PANAJI
Noted Konkani tiatr actor and director and Vice-President of Tiatr Academy of Goa, Mario Menezes suffered a massive heart attack and breathed his last at Chiplun in Maharashtra while on his way to a scheduled tiatr performance in Mumbai on Saturday.
Mario Menezes was travelling as a member of Menino de Bandar’s troupe for his show ‘Tandllanchem Kestaum’ as part of the 150th Birth anniversary celebrations of Pai Tiatrist Joao Agostinho Fernandes. The performance was scheduled at St Joseph’s Church Hall Mira Road Mumbai on Saturday.
While majority of the tiatr group members were proceeding to Mumbai by bus, Mario Menezes was travelling by train along with another 6 tiatr artistes.
Mario, popularly known as ‘tragedy king’ of the Konkani stage, had no known illness. He was his usual self-joking and laughing the entire journey, according to members of the troupe that accompanied him.
“The travelling artistes had their dinner and were relaxing when after crossing Ratnagiri Mario suddenly began complaining of severe headache. The pain continued and in no time his body turned pale. Authorities were alerted and as the train reached Chiplun an ambulance was pressed into service and Mario was carried to a private hospital where he was declared ‘brought dead,” disclosed his colleagues on the train. A massive heart attack is believed to be the cause of his death.
Mario leaves behind his wife Epiphania Menezes and tiatrist daughters Rioma and Riosha Menezes.
