Tiatrist ‘Rico Rod’ no more

Team Herald

MARGAO: Richardo Vincent Rodrigues, popularly known as Rico Rod, an entertainer loved by Konkani audiences in Goa, Mumbai, Africa, and the Gulf during his career spanning over 50 years, passed away on June 1 after a brief illness.

Rico Rod was born on January 22, 1933 in Sirlim, Salcete. During his illustrious career, he contributed to more than 20 tiatrs as playwright and director, acted in over 40 tiatrs, and composed and sang over 150 songs.

As a filmmaker, he wrote the screenplay, produced, directed and acted in his own black and white movie ‘Kortubancho Sounsar’. As an actor, he regaled audiences with multiple roles, be it as a hero, villain, or comedian, including several character roles.

His role as a villain in the first Konkani coloured movie ‘Bhuienrantlo Monis’ won him accolades; he also wrote the dialogue for this movie.

He has acted in most of the earlier Konkani films like ‘Amchem Noxib’, ‘Nirmonn’, ‘Sukhachem Sopon’, and ‘Jivit Amchem Oxem’.

The moment Rico Rod appeared onstage, he was always greeted with glee by the audience. He acted in many tiatrs of reputed writers and directors of his time, such as C Alvares, M Boyer, Prem Kumar, Alfred Rose, Remy Colaco, Bab Peter and others.

As a playwright and director, Rico has quite a few blockbusters under his cap. Among them are ‘Bailek Lagon’, ‘Torui Kiteak Sotaitai’, ‘Bekar Patranv’ and ‘Zhogzhogta Tem Bhangar Nhoim’.

As a lyricist and singer, Rico Rod regaled music lovers with about five albums. One of his all-time hits, which has been aired by All India Radio for several decades, is ‘Duddvank Lagon’. On the tiatr stage, he kept audiences in splits with his clever comic songs and enjoyable slapstick comedy. He also wrote the lyrics for the song ‘Sundor Tum Goa’, sung by famous playback singer Kishore Kumar’s son, Amit Kumar.

His funeral cortege will leave from his residence on June 3, at 10 am, to Our Lady of Merces Chapel, Sirlim, for Mass followed by burial.