Forget the blockbusters of the week,
or for that matter, the year. Let us cast aside for a moment the fact that
IFFI, the mother-of-all-film-festivals has just wrapped up. Right now, Goan
cinema has a focal point that deserves all the attention that it has been
drawing through its new entrant: ‘Nachom-ia Kumpasar’. The creation of Bardroy
Barretto, a Bombay-based advertisement producer with roots in Canacona, has
been captivating audiences, and with good reason.
Through its storyline, the film uses 20 outstanding Konkani
songs to create a narrative with a Goan lilt that conveys a nostalgic tale, one
that is set in a time when musicians may have gone unappreciated and (as ironic
as it might sound) may have remained unsung. Barretto explains his ideology
behind creating a movie of this nature, saying, “My idea was to pay tribute to
Goan music and the musicians behind it, because Goan musicians from the glory
days of the 60s and 70s certainly did not get their due. Their contribution to
Bollywood was paramount and it is fair to say that they were the main people
behind its music.”
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At times, it is our memories that best serve us, especially
those from our childhood. And music has known to have played a critical role in
the formative years of almost any individual. Bardroy was no exception to this
policy. “This movie is a throwback to the recesses of my memory.The music that
I grew up with in Goa between the years 1978 and 1985 is what has spurred on
the making of this film. Chris Perry and Lorna’s music was the substitute for
television for my generation. Of course, as is the case with certain aspects of
things in Goa, hearsay played a big role too. In fact, I can state comfortably
that hearsay is a basis for the film. There were many rumours about the
relationship that the two shared, which serves as the spine of the story. But
their songs dictated their lives and they do the same with the storyline. This
is primarily why music is the true hero of the film,” says Bardroy.
The launch of the film is in stark contrast to the bigger
and perhaps ‘deeper pocketed’ Bollywood release from Anurag Kashyap, ‘Bombay
Velvet’. His drama that is based on the 1960s life of the country’s jazz hub
features elaborate sets, bigger budgets and big names such as Ranbir Kapoor and
Anushka Sharma. However,while the film is still months from its release,
Bardroy’s pet project, set in the same era, has won the hearts of audiences
both local and (thanks to the generous English subtitles) foreign audiences.
The soundtrack and score have been artistically crafted in
order to ensure their chronological order which ties into the relationship
shared by the two characters. “From flirtation, to falling in love, to falling
out of love again, it’s all in there,” explains Bardroy.
Containing all the elements that are required to recreate an
era that will probably never be touched again, Bardroy’s film is certainly one
worth watching especially as keeping with Goan rhythm is something one just
can’t ‘beat’.
