Evelyn Siqueira
The year 2020 was the birth centenary of noted Konkani tiatr writer, director, lyricist, singer and actor, C Alvares.
C Alvares was born Celestino Santana Francisco on August 1, 1920.
He has over 100 dramas to his credit, and also made priceless contributions to Goa’s music scene and Konkani films.
He came from a family of tiatr artistes, and all of his five brothers were into theatre.
C Alvares was part of several Konkani movies that went on to become classics.
Some of the musical hits from these movies, such as Molbailo Dou (from the movie, Amche Noxib), Claudia (from the movie, Nirmonn) continue to be popular to this day.
In 1965, he received the Best Actor Award, for his performance in the Konkani film, Nirmonn, at the hands of former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi.
He encouraged women to act on stage, and even wrote an all-women show, Khuimcho Sacrament.
A road in Saligao, the ancestral village of the veteran, was recently named ‘C Alvares Marg’ in his honour.