Lester Cardoz

Born in a Goan family from Kalina, rapper Lester Cardoz grew up hearing Konkani, but it wasn't until he watched Bardroy Barretto's 2016 film, Nachom-ia Kumpasar (Dance to the Rhythm), that he felt a sense of pride in the language. The film, which won three national awards, six international awards and even made it to the Oscar list in the Best Picture and Best Original Score categories, celebrates Goan music through the eyes of two legendary musicians of the 1960s. It also features 20 Konkani songs originally composed by Goan songwriter Chris Perry, on whom the film is based. "I was keenly aware of the stereotypes surrounding Goans… that we drink a lot and are laidback. Nobody until then had cared to put a spotlight on the substantial contribution made by Goan musicians to the Hindi film industry," says Cardoz, whose favourites include Tuzho Mog and Santosh Bogta.