As the film industry in Goa is scaling new heights, more films are gaining recognition internationally. ‘Enemy?’ directed by Dinesh P Bhonsle recently won the best film award at the Haryana international film festival while Salil Naik won the best actor award and Meenacshi Martins won the best supporting actor – female award while competing with Indian and foreign films at the festival. What is even more interestingly is that Salil Naik made his debut with ‘Enemy?’ and has won the second best actor award for Goa at the national level after C Alvares won a National award for his role in ‘Nirmon’ in 1965.
The film is produced by A Durga Prasad and stars Salil Naik, Meenacshi Martins, Samiksha Dessai and Antonio Crasto in lead roles. Salil plays a captain of the Indian Army, who comes down to Goa with his mother to celebrate Christmas when they realise that their property is taken away from them because of the Enemy Act. “I am very happy to win the award, and I didn’t expect to win an award for my debut screen role. However, after completing the film, Dinesh told me that the film is on a serious issue and will be screened at various film festivals. He had a vision for the film and it won, while competing against international films at this film festival,” says Salil from Panjim.
He vividly remembers his audition for the role as if it happened just yesterday. “My friend told me about the auditions for an upcoming film which was being held in the city and they were looking out for an actor to play the role of a Punjabi. I auditioned for the small part by reading the script. After a few minutes, they gave me a lengthier script and asked me to perform. I was then told that I was selected for the lead role,” says Salil.
However, it was very challenging filling into his role as a soldier and an obedient son. “I had to lose weight to look like a soldier. Dinesh introduced me to a brigadier so that I could learn the mannerism of a soldier. On another level, I had to be a son who was going through so much emotional stress and yet who had to hold it all in. I had a great experience working on the sets of the film. Samiksha Dessai and I worked together in theatre plays but it was the first time I was facing the camera with Meenacshi Martins. My first shot of the film was with Meenacshi and I told her about it but she was very calm which gave me confidence. It was a happy atmosphere,” adds Salil.
Salil has been associated with theatre on the state level with Konkani and Marathi plays for the past 17 years and has acted in more than 60 different plays together in both the languages with over 1000 shows all over Goa. He started with ‘Navarag Stars’ theatre group and then went on to form ‘Navanatya Shrungar’ with a few friends. He also acted in more than 20 one act plays. Handling his family business and being a doting father to his daughter Keya and son Mihaan, Salil is also focusing his attention on his film projects.
“After ‘Enemy?’, I acted in three features films in different languages. My next films are ‘Hitback’, a Hindi feature film, directed by Jojo D’Souza, ‘Mahakumbha’, a Marathi feature film, directed by Sandeep Salgaonkar and ‘K Sera Sera’, a Konkani feature film directed by Raju Shinde. I also acted in a Marathi short film ‘Atmanasto Kamaya’ and a Konkani short film ‘Niragas’. I am looking forward for the opportunities to prove my acting talent through the strongest medium of our film industry,” concludes Salil.
