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Karnataka

Karnataka

Goan director's film screened

Special Correspondent

Goa Governor Shivinder Singh Sidhu with International Film Festival 2010 delegates during a reception hosted at the Raj Bhavan on Wednesday.

PANAJI: Expressing indignation over consistent stereotype portrayal of Goans (especially Goan Catholics) in the Bollywood cinema over the years as “drunkards” and so on, Goan film-maker Rajendra Talak on Wednesday proudly said that his new film in Konkani O'Maria has portrayed the Goans with respect and with all their genuine concerns and apprehensions.

Mr. Talak's film was premiered at the 41st International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2010 on Tuesday to a packed house.

Mr. Talak told presspersons here on Wednesday that this was his fourth film to be premiered at the IFFI since 2004. “I am happy that since IFFI arrived in Goa in 2004, it has given a boost to Konkani language cinema,” he said and pointed out that Goa Government had one of the finest film financing scheme.

He has handled Goa's present predicament owing to fast degeneration of values and degradation of its environment and culture and posed a question as to who was to be blamed for this. “Goan identity is in danger. Everybody has become greedy and pursuing fast money. I have discussed this issue in this film. I refuse to blame outsiders for all our problems. I refuse to typecast people as all outsiders coming to Goa are bad. There are good local people and bad local people. Similarly, there are good people coming to Goa from outside and some bad people who fail to respect the land and its people,” said the film-maker. “What I try to say in the film is let all good people join hands to save Goa from destruction and extinction,” said Mr. Talak.

To a question, he said he would continue to do good cinema. He could not fathom doing commercial films with item numbers and so on.

O' Maria will be released in Goa on December 19, Goa's Golden Jubilee of liberation.

Mr. Talak said he had got invites from Goans in Mumbai, Pune, Moscow, Canada and so on to screen the film for Goans there. The film will be screened at the Pune film festival as well, he said.

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