The effervescence and talent of Betty Naz

Beatrice Jospehine Nazareth e Fernandes, popularly known as Betty Naz on the tiatr stage and in Konkani films, was born on April 18, 1945. Originally from Mangalore but born and brought up in Mazgaon, Mumbai, she married a Goan, late Abdon R Fernandes, who hailed from Saligao, and is blessed with two sons, Aaron and Warran.

Her father, Aloysius Luis Nazareth, was a singer and composer on the Manglorean theatre stage. "When my father was acting in ATLobo's play, they were on the look out for a child artiste. That’s when I first performed for an audience. Later, Lobo predicted that I would be a great actor one day," says Betty.

"In Mazgaon, short skits used to be staged in Konkani by a Goan fellow named Rodrigues," informs Betty. “As there were many Catholics residing in our building, there would be various programmes staged, with performances by the residential youth.On July 26, which was the feast of St Anne, we all would be involved in performing skits. As Mazgaon had a majority of Catholics, we had a number of plays presented,with ample opportunities to perform," she adds.

"There also was a Manglorean association nearby that presented plays with the active involvement of Goan artistes like Succorine, Rico Rod, Tita Preto, Antonette Mendes and others,"states Betty. Participation in those plays helped her come in contact with Goan commercial artistes.

When Rico Rod was busy working on a Konkani film, one Das from Bangalore visited him and his company. Das expressed his desire to produce a Konkani film and sought Rico's help for the casting. As Rico was in touch with one writer, director Maurice Cabral, he approached him for the artistes.

Cabral and Rico introduced Betty to Das and she was selected for the first Konkani film by Das, 'Jivit Amchem Oxem'. "It was a lead role opposite Dr Ramani and Cecilia Machado and south Indian actors, including Pandari Bhai," informs Betty. She also featured in Das's second Konkani film, 'Boglantt', where she played the role of a mother to actor Prem Kumar.  

Simultaneously, Betty acted in Rico Rod's tiatr 'Unni Ani Der'. As noted director C Alvares was supposed to release his Ladies Show 'Khoincho Sakrament', she had to skip a Manglorean drama, the rehearsals of which were in progress, only because Alvares requested Francis Fernandes Cassia to relieve her.

Betty's entry on the Goan tiatr stage happened with Rico Rod's and C Alvares's tiatrs. This was followed by a number of splendid performances, both in singing and acting, for ace directors like M Boyer, Prem Kumar, Remmie Colaco, and in the khell tiatrs of Rosario Rodrigues.

When khell tiatrs took a prominent place and flourished, Betty Naz made appearances in tiatrs by noted directors like Menino de Bandar, Roseferns and A M Pacheco. She was last seen in one of A M Pacheco's productions in 2015-16.

In 1989, she produced an audio cassette, 'Devachem Besanv', which featured her husband, Abdon, and elder son, Aaron, who was only 4 years old at that time.  

In tiatrs, Betty received her first award for a rendition on the Manglorean stage. Whenever she features in tiatrs, although she is comfortable in singing and acting, most of the directors prefer to pen special 'cantos' as they value her melodious voice and singing.

When asked about a performance she holds dear, among all the tiatrs in which she has acted and sung in, she picks out Mangalorean tiatr 'Kankon' (Bangle), penned and directed by Maurice Cabral. "It was about extra-marital ties; my role as a wife was simplebut there was a dance performance where my husband sees me through a glass," she adds.

Other memorable tiatrs include M Boyer's tiatr 'Ekuch Rosto', Remmie Colaco's tiatr 'Atancho Temp' and C Alvares' tiatr 'Konnem Lailo Uzo' (wherein she enacted the role of a drug addict), Prem Kumar's tiatr 'Jawan', Menino de Bandar's tiatr 'Soglleank Gorjechem' (a rriches to rags role) and Rosario Rodrigues's productions 'Fulam ani Kolle' and 'Uzvadd Pallovlo'.                  

Now settled in Bandra, Mumbai Betty continuesto serve as a treasurer of the Maharashtra Konknni Kala Saunstha (MKKS) since its inception in 1995.

Throwing light about the organisation, Betty informs that MKKS organises tiatrs, musical shows, one-act plays, singing competitions and a mando festival annually. "But it is saddening to note that Konkani speaking Goan children, youth and adults hardly avail of the opportunities and it is always the Mangloreans who pick up most of the prizes.

"Speak Konkani," is Betty's clarion call to all Mumbaikars. "Tiatrs, that once found deep roots here are slowly dying today and they need to be revived at the earliest," she signs off.