Hema dropped from
IFFI concerts
Vasudev Pagi
21 November 2007
While the first-time-held International Film Festival of
India (IFFI) in Goa had witnessed a controversy over internationally
acclaimed Goan singer-musician Remo Fernandes, it's turn of
yet another national-level Goan singer this time - Hema Sardesai.
Her name has been dropped last minute by the organizers while
Sardesai has expressed surprise over the indifferent treatment
meted out to her by the Goan organizers.
According to Vishnu Wagh, chairman of the cultural programmes
committee of the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) at IFFI,
Sardesai's name had to be dropped since she quoted double
than what was offered to her for the two concerts.
"We had plans to have a third concert of her in Mapusa,
followed by Mardol and Vasco", he said.
According to Wagh, the event management of IFFI had contacted
her for two programmes and the local organizers were never
directly involved in it.
The government this year has shifted the cultural extravaganza
outside Panaji, in different parts of the state. These programmes
are not part of the actual IFFI but are held for the locals,
who enjoy the festivity.
Ms Sardesai is upset that she was contacted by an outside
agent in spite of she being a Goan. "Why should I be
contacted by outside agents when I am prepared to perform
any time in Goa", she asks.
But Wagh justifies the act, stating that they had requested
the event managers of IFFI to contact big artists like Ms
Sardesai since they have the best contacts with these event
management companies.
However, Ms Sardesai terms it as a foul play, alleging that
few Goan organizers, who are against her, are involved in
it.
"I was pained to see my name tossed up by some miscreant
at various press conferences of the programme committee as
well as ESG. This was done without even someone having bothered
to check whether I was available to perform at the cultural
programmes during the festival," she said.
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