{{Short description|Indian actor and singer (1920–1999)}} {{distinguish|Claude Alvares}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}} {{Use Indian English|date=June 2017}} {{Infobox person | name = C. Alvares | image = C. Alvares.png | caption = Portrait of Alvares during his youth | birth_name = Celestino Santana Francisco Alvares | birth_date = {{Birth date|1920|8|1|df=y}} | birth_place = Saligão, Goa, Portuguese India | death_date = {{Death date and age|1999|2|27|1920|8|1|df=y}} | death_place = Mumbai, Maharashtra, India | other_names = | occupation = {{hlist|Actor|singer|playwright|director}} | children = 4<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/cafe/son-of-the-village-returns-to-saligao/201024|title=Son of the village returns to Saligao|first=Herald|last=Team|date=15 February 2023|website=Herald Goa}}</ref> | years_active = | known_for = | relatives = {{ubl| * Betty Ferns<br>(sister-in-law) * Prem Kumar<br/>(brother-in-law)<ref>{{Cite news |last=Esteves |first=Pio |date=6 July 2017 |title=Tiatrist: Betty Ferns |work=O Heraldo |pages=25}}</ref>}} | notable_works = {{plainlist| * ''Amchem Noxib'' * ''Nirmon'' * ''Bhuierantlo Munis''}} }}
'''Celestino Santana Francisco Alvares''' (1 August 1920 – 27 February 1999), known professionally as '''C. Alvares''', was an Indian actor, singer, playwright, and director known for his work in Konkani films and ''tiatr'' (musical theatre) productions. One of the greatest Konkani theatre performers,<ref name=":0" /> he was dubbed the "King of Duets." Alvares is also credited with introducing several women to the Konkani stage. He is a recipient of the Best Actor Award for his lead role in ''Nirmon''.
==Early life== Celestino Santana Francisco Alvares was born on 21 August 1920 in Saligao, Bardez. His father, Caetan Alvares, was also a dedicated tiatrist. He received his primary education in Portuguese up to the ''Primeiro Grau'' (First Grade) at a government school in Saligao. Later, he studied up to the fourth standard at a local high school. In 1927, at the age of seven (in 1927), he participated in his tiatr, ''Mhoji Ghorkann'' (My Wife), which was written by his father. Inspired by his father, he later began writing his own tiatrs.<ref name="Vishwakosh1999">{{cite wikisource |editor-first1=Tanaji |editor-last1=Halarnkar |editor-link1=Tanaji Halarnkar |others= |title=Konkani Vishwakosh |trans-title=Konkani Encyclopaedia |wslink=Page:Konkani Viswakosh Vol1.pdf/216 |type= |edition= |series= |page=216 |volume=1 |year=1999 |publisher=Goa University |location=Goa |language=gom |wslanguage=gom }}</ref>
== Career == Alvares specialised in composing and singing poignant duets on various social issues, so he was called the "King of Duets". He acted in two of the most memorable Konkani films, including ''Amchem Noxib'' (1963), ''Nirmon'' (1966), ''Mhoji Ghorkarn'', ''Bhuierantlo Munis'' (1977), and ''Uddta to Buddta''. He received the award for Best Actor for ''Nirmon'', while the film won a National Award.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.goa-world.com/goa/kuwait/1999/calvares.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928024608/http://www.goa-world.com/goa/kuwait/1999/calvares.htm|url-status=dead|title=goa-world.com|archivedate=28 September 2011|website=www.goa-world.com}}</ref>
Alvares is credited with renewing the trend of female participation on the Konkani stage.<ref name=":1" /> He encouraged the maximum number of young women who succeeded in earning a reputation for themselves as actresses. Some of whom he introduced on the Konkani stage were Shalini Mardolkar, Philomena Braz, Carmen Rose, Cecilia Machado, Antonette Mendes, Mohana Cabral, Ophelia, Jessie Dias, and Betty Ferns.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}
Alvares has written 107 ''tiatrs'' besides acting in thousands of ''tiatrs'' during the span of 60 years that he served the ''tiatr'' stage. Because of his lifelong work, he has been called the greatest contributor to the Konkani stage.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} He also produced the Konkani film ''Faxi Mogachi''.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=GOANOW - Tribute<!-- Bot generated title --> |url=http://www.goacom.com/goanow/99/mar/issue1/tribute.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615185602/http://www.goacom.com/goanow/99/mar/issue1/tribute.html |archive-date=15 June 2011 |access-date=25 June 2011 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
==Awards and accolades== * He won the first prize for "Best Acting" for four consecutive years in competitions organized by Mumbai’s ''Cine Times''.<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" /> * In 1966, he received an award for "Best Acting" at a national-level competition organized by the Government of India, presented by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" />
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Alvares, C.}} Category:1920 births Category:1999 deaths Category:Tiatrists Category:Singers from Goa Category:Konkani-language singers Category:20th-century Indian male singers Category:Male actors from Goa Category:Writers from Goa Category:Film directors from Goa Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights Category:20th-century Indian male actors Category:Indian male film actors