Kamlakant Chari

Kamlakant Narayan Chari (born Comlo Naraina Chari; 17 November 1942 – 1 May 2014) was an Indian stage designer, light designer, and sound designer known for his work in Marathi theatre and tiatr productions.

Early life Kamlakant Narayan Chari, originally named Comlo Naraina Chari, was born on 17 November 1942, in Parcem, Goa, which was a part of Portuguese India during the era of the Portuguese Empire. He was born into a Hindu family to parents Naraina Comlo Chari (later Narayan Kamla Chari), hailing from Corgao-Pernem, and Loximin (later Laxmi Narayan Chari), who was a homemaker. Chari showed a strong interest in painting, design, acting, and mechanical work since he was young. His artistic path began with participating in Marathi plays in nearby villages. His stage presence was known for his acting talent, which held the audience's interest. He showed a strong enthusiasm for stage design, offering helpful ideas to improve the overall visual impact of theatrical productions. As time progressed, Chari realized his potential for innovative stage setting. This realization ignited his passion and spurred him to explore new horizons in stage design. Chari dedicated over four decades of his life to serving the Konkani tiatr stage by supplying essential stage settings. He belonged to a new wave of stage set designers, employing modern techniques and approaches. Initially, he catered to amateur tiatrists, gradually earning the opportunity to collaborate with directors such as Jacinto Vaz, M. Boyer, Fr. Freddy J. Da Costa, Remmie Colaço, and others. Through his work, Chari established a leading position for himself within the tiatr stage community. Furthermore, Chari extended his talent and expertise to Marathi dramas from the 1970s onwards. His distinctive stage settings garnered accolades and recognition not only within Goa but also at the national level.

Chari had the privilege of representing Goa at the National Theatre festival known as Bharat Rang Mahotsav. This festival, jointly organized by the National School of Drama in New Delhi and the Nehru Centre in Mumbai, served as a platform for showcasing theatrical talent from across the country. Chari's impact on the commercial tiatr stage was significant. In a milestone, he introduced stage sets for the first time in a tiatr production written and directed by Jacinto Vaz, a comedian of the tiatr stage. The quality of Chari's stage sets did not go unnoticed, earning admiration from other figures within the tiatr community.

His prowess in stage setting transcended cultural boundaries, as he left a mark on the Marathi stage as well. Nationally recognized for his set designing and execution, Chari's productions included Kalokh Det Hunkar, Junction Bharatpur, Themb Themb Abhal, Swapnavasavdatta, Pratima, Demaiz, Waiting Room, Natasamrat, Sandhya Chaya, Kulavadhu, and Naganand. In addition to his artistic endeavors, Chari dedicated himself to public service, serving as a panch (member) in the Merces village panchayat for a complete term from 1979 to 1983. Chari's influence extended to other tiatr productions as well. He contributed his stage design skills to Augie D'Mello and Anil Kumar's tiatr lxob (2009), Joaquim Dias's tiatr Asha (2011), and Salvador Fernandes's tiatr Thank You Doctor (2011).

Personal life On 23 April 1979, Chari, aged 37, entered into matrimony with Bebi Babu Zo, a 28-year-old homemaker from Agaçaim. The couple underwent the process of civil marriage registration in Panaji, with Chari asserting his birthplace as Merces, Goa,