VETERAN COMEDIAN Domnic, together with his brother Luis Bachchan, has brought forth a sensitive tale in their new venture entitled ‘Uzvaddant Kallok’. Written and directed by Comedian Domnic, ‘Uzvaddant Kallok’ is a tiatr with a fair number of meaningful songs.  It is a family drama full of hilarious encounters yet good enough to send across a sensible message relevant in today’s social set-up.

 ‘Uzvaddant Kallok’ is a story of Ruchi  (Sabina),  President of the Mahila Mandal and a  dominating wife with high political connections, and her henpecked husband Domnic who is the Principal of the D & D College. Though he is a total misfit in this prestigious post, he has managed to get this post with the help of his high profile wife. Ravi (Allwyn)  their college-going son and daughter Kushi (Roma) complete the ‘hum-do-hamare-do’ family quartet. Ravi  as a young college going brat is full of life and always out to have fun and plays pranks to suit his naughty designs.  He not only takes his docile sister Kushi for a ride but plays serious pranks with his parents too.  He is never serious with his studies. His mother manipulates his XII STD percentage and manages admission for him in a Medical College. All hell breaks lose when he is asked to join the hostel.

 On the other hand Kushi, his sister, is deeply in love with Kiran (Albert). Kiran bluffs Kushi saying his parents are in America, Ruchi is all excited about the match. Ravi again plays a prank to safeguard his sister and to be brother-in-law. There is Anand (Joe), cousin to Ravi and Kushi, who stays in their house since he is orphaned after the death of his parents.  He takes all the blame every time Ravi is up to some mischief and becomes the scape goat for all humiliations.

 Ruchi, being the president of the Mahila Mandal, is too busy with her social activities, meetings, felicitation functions and just about everything everyday and has no time to give to her growing children. She has a very dominating and overpowering nature by way of which her good-for-nothing husband has no voice even though he does see things going out of hand. There are frequent quarrels between the husband and the wife and the wife is always on a winning streak.  She blames her husband for anything and everything.

 Ravi goes to stay in a hostel and here comes in contact with friends who show him the wrong directions in life. He bunks lectures, stays away from exams and does everything except study. Finally he returns home from the hostel and refuses to go back to the hostel. Inquiries reveal that he has not answered his exams. His behaviour is strange, refuses to talk and spends more time all by himself in a remorseful manner. Finally Ravi admits the reasons for his bunking his lectures and not answering his exams and for his strange behaviour. But it’s too late. Everything seems to have gone out of hand….tragedy lurks round the corner.

 The events that follow thereafter is all what makes ‘Uzvaddant Kallok’ a sensitive story. But, it surely is a tale to be seen by parents, specially those working parents who involve themselves in too much of social and political activities to the point of neglecting their own children.

 ‘Uzvaddant Kallok’ has a good dose of hilarious comedy by Domnic and Luis Bachchan as Theodore the college peon who has a high ambition - to double as the college professor. Domnic, the Principal, with the connivance of Theodore tries his luck with the number game of matka only to be caught red handed by his wife Ruchi.  He does a little of flirting too with Jennifer, a young college girl, who seeks employment. Here, out of jealously, Theodore double crosses him and Comedian Domnic finds himself face to face with his wife with a young girl sitting in his cabin. It’s a hilarious scene.

 Couple of other good jokes with Luis Bachchan when he meets the young female foreign tourist and interacts with her with his broken-English .  Peter de Macazan also in the role of the Peon has given a good account of himself. Giving them able support in a cameo role of a foreign female tourist is Francis de Teum. His characterisation of a female foreign tourist is appreciative and adds to the comedy. Veteran stage artist Sabina plays a stellar role of a dominating wife and literary carries the entire plot on her broad shoulders together with Comedian Domnic.  Slim and trim Roma suits well in her role as the young daughter and is quite natural. A new comer who makes a great impression in the challenging role of Ravi is Allwyn. This young man is to be watched. He is very natural, stylish, confident and sings well.  If he continues with such consistent performance he is sure to go places. He has really captured the hearts with his natural acting of a young college boy.

 Besides good solos by Xavier Gomes, Roma and Bab Andrew, a comedy solo by Luis Bachchan too, ‘Uzvaddant Kallok’ has two superb trios sung by Xavier-Domnic and Francis de Tuem. While one is a comedy trio on compulsory wearing of helmets and evokes huge laughter the other trio especially composed pays rich tributes to all senior stage artistes living and the dead. This trio was well appreciated by the houseful audience. The trio has some meaningful and touching lyrics. It highlights and acknowledges the immense contribution of all the stalwarts of the Konkani stage over the last 112 odd years and further makes a strong plea to the Goa Government to honour the doyen late C. Alvares posthumously with a State Cultural Award.

 Another noteworthy gesture  the Director did at the interval time  was to felicitate five very senior Konkani stage artistes namely - Rom Tony, Sabina, Domnic Vaz, Anthony Souza (Trio Kings fame) and M. Boyer. They were felicitated by Joaquim Alemao, MLA, with a shawl and a memento. M. Boyer however could not make it for the felicitation due to health reasons. Several more senior Konkani stage artistes from Goa as well as Mumbai will be felicitated in a like manner at the future shows informed Comedian Domnic.

 ‘Uzvaddant Kallok’ has some pleasing stage settings depicting the lifestyle of a middle class family, and the light man Leslie has also handled the stage lighting very skillfully thereby enhancing the visual display very effectively. It was evident that he was very careful when using the multi-colour lights and used them only when really needed, there was certainly a positive change in his work. Another noteworthy feature was the background music. It was never too loud so as to drown the dialogues. The key board player did a good job as also the maestro Phillip. There is nothing hi-fi about the script, no flowery dialogues but yet it conveys the desired message. Watch ‘Uzvaddant Kallok’ this season, it will certainly make you ponder for a while.

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