Film award is a triumph for Konkani

PANAJI: Konkani's fledgling film industry received a major boost, when Laxmikant Shetgaonkar's "Paltadacho Munis", (Man Beyond the bridge) won the Prize of the International Critics at the Toronto International Film Festival. Though the director was in Toronto and unreachable, others involved in the film, saw in the award a triumph for the Konkani language."The award is for Konkani, Goan literature and Goantalent. If you surf the internet, it says that Konkani is the language spoken ina small place called Goa. That is a great achievement for Goa," says PareshShetgaonkar, line producer of the film and the director's brother.Itis a sentiment echoed by the writer of the story on which the film is based andthose who have acted in it. "That a Konkani language film has got aninternational award is great. That it is my story is secondary," saysMahableshwar Sail, whose short story fascinated Laxmikant enough to make a filmbased on it."It is unbelievable, the main thing is that it is anachievement for Goa, a small state and a language that is not very well known,"says Prashanti Talpankar who plays a major role in the film.The filmhas various locals playing minor roles in it, though for the major characters,Laxmikant got professionals. The film has been shot in Goa, in Quepem, andtouches upon the theme of insanity and local taboos. "The theme isuniversal. It is about insanity and the good and bad that goes with it," saysParesh."It is a powerful theme and I knew that a film could be madefrom that story. All it needed was a good director which we found in LaxmikantShetgaonkar," says Sail.That is something that Vasant Josalkar whoplays a role in the film agrees with. "When I saw the script I agreed to playwhatever role I was offered. The script was that good," saysJosalkar."All kudos to Laxmikant. In doing this film. With thistheme he was swimming against the tide. He really worked hard to get the filmdone," says Talpankar.It was not, however, just the theme that wascomplex. As with most Konkani films, obtaining financial backing for the filmtook some doing. Some four years back after the state government had developed ascheme to fund Goan filmmakers, the Shetgaonkars had approached the state forfunds but had the script rejected."We were not disheartened. Weapproached every possible organization for funds and got the money from theNational Film Development Corporation," says Paresh. The script was actuallypicked up by the NFDC at a script writing workshop during the International FilmFestival of India 2007 which was held in Goa, after the state government hadrejected it.After Sunday and an international critic's award underhis belt, funds should not be a problem for Laxmikant, who earlier won anational award for best debut non-feature film.