The poster, music and teaser of the upcoming Konkani feature film ‘Umesh’ were unveiled at the Maquinez Palace, Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), on Monday, with speakers stressing the need to support regional cinema and music.
Former India A and IPL cricketer Swapnil Asnodkar attended the event as the special guest, while international singer and fadista Sonia Shirsat was the guest of honour.
The film is produced by Gurunath Atmaram Patade and directed by Vardhan Vijaykumar Kamat under the banner of Guru & Associates Productions.
Speaking on the occasion, the guests congratulated the film’s team for their efforts in promoting Konkani cinema and wished the project success.
‘Umesh’ tells the story of a once-celebrated local hero who now lives a quiet and reclusive life in a rural Goan village. The narrative follows two aspiring filmmakers who set out to document his life. As they uncover details about his past, they discover the struggles and isolation he has faced, as well as the fragile bond that gradually forms between them.
The film explores themes of identity, rejection, human connection and the search for recognition in a society that often overlooks its own talents.
The film has a running time of about 98 minutes and will be released in Konkani with English subtitles. It is scheduled for release in cinemas in April.
Asnodkar said there was a need to support Konkani films as it would encourage local artistes.
“As a cricketer, I have travelled around, especially South India where I have seen the craze for regional languages like Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada. The people there want such films more than Bollywood. So why can’t we Goans do that? This will encourage Goan artistes,” he said.
“A lot of effort goes into producing a film. Music and film go hand in hand with cricket; it has a calming effect. For us cricketers, the crowd, the tension, and pressure are huge. When we go back to our rooms after things don’t go as per plan, we need to unwind and refresh and can’t keep thinking about the same thoughts as it frustrates you and affects performance the following day. So we listen to music or watch a good movie, then it calms you down and the focus is much clearer,” he added.
Shirsat highlighted the use of Dhalo, a traditional Goan folk form, in the film’s music.
“Dhalo is the folk form from Goa and we have the Dhalo girl, Divya, who does such a beautiful rendition of the Dhalo and gives such a beautiful flavour, taking it to a platform that it deserves to be on. The accompaniment and arrangement are totally different. This will give the Dhalo genre a big boost,” she said.
“We still have ‘Hanv Saiba Poltodi Veta’ and we sometimes consider ‘Dekhnii’ as a very simple thing, but like ‘Dekhnii’ or ‘Mando’, these are art forms that need to go to the national level. I am very happy that Dhalo has been used in this film. We need to promote Konkani music,” she added.
Director Kamat thanked everyone who contributed to the film and appealed to audiences to support Konkani cinema.
“The film belongs to the people. Everyone has put their heart and soul into this film. I thank Guru sir for keeping his faith in me as a first-time director. I urge everyone—Goans as well as those who don’t understand Konkani, as it is available with English subtitles. This film was mentioned among the 21 list of films at the National Film Development Council (NFDC) during IFFI in Goa. Many festival delegates from countries like Germany, Australia, UK, US, and Russia have watched the film and gave positive reviews. We need the support of people to spread the word by mouth and this will allow us to make more films,” he said.
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