If one were to address him as Mathias Correia perhaps nobody would even care to turn an ear. But, call him by his stage name of Comedian Selvy and it is sure to receive a spontaneous response. Hailing from the picturesque village of Velim in the Salcette taluka, Com. Selvy has come a long way to fame and fortune
One of the most sought after comedians of the Konknai stagein recent times, he is a favourite with the young and the old. Com. Selvy had astressing time last season while doing justice to 6 different directors viz;Rose Ferns, Milagres de Chandor, Constantino Crasto, Cajy de Curtorim, PalSoares, Com. Agostinho in six different tiatrs. It was virtual tight rope walkfor him shuttling between dates and timings for different shows at differentvenues.
Com. Selvy had humble beginnings with his first professionalassignment coming in the show of playwright and Com. John D’Silva’s tiatr‘Vatt’ in the year 1998 and continued with John for the next eight years or so.Com. Selvy has also had acting stints with Playwright Pascoal Rodrigues, andSamuel Carvalho in Daddy and Purtugez Goykar, as well as ‘Mhaka Sangat’.
Comedian Selvy has almost lost count of the number of VCDalbums he has acted in for numerous producers, but he says “It should be around150-160 VCD films that I have acted in.” When Com. Agostinho Temudo formed hisown dramatic troupe and began staging his own tiatrs, he roped in Com. Selvy asthe comedian in his first tiatr ‘Sir’. Since then he has been a permanentmember of Com. Agostinho’s troupe, of course also acting in tiatrs of otherplaywrights if the time slot permits and the dates do not clash.
Com. Selvy is known for his sensational comedy solos, but,in all sincerity he admits, “I am not a composer, my directors usually give mebefitting comedy songs, Elvis Sequeira too has helped with comedy songs,including those featured in my audio albums.” Not many artists of the Konkanistage today have this gumption of honesty.
Com. Selvy has a special chemistry when he acts oppositeother comedians like Com. Anita, Com. Agostinho and Com. Janet. They worktogether like a well-oiled machine and what eventually erupts is a volcanicblast of comedy. As a comedian, his biggest assets are his body language andthe art to support his acting skills with appropriate facial expressions. Hehas the ability to turn the fortunes of any tiatr he displays his comic talentsin.
