Anthony De Sa

Anthony De Sa (1 March 1915 – 10 July 1969) was an Indian actor, playwright, theatre director, singer, and composer known for his work in Konkani films and tiatr productions.

Career De Sa commenced his acting career at the age of 18 in 1933, in Bombay (now Mumbai). His passion for the stage led him to write his first tiatr, a form of Konkani theater, at that age. Despite his early enthusiasm for acting and singing, De Sa faced familial resistance as his family disdained tiatrs and tiatrists. His family, belonging to an aristocratic background, viewed performing on a Konkani stage as beneath their social standing. Consequently, De Sa was compelled to conceal his love for the Konkani stage for the time being. However, his affection for singing and acting drove him to take action. An opportunity arose when De Sa traveled to Bombay for his studies and resided in a village club. The club members collectively decided to stage a tiatr and, recognizing De Sa's superior education and intellectual capabilities, approached him to write the script.

Despite being a mere 18-year-old student, De Sa readily accepted the challenge, driven by his deep-seated passion for singing and acting. Thus, he composed his debut tiatr script titled Zhuz Mogachem (Battle for Love). However, numerous obstacles hindered the staging of this tiatr at the Princess Theatre in Bhangwadi, Bombay. Initially, the Hindu-Muslim riots erupted, resulting in a citywide curfew that prohibited the staging of dramas.

On 1 March 2015, the Department of India Post fulfilled its commitment by officially launching the special postal cover in Cuncolim. Charles Lobo, along with several dignitaries, presided over the ceremony. These dignitaries included Landry Mascarenhas, the Chairperson of the Cuncolim Municipal Council, Prince Jacob, the President of TAG, and Fr Manuel Fernandes from the Our Lady of Health Church in Cuncolim. During the event, Fr Manuel shared his personal connection with De Sa's brother, who was well known for his sermons. Landry expressed his pride in having the road named after Anthony De Sa, particularly since he himself hailed from the same ward in Dandora, Cuncolim. Joe Rose, the Vice President of TAG, delivered a vote of thanks and reminisced about his early encounters with De Sa when they both embarked on their tiatr journeys as young individuals.

Selected stage works