Starting off as a short film maker from the small state of Goa and emerging as the creator of an Oscars qualifying movie, Pervis Milroy Goes is a painter, film maker, writer and a lover of everything arts; an inspiration for many! Following the announcement of the book behind the fabled Welcome Millions movie, we reached out to him to get to know him better and explore a rising film maker’s perspective on the greater picture of Indian cinema.
We all know the movie maker Milroy Goes but few know what made you who you are today. What was the behind-the-scenes of this brilliant film that is you?
I have always been an artist. I started off as a painter, a sketch artist. But coming into digital art opened up the dimension of film making for me. What further fancied me was watching the making of movies; that was what pushed me into trying to make films myself and that’s how it all started.
You’ve been into art your entire life but suddenly you decided to get into this really unique business of Cafe Bom Gosto! What was your vision behind that?
In small towns like Cuncolim people generally prefer going to nearby cities whenever it comes to organizing meetings. Bom Gosto was a small effort from me and my brother to provide Cuncolimites a scope to gather their artistic and intellectual potential and discuss it all in one place.
Having focused on Goa throughout your career, what have you observed to be Goa’s biggest strength that can take its cinematography to a global pedestal?
Even though I have worked on and from Goa, I have always had a more global picture in mind. When I make films I make them for film lovers across the world and not just a limited region. I believe that is the biggest strength, not just Goans but anyone, can have in terms of making art.
What changes do you think the Indian Film Industry is going to witness in the imminent few years? What changes would you like to see?
I believe a lot in the potential of OTT platforms. Because in a state like Goa, where theatrical releases are only within the state, OTTs are a film maker’s window to the global audience. A growing focus on OTT platforms will surely bring about amazing changes in the industry.
What are your thoughts on the regulations on OTT platforms? Do you think it’s important or is it going to curb a lot of creativity?
I will only say that although some regulations are restrictive and may curb creativity, they are after all a necessary evil.
When someone says ‘Indian film industry’ the picture that immediately flashes before the eyes is of Bollywood, while in reality it’s much more than that! What do you think is the reason behind this and what can be done to bring regional industries to the forefront?
This is a question I really appreciate because, absolutely! People skip Indian movies a lot of times because they think it would come with the typical dance and drama. Bollywood is, at best, a genre. But it steals the overall identity only because it’s quite commercial and the name sells. Again, a shift in focus and more global outlook is the only answer to this conundrum.
Speaking of Bollywood, it’s largely observed that the supposed superstars of the genre have this tendency to get into trouble all the time, perhaps due to a sense of power that does not just come from wealth. Do you think the growing influence of alternative platforms is going to put a stop to this false sense of power or will it go the other way and pull these developing platforms into the murk as well?
Alternative platforms, in a bid to make their own brand, make big images out of small characters and this definitely affects these superstars. Even big actors are taking interest in serials now; again OTT platforms have a role behind this because they do not care about the commercial value of an actor but his overall ability. And I think it will change the Bollywood worship thing and will eventually clear out all the nuisance there is.
Like you mentioned, it’s not easy for a commoner to get into the circle, let alone to the top. How do you, as a film maker, see this situation?
The real challenge for a fresher is creating commercial value because a director would definitely want his film to sell. In such a case, it is crucial for an actor to be in contact with the right person who can provide him with his break.
Is it challenging to find such able faces among freshers?
It is but not in states like Goa. Because, unlike Mumbai, people here have more talent and less opportunity. And that makes it easier to find the right person.
Nowadays we see a lot of artistic potential in young children get crushed due to a variety of reasons. Having been a social activist yourself, what do you think can be done to prevent these young talents from losing their wings even before they have taken flight?
In this digital era, it is very difficult to manoeuvre youngsters into focussing on their talent in the first place. It largely boils down to the individual’s peer circle. When you have friends who share the same interests as you do, you learn a lot from them.
One last thing that personally interests me is your announcement about the Welcome Millions book. Was it due to the pandemic or have you always been interested?
What I originally wanted was to tell the real story behind the making of the movie to the world. But the pandemic sure gave me the opportunity for that and the fact that my brother is an author only inspired me further. That is how I became interested in the book side of it. Incidentally, it’s the pandemic that I have to thank for the inception of an idea like Bom Gosto!
Do you have any closing words to share with our readers?
I would like to say that if you think you have a certain talent, discuss it with people who are relevant to that field. They are the ones who will have the answers to all your confusion. Don’t let your talent go to waste! And above all, believe in your dream. Because when you do, “the whole universe conspires in helping you achieve it.”
Get in touch with Milroy Goes:
https://twitter.com/milroygoes/
[author title=”Megha Satapathy” image=”http://goachronicle.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/IMG_20210205_095950.jpg”]Journalist, Goa Chronicle
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