During his last visit to Kuwait to participate in the Tiatro “Aplea Bhurgeam Sangatak” on 28th September 2012, singer Lawry Travasso immediately after completing one of his solos spoke against those who make duplicates of the Konkani Albums. While speaking on this subject he said he was deeply shocked to see duplicates of his newly released VCD are freely sold in the Tiatro Hall premises thereby hampering the sale of the originals he brought all the way from Goa to sell in Kuwait so that he could recover something from what he spent to prepare this VCD. Then he went further and said that to prepare this VCD he spent 3.5 lakhs of Rupees which is a big amount and at this rate if duplicating goes on unhindered how he will recover his investment leave aside making profit? If this type of situation persists then in future no Tiatrist will embark on making new Konkani Albums.
Duplicating of Konkani Audio Cassettes in Kuwait first started by Raja Stores. It was the only Outlet then for Konkani Cassettes before the advent of CD. His persons in Goa and Bombay get the original Cassettes from there and send to Raja Stores in Kuwait and by making duplicate copies Raja used to sell in big number and make big money for his Outlet. During one of his trips to Kuwait, Fr. Freddy J. D’Costa noticed that Raja Stores was selling his Cassette in big number. Then he questioned the owner of Raja Stores about this illegality in selling his Cassette. Instead of being apologetic and agreeing to compensate Fr. Freddy, Raja Stores' owner who later on died in a tragic car accident and currently its Outlet is closed, arrogantly and proudly directed Fr. Freddy towards the local Police Station asking Fr. Freddy to go there and file a complaint. For this, poor Fr. Freddy meekly surrendered saying “Let God take care of him”.
Tiatro “Sounsar Sudorlo” of M. Boyer in seventies was the most appreciated by the audience. Somebody in Tiatro Hall in Goa taped it silently and one copy was sent to Raja Stores Kuwait where it sold in great number. When M. Boyer got this news, he in a Press statement in Goa said that he will use the Indian Embassy’s help to put an end to its illegal sale in Kuwait. As usual Raja’s owner said “go to hell, there is no copy right clause and even if there is let Boyer come to Kuwait and file a case against me”.
Lawry Travasso was right in his statements but how can one stop this pirating business of CD’s? In Kuwait there are 2 – 3 Cassette Shops involved in copying and selling duplicate Konkani CD’s, VCD’s and DVD’s very cheaply. Other than these there are also individual Goans involved in this illicit business, one of them has just stopped because of the ferocious business competition from the recognised Cassette Shops. These Cassette Shops have their agents in Goa who immediately after the release of new Album in Goa purchase one original and send to Kuwait or to Dubai from where it comes to Kuwait. In Kuwait these shops have all the equipments for copying and even printing of the cover within a few minutes and because of this facility they can afford to sell duplicated Albums cheaply – 4 pieces per One KD. People purchase these duplicate Albums from these Shops because they are first of all cheap, secondly easily available and thirdly originals are not available.
The VCD in question is “Kagtachim Fulam” a Tiatro of Lawry Travasso which is worth seeing. The story is really good where heartless mother doles her only daughter in marriage to her boyfriend so that the mother does not lose him for her in her illicit relationship with him. Such mothers are plenty among us in Goa. Lawry Travasso’s role of a mad man was excellent, I have seen only once such a role in the past played by Tony Sax in Airestedes Dias' Tiatro “Soth Bavartachem” in 1959.
Well produced VCD by Lawry Travasso. It is worth seeing.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
