Caetano Manuel Pereira (17 February 1917 – 3 March 1991), known professionally as Kid Boxer, was an Indian singer, writer, director, comedian, and

lyricist A lyricist is a songwriter who writes lyrics (the spoken words), as opposed to a composer, who writes the song's music which may include but not limited to the melody, harmony, arrangement and accompaniment. Royalties A lyricist's income ...

who worked on the Konkani stage. He is best known for being the member of the popular Kid-Young-Rod trio.

Early life

Caetano Manuel Pereira was born on 17 February 1917, in Siolim,

Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...

, a region that was part of

Portuguese India The State of India ( pt, Estado da Índia), also referred as the Portuguese State of India (''Estado Português da Índia'', EPI) or simply Portuguese India (), was a state of the Portuguese Empire founded six years after the discovery of a se ...

during the era of the

Portuguese Empire The Portuguese Empire ( pt, Império Português), also known as the Portuguese Overseas (''Ultramar Português'') or the Portuguese Colonial Empire (''Império Colonial Português''), was composed of the overseas colonies, factories, and the l ...

. At a young age of 8, Pereira relocated to

Bombay Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...

(now Mumbai) with his father. During his time in Bombay, he acquired a command of the English language through interactions with older individuals, while also developing his proficiency in Konkani, due to his avid readership of the literary work ''

Dor Mhoineachi Rotti ''Dor Mhoineachi Rotti'' (meaning ''Our Monthly Bread'' in English) is the oldest defunct periodical in the Konkani language. History and profile The magazine was initially named ''Dor Muineachi Rotti Povitra Jesucha Calzachem Devoçãõ Vad ...

''. Pereira's journey into the world of theater began with apprenticeships in smaller productions. In 1940, he made his debut in the commercial '' tiatr'' genre, with his performance in Ernest Rebello's production, ''Bomboich Istil''.

Career

Pereira made his first foray into the world of '' tiatr'', with his debut production called ''Ostori'' (Woman). However, it was his subsequent work titled ''Kidachem Sopon'' (Kid's Dream) that garnered popularity. Pereira's

repertoire A repertoire () is a list or set of dramas, operas, musical compositions or roles which a company or person is prepared to perform. Musicians often have a musical repertoire. The first known use of the word ''repertoire'' was in 1847. It is a l ...

encompassed a diverse range of ''

tiatrs is a type of musical theatre popular in the state of Goa on the west coast of India as well as in Mumbai and with expatriate communities in the Middle East, United Kingdom and other cities where Konkani speakers have a considerable presence. The ...

'', including ''Editor Ponch de Bombaim'', ''Amchi Bhett'' (Our Offering), ''Amcho Ganv'' (Our Village), ''Bhattam Bensam'', ''Avoichim Dukham'' (Mother's Tears), ''Ankvar ani Kazari'' (Bachelor and Married), ''Zata tem Boreak'' (It Happens For Good), ''Bhoinn'' (Sister), ''Militar'' (Military), ''Zulum'' (Injustice), ''Amchim Natalam'' (Our Christmas), ''Goa'', ''Mhoji Maim'' (My Mother), ''Lojechem Kopel'', ''Mog Antticho'', ''Mumboiche Gõykar'' (Goans Of Mumbai), ''Bankruttan Bankrutt'', ''Budhvont Put Ganvcho'' (The Cunning Son of the Village), ''Fuddar'' (Future), ''Mhozo Oprad'', ''Adeus vo Nimnni Bhett'' (Goodbye, this is the final offering), and ''Somzonnent Chuk Zali''. The latter work, published by the

Goa Konkani Akademi The Goa Konkani Akademi (Goa Academy of Letters for Konkani) is an organization set up by the Government of Goa in 1986 to promote the Konkani in Goa. Its stated aim is to accelerate the pace of development of Konkani by encouraging writers, rese ...

, delved into the complexities of the human psyche and explored the detrimental effects of prejudice, leading to grave misunderstandings. This particular play demonstrated Pereira's ability to artfully blend elements of seriousness and humor without resorting to

melodrama A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exces ...

. Towards the end of his career, Pereira presented his final show in

entitled ''Bapul Bhau'' (Cousin Brother). Additionally, he took on the role of director for several ''tiatrs'' by

Minguel Rod Miguel Manoel Rodrigues (10 August 1924 – 4 October 1955), known professionally as Minguel Rod or M. Rod., was a Goan singer, composer, playwright, and actor known for his work in '' tiatr'' productions. One of the greatest composers of the Ko ...

, including ''Bapul Bhau'', ''Gorib Xezari'' (Poor Neighbour), and ''Ghorchem Kestaum'' (Family Feud). During his artistic journey, Pereira had a cameo in the well-received Konkani film ''

Amchem Noxib ''Amchem Noxib'' is a 1963 Indian Konkani-language film directed by A. Salam and produced by Frank Fernand. It is the second Konkani film, after '' Mogacho Anvddo'', which released in 1950. ''Amchem Noxib'' was a trendsetter for the fledgling K ...

''.

Personal life

Pereira was known for his early advocacy of individual rights, showcasing determination from a young age. He opposed various forms of injustice, including those directed at women, the entrenched

caste system Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultura ...

, and governmental policies. In the earlier stages of his life, Pereira's mischievous

demeanor Social behavior is behavior among two or more organisms within the same species, and encompasses any behavior in which one member affects the other. This is due to an interaction among those members. Social behavior can be seen as similar to an ...

led to him being given the

moniker A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...

"Boxer," a nickname which later served as the inspiration for his chosen

stage name A stage name is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and they may be similar, or nearly identical, to an individu ...

, Kid Boxer. André Rafael Fernandes writes in his book "''When the Curtains Rise...Understanding Goa's Vibrant Konkani Theatre''," Pereira formed a trio called the Kid-Young-Rod, which gained recognition for their singing abilities in the realm of ''

''. Fernandes further explains that, Pereira's expertise was in creating

satirical Satire is a genre of the visual, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, often with the intent of shaming or e ...

songs infused with

proverbs A proverb (from la, proverbium) is a simple and insightful, traditional saying that expresses a perceived truth based on common sense or experience. Proverbs are often metaphorical and use formulaic speech, formulaic language. A proverbial phra ...

. Additionally, he excelled at crafting quick-witted responses during musical debates, particularly when pitted against Aleixinho De Candolim. Pereira died in

, aged 74.

Filmography

Selected stage works

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Boxer, Kid 1917 births 1991 deaths Goan people Tiatrists Indian male singers Indian male actors People from North Goa district