Succurine Fizardo

Socorrinha "Succurine" Fizardo (née D'Mello; born 31 August 1950), also known mononymously as Succurine, is an Indian businesswoman, former comedian, actress, singer, and dancer known for her work in Hindi films and tiatr productions.

Early life Fizardo was born as Socorrinha D'Mello on 31 August 1950 in Bombay, which was then part of Bombay State (now Mumbai, Maharashtra). Fizardo's ancestral roots originated from Ribandar, Goa. As a youth, Fizardo was a member of the church choir at Our Lady of Fatima Church in the Sewree area of Bombay. Around the age of 14, she was afforded the opportunity to demonstrate her vocal abilities by participating as a singer in the church choir. Ligorio "Leo" D'Mello, Fizardo's father, pursued a career as a lyricist and actor within the entertainment field, while Natalina Fernandes, her mother, resided with the family in Sewree. She has also been known to emulate the singing style and visual persona of the Konkani performer M. Boyer during live performances.

Fizardo has sustained the tradition of featuring her father's humorous songs in her performances, believing in their popularity and positive reception by audiences over the years. She emphasized that her father's compositions possessed significant depth and strength, with the verses flowing into one another. Additionally, she was known for her distinctive talent in captivating audiences and eliciting encores with her comedic song renditions, and established a reputation for her engaging performances. Leo, the father of Fizardo, was known for crafting songs of considerable length, with compositions featuring up to eight verses and eight choruses. Fizardo's performances were enhanced by her ability to interpret the elaborate and witty compositions to suit her distinct style and captivate her audiences. Her professional career began in 1968, when she joined the theatrical productions (known as tiatrs) of director Prem Kumar. After showcasing her talents in both comedic and musical roles, Fizardo's career took a significant turn following Prem Kumar's demise. Subsequently, she became a member of director C. Alvares' ensemble, initially focusing on singing before transitioning into comedic performances. In another endeavor, Fizardo's father, Leo, ventured into playwriting and directing with his debut drama named Poileo Char Vostu, featuring Fizardo in a prominent role.

Fizardo had an extensive career in Konkani theater. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with several popular figures in the Konkani performing arts scene. She has shared the stage with several established Konkani tiatrists, or Konkani theater artists, including M. Boyer, Jacinto Vaz, Alfred Rose, Kid Boxer, and Joe Rose, among others. Commencing her journey in amateur theatre, Fizardo made her debut in the Konkani theater production Devacho Vhodd Upkar under the direction of tiatrist Mariano Fernandes. She collaborated with Fernandes for an extended duration before transitioning to the troupe led by Comedian Domnic, where she worked under his guidance for several seasons. Furthermore, she demonstrated her skills in performances within tiatrs overseen by directors such as Samuel Carvalho, John Moraes, and various others. These experiences also opened doors for international tours. In addition to her acting work, Fizardo was known for both her comedic and musical performances. Her concluding stage performance took place in the tiatr Serkar under the direction of Samuel Carvalho. Furthermore, she engaged in several musical productions alongside H. Britton in Mumbai and Mangalore. Before retiring from her career, Fizardo had the opportunity to perform alongside well-known Mangalorean singers including Henry D'Souza, Victor Consecio, and Jerome D'Souza on the musical stage. Fizardo's husband, a civil engineer, was working with the Oman Army in 2005. Their daughter Zilma oversees their beauty parlour business in Dubai,

Personal views In the context of the prevalence of vulgarity in contemporary comedy within the tiatr genre, Fizardo emphasizes the integrity of her own comedic style, characterized by meaningful content, the use of respectable language, and a lack of vulgarity. Fizardo contrasts her approach by highlighting that while she and her contemporaries possessed a talent for comedy, many modern comedians are trained, resulting in the rapid dissemination of low-quality humor. Furthermore, Fizardo expresses concern over a perceived lack of respect among emerging tiatrists towards seasoned performers and peers in the industry. This disregard for traditional values and etiquette, according to Fizardo, contributes to a decline in audience engagement with tiatr performances.