The rise and fall of an artist’s legacy,
despair leading to alcoholism
and an unattainable love story, these are themes which are the basis for innumerable
novels, songs and films. However, ‘Nachom-ia Kumpasar’ had its own charm, the
beauty of the bygone era, the music of the maestro and the struggles of
musicians living away from home, yet making Bombay the Jazz capital of the
country. Bardroy Barretto was able to create this magic on the silver screen.
Recently, two defamation cases have been filed by Goan musician
Chris Perry’s son Glenn against Bardroy. Glenn said, “Everything in the movie
is wrong, everything is false.”, referring to the purported portrayal of his
farther Chris Perry, who was not named or referred to in the movie
Bardroy clears the air and says, “This is like free publicity. I
don’t know if it is good or bad but any publicity is good publicity. The notice
has to be served to us, then we can reply to it. I don’t know what grounds he
has served besides what he spoke in the press conference. We finished five
years and we were not supposed to be relevant for five years, our aim was four
years but the film is still playing out.”
Bardroy maintains that the movie is not a biopic on Chris Perry
or Lorna. “It is on some of the musicians of that era and depicts their
struggles. There is a disclaimer in the beginning of the movie. It is
completely a fictional story. The copyrights for the songs are with Saregama
which was earlier HMV, they have all the rights. We bought all the rights and
that’s how it is done. I was not aware of the family members while working on
the film and I have not spoken to the family.
The director added that it would be perfect to do a biopic if
both the protagonists Lorna and Chris Perry were alive. ( Perry passed away in
2002). So he took the fictional road and celebrated the songs. Bardroy adds,
“It is a tribute to the musicians of that era. If people draw similarities it
is their interpretation,” he says.
Without judging any characters, Bardroy shows the grey shades in
the film. “It is a very estranged love story which doesn’t get violent. Both
the primary characters get their due credit in the film and we have not passed
a judgement. Some were pro Donna and some were pro Lawry at the end of the
film, we left that open for interpretation,” he adds. Needles to add the whole
of Goa, say Donna as Lorna and Lawry as Chris Perry, the high profile composer
and singer who set the stages of Goa and Mumbai afire
But not everyone agrees with Badroy. A close friend and doctor
of Chris Perry, Dr Francisco Colaco from Margao knew the family well when they
were living in Margao. Though he agrees that he has not seen the film himself
but has heard what people have been saying. “I have not seen the movie and so I
cannot comment on the movie but whoever saw it say nasty things about Chris
Perry. When you visit the Wikipedia page of the film, it says based on the
lives of two jazz musicians, Chris Perry and Lorna. I am a very close family
friend and I know their grievances. As a musician, Chris was a fantastic
person. He was a genius and the best perhaps that has come out of Goa. He was a
very eclectic musician and everything came very easily to him like jazz,
Latino, pop but he truly excelled in Konkani music. Glenn did not inform me
about the case but he must have done his homework and consulted the legal
fraternity. The matter is in court now and the court will decide,” says Dr
Francisco.
Meenacshi Martins plays the role of Donna’s mother in the film
and like every movie that she undertakes, she makes certain all norms are met.
“This case doesn’t take away anything from the film. It is based on the music
and the whole film is interwoven very beautifully through the music and the
songs and their lyrics. The original background score is by Ronnie Monserrate.
Everything is on top of the order and nothing is illegal about the film,” says
Meenacshi.
She further adds, “Bardroy and Agnelo have taken great pains to
see that everyone is portrayed in a good light. It’s not a biopic, it is
loosely based on rumours that we heard as children at that time. It is an
intriguing story and it repeats itself in the film, media and music industry.
It is taken from lives of different musicians of that era. I know the
neighbours of these two artists in Bombay and they told me it is loosely based
like a love story between an older man and a young girl”
Director of films like ‘Miranda House’ and ‘O Maria’, Rajendra
Talak also faced a similar situation when a case was filed in 1996 by Siddanath
Buyao claiming a copyright on the song, ‘Channeache Ratti’ from the
album ‘Daryachya Deger’ demanding an injunction on the sale and
distribution of the cassette.
However Talak adds an interesting dimension to the controversy
albeit presenting both sides and says, “‘Nachom-ia Kumpasar’ is a good
film and was released everywhere but why make it a controversy now? He should
have stopped it then before the release. They should sit across and solve the
matter without going to court. But as a director, I feel you can’t put a
disclaimer and get away from it. You have to take permission from everybody.
You have to be true to yourself. Chris Perry and Lorna are the best in Konkani.
After watching the film, no one will say it is not Lorna and Chris Perry. There
is a point for argument and one might have audio rights but what about the
story? The incidents are the same and coincidence can be only one not the
entire story. With the film, the name of Chris Perry, Lorna and Bardroy has
become big.”
The
debate will continue because it is ‘Nachom-ia Kumpasar’ and it’s a
matter of one son fighting against what he feels, would have caused hurt to his
father a he was supposedly portrayed in bad light, sentiments which just cannot
be dismissed lightly.
