The sweet route to success

Born on February 15, 1990, Meena Goes hails from the picturesque village of Loutulim, a place which has nurtured several famed musicians and singers over the years. Sensing the stage art within her, in 2009, she started looking for an institute that would train and mould her into what she is today.

After searching the Internet, Meena came across TACT, Theatre Art and Cultural Training Institute run by Sharon Mazarello, a noted tiatrist and singer. She instantly joined the institute and received training in theatrical art for three months.

After successful completion of the short-term course, the director of the same institute, where she received theoretical and practical guidance, introduced Meena to noted director, Milagres de Chandor. When most of the tiatr artistes scale greater heights only after making a debut in ‘zomnivhele khell’ or village tiatrs, Meena got a direct entry on the professional stage in Milagres de Chandor’s tiatr ‘Friendship Day’ in 2010.

Unlike the trend set in lately of taking auditions before selecting his cast (both, in singing and acting) for his forthcoming tiatrs, Milagres de Chandor roped in Meena in his tiatr without any audition or test. “I did have stage fright, but the director, his wife and other co-artistes were very supportive,” she says.

After displaying her theatrical skills in Milagres de Chandor’s tiatr in October 2010, offers continued pouring in from different directors and Meena found entry in Jack Rodson’s tiatr ‘Konnuch Noko’ in September 2011, followed by Pascoal de Chicalim’s tiatr ‘Pojisanv’ in the same year.

In 2012, it was Meena’s entry in Kissan de Chinchinim’s tiatr ‘Tich Ek Ostori’, followed by a short break due to job constraints. In 2015, she was back on stage in comedian Agostinho’s tiatr ‘Strike’, followed by Kissan de Chinchinim’s tiatr ‘Tankam Porot Addinakat’ in April 2016.

In 2016, Meena found herself in three tiatrs, namely ‘Atam Rodta Kiteak’ by Vilton Coutinho, comedian Ambe’s tiatr ‘Lifetime Award’, which when presented for the 8th Popular Tiatr Festival helped her to fetch two individual prizes, namely ‘Best upcoming artiste’ and ‘Best comedy kantar choral’ and Rafael de Margao’s tiatr ‘Apurbaieche Dog Khambe’.

In 2017, during the Lenten shows, Meena found an entry in Calado de Verna’s tiatr ‘Man of God’ (March), followed by John D’Silva’s tiatr ‘Saibinn’ (April), Mini Mario’s tiatr ‘Khevpachim Bavlim Nhoi’ (May), Amar Sawant’s tiatr ‘Khorench Mog To Kudd’ddo’ (September), Pio de Cortalim’s tiatr ‘Nimnno Tum’ (November) and John D’Silva’s tiatr ‘Mollob’ (November).

In 2018, offers that poured in for Meena included Cruz Pinto’s tiatr ‘Munisponn Ani Devosponn’, John D’Silva’s tiatr ‘Porzoll’, Kissan de Chinchinim’s tiatr ‘To Mhojea Mogacho’, Valencio Vaz’s tiatr ‘Giddh’ in comedy role, Francis de Dicarpale’s tiatr ‘Jivit Amchem Oxem’, comedian Joana’s tiatr ‘Ghorchim’, Menino de Bandar’s tiatr ‘Dev Tumkaim Ditolo’ in comedy role, ‘Amar Sawant’s tiatr ‘I Love You’ at Kala Academy’s tiatr competition, Rosario de Aldona’s tiatr Challenge’ in comedy role and John D’Silva’s tiatr ‘Dhongiponn’. She will shortly wear her comical shoes in Valency D’Souza’s Lenten show ‘Tannem Mhaka Obhixek Kela’.

Besides her appearance on stage, Meena has also featured in VCDs, namely Mathew Araujo’s VCD ‘Wanted’ and Sammy Tavares’ VCD ‘Desak Bhettoi’.  Her appearance on the big screen cannot be ignored, which includes Nilesh Newalkar’s film ‘O La La’, Spirit Fernandes’s upcoming film ‘Wedding Day’ and Esther Noronha’s film ‘Kantaar’.

Meena also had a taste of ‘zomnivhele khell’ when she acted for Alfred de Chnchinim’s folk plays in 2017 and 2018 and will continue this year too during the Carnival festivities. When offers came along for replacements, she never declined, but offered her services to directors like John D’Silva in tiatr ‘Ghutt’, Tracy de Calangute’s tiatr ‘Fulanchea Sangatak Kantte Apnayat’ (comedy role) and Peter/Roshan’s tiatr ‘Johnny Johnny Yes Papa’.

After her tryst in several tiatrs of different directors, Meena feels she is more confident in acting, especially comedy roles. In singing, she has presented duo, trio and choral with her fellow tiatr artistes, but in John D’Silva’s tiatr ‘Porzoll’ she came as a soloist on stage and continued in the same director’s tiatr ‘Dhongiponn’.

When handling negative roles with gusto for quite some time, “switching over to comedy roles was a big challenge for me,” confesses Meena, “and in Valencio’s tiatr ‘Giddh’ it was teaming up with comical icons like Humbert and Luis Bachan along with Valencio, Lino and Pitush. But the challenge was graciously accepted and the audience response from serious role to comedy role was well accepted.”

Although she is comfortable in comical roles, Meena would prefer taking up negative roles more often as she feels that instant audience response to those unique roles helps her to give her best on stage. “It all depends on the script,” she says, “if the role is challenging, then she would definitely prefer the negative role, or else it would be comedy.”

Born to Louis and Rita Goes, there’s nobody in the family who has worked on the tiatr stage in the past, but for Meena, with ample support from her parents, the stage is her home and the sky is the limit. Besides her art performance on the Konkani stage, she is a beautician by profession, with two years’ experience to her credit.