The beautiful state nestled between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. The State where every gang of friends plans to visit, but some plans fail, yet others get the privilege of touring around. You might have guessed by now which state I’m talking about. Yes! You’re damn right. I am talking about none other than ‘Goa’.
Sadly, the state has never been portrayed properly in Bollywood. Image of Goa in movies has been more of the bad rather than the good. I hardly know of any movie that has shown Goa in a good way. It has been always about drunkard ‘Anthony Gonsalves’ to over the top ‘Maria’, dressed in a floral midi. Let’s see what Goans have to say about this stereotyping?
Let’s see what Goans have to say about this stereotyping?
“Living outside Goa for around two years, I have come across people from different states, and when they get to know that I’m from Goa, their behavior as well as their way of talking completely changes. Almost 80% of the non-Goan people I have interacted with are under the perception that what the Bollywood movies such as ‘Dum Maro Dum’ which has dumbed down the image of the peaceful and beautiful Goa. It is not that Goa doesn’t have bad in it, in fact, the ones who bring the bad are not the locals but those who come to visit and end up making it their home. By saying this is not condemning anyone of any crime but it is the sad truth.” Enid Sobrinho
“There are two sides to the way Goa has been portrayed in Bollywood. For example, Goa has been beautifully depicted in movies like ‘Golmaal’, ‘Dear Zindagi’, ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ which made the Chapora Fort a famous tourist destination. But there are others that defame Goa; I am not saying that things like drugs, alcohol, and prostitution are a hoax. We do have all those things going on in here but the amount of exaggeration shown in movies like ‘Dum Maaro Dum’, is totally unnecessary. You will find different types of people in every state and in every nation but movies often generalize Goans wearing a floral shirt, shorts, with a hat holding a beer bottle in the hand is unnecessary in fact if you see anyone in this attire it’ll definitely be a non-Goan”. Royden D’silva.
“The thing is that Bollywood has a certain mind set about Goa. Goa is a happening place no doubt about that, but we need to focus on the real treasures of Goa like food and the ambiance one may experience on a visit. Goa has a rich cultural heritage and boasts about its scenic beauty. The thing that makes Goa unique is its scenic beauty.” Armaan Khan
“I feel Goans are not what Bollywood portrays them to be. We are not drunkards nor do we have drug habits. I do believe that Goans do have that ‘susegado’ type of attitude but at the same time they all slog to make a living. Goans are not drug addicts nor do they promote drugs. Drugs came in from the outsiders as a Selling place for them. Bollywood shows Goans to be the cheap type who party drink only because alcohol is cheap in Goa and abundantly available. You can see how tourists dress and come for holidays in Goa. They live with sarees and roam here in Goa with the least clothes with the mentality that Goans dress this way when we don’t. Bollywood shouldn’t promote something we are not in real.” Switzel Luis
It’s high time that movie makers research well before they proceed with the script, right from creating a script to final editing, they should thoroughly research the demographics and get to know more about Goa, its culture and traditions. And by doing so, they will be able to portray Goa for what it truly stands for.
By: Priyanka Shetty
