly, but the passion of the Goan filmmakers will ensure the industry will revive.
