Dolcy D’Cruz
The two words, ‘Aai Saiba’ brings in different emotions. One can express joy, shock and sadness with just saying out ‘Aai Saiba’ and the new Konkani film, ‘Aai Saiba’ emotes the same. At the heart of this project is director Stanley Menino D’Costa, a filmmaker with a strong Bollywood background, known for his work as an associate director on major Hindi films like ‘ABCD’ and ‘ABCD 2’ under renowned filmmaker and choreographer Remo D’Souza. For Stanley, this film is both a creative milestone and a deeply personal contribution to Konkani cinema. “The main protagonist is a hero who is under-confident. He supports everyone, but he’s not able to come out of his own. He’s been a back-up artiste in the film and how he solves his problems and achieves his dreams, that’s the story. There’s a lot of confusion, chaotic, kidnapping gone wrong, it’s all mad comedy. The film is entirely based in Goa,” says Stanley. ‘Aai Saiba!’ is a Konkani film produced by Sneha Super Sound in association with Bymistake Motion Pictures and co-produced by Makapao Films. Written and directed by Stanley Menino D’Costa, the film is produced by Hasn. The music is composed by Rajeev Shrivastav, with background score by Rahul Rao and lyrics by Sanjay Maurya. The film stars Walter D’Souza, Vedika Karkal, Kevin D’Mello, John D’Silva, Saiesh Pai Panandikar, Aniket Naik, Prince Jacob Fernandes, Fatima D’Souza, Rati Bhatikar and Fermino Goes. The film is presented by Remo D’Souza Media Private Limited. A noted Indian choreographer, film director, and producer Remo D’Souza was excited to be a part of the film, “I decided to present this Konkani film, ‘Aai Saiba’ because I strongly believed in supporting honest, rooted storytelling beyond language and geography. Having worked closely with Stanley D’Costa, my associate and longtime collaborator, I connected deeply with Stanley’s journey, vision, and passion to tell a story inspired by Goan culture and values. For me, ‘Aai Saiba’ represents the kind of cinema that comes from the heart, simple, soulful, and meaningful. By presenting this film, I hope to encourage Goa’s cinema, amplify authentic voices, and remind audiences that powerful stories can emerge from any corner of the country. I also thank Sneha Super Sound, my Friend Hanif for supporting Konkani cinema who produced ‘Aai Saiba’.” Walter D’Souza makes his film debut with this film and he feels proud it is in Konkani. “This film is very close to my heart. It explores human emotions in a very raw and honest way. What attracted me most was not just the plot, but the journey of the characters. I had to unlearn many habits and approach the character with vulnerability. The director gave us space to breathe and trust the moment. The film reflects situations we often avoid risking ourselves into. I believe different people will take different meanings from it. That’s the beauty of this story. It stays with you even after the film ends. I hope audiences watch it with an open heart. And allow the film to speak to them in its own way,” says Walter. Kevin D’Mello who usually plays the lead roles in most Konkani films will be seen in a new avatar in this film. “It’s a hilarious film. I enjoyed working with the director Stanley D’Costa and team of ‘Aai Saiba’ as I’m playing a totally different character, Star D’Souza. I am happy to be a part of 16 Konkani films till date,” says Kevin. “I am a theatre artiste, and this journey was truly wonderful and beautiful. It was tough at times, but I enjoyed every moment of it. I have spent nearly 60 years acting on stage, playing many roles, villain, heroine, strict daughter-in-law, strict mother in-law, but for the first time in my life, I did comedy, and I absolutely enjoyed it,” says Fatima D’Souza, a versatile actress. Veteran stage and film actor, John D’Silva plays an important role in the f ilm. He shares his experience, “I always learn from my directors. Stanley made sure that everything on set had to be perfect, especially the way the film was shot. I learned a lot during the shooting of this film and enjoyed it immensely. My entire focus was on the shoot, and it was a great experience working with Stanley D’Costa. I’m truly grateful to him for giving me this opportunity, this role and this character, in ‘Aai Saiba’. It was a different kind of role, filled with emotion, anger, and many funny moments. It’s a different type of comedy film and I believe everyone should watch this film as it was released. The director, producer, actors, and the entire technical team worked extremely hard to make this film, and audiences will experience that effort when they watch it.”
