Music plays a significant role in performing arts. Various moods and strains in drama can be effectively conveyed to the audience through music. Veterans like Enagi Balappa, Subhadramma Mansoor and B Jayashree have carved a niche in Kannada theatre circle by scoring music for many plays. Siddarama Kesapura is the latest addition to this list.
Born on August 17, 1982 at Madikeshwara village in Bijapur district, Siddarama hails from a family that is oriented to music as his father Suresha Kesapura is a music teacher. But fate had other plans for him and at the age of three, Siddarama lost his mobility to polio.
Physical disability didn't deter Siddarama from creative endeavours. He learned the nuances of music from his father and later honed his skills with music maestro Veerabhadraiah Eragal and Totappa Uttangi during his stint with Jamura troupe in Chitradurga.
Siddarama joined Shivasanchara theatre troupe at Sanehalli as singer in the year 2002. Impressed with Siddarama's talent, late Prof C G Krishnaswamy, popularly known as CGK, who had played an active role in bringing many screen artists to limelight asked him to compose music for the play ‘Sorutihudu maneya malige’. Siddarama accepted the responsibility with much hesitation. But the play was a great hit in that year's sanchara and the title song for which Siddarama composed music and sung was widely appreciated.
Siddarama joined theatre group Neenasam during 2005-06. He scored music along with Sridhar for the play ‘Pataragitti Pakka’. He also played Montague in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ during that year’s ‘Tirugata’. Siddarama fondly remembers the pat he received from renowned director Atul Tiwari for his crooning and acting abilities at Neenasam. Siddarama Kesapura returned to Shivasanchara next year. So far he has scored music for 30 plays including ‘Kalajnani Kanaka’, ‘Sorutihadu Maneya Malige’, ‘Vadhuti’, ‘Urilingapeddi’, ‘Jangamadedege’, ‘Vishwabandhu Marulasidda’, ‘Beralge Koral’, ‘Kulam’, among others.
Bharatranga Sanchar, the ambitious project of Shivasanchara troupe to tour around the country to propagate the message of Shivasharanas provided good exposure to Siddarama Kesapura. As part of Bharatranga Sanchar, Shivasanchara troupe performed at 12 states in which music scored by Siddarama for ‘Rakth Kalyan’, the Hindi version of Girish Karnad’s ‘Taledanda’ and ‘Jangam ki Ooar’ won accolades from theatre buffs. “It was very challenging to convey the theme which is strongly grounded in Kannada cultural context to Hindi audience. Music which transcends the barriers of region and language formed the main tool of narration in the drama,” Siddarama said.
Siddarama has completed Vidwath exam in music and has also acted in ‘Mataad Mataad Mallige’, a film directed by Nagatihalli Chandrashekhar. Apart from drama, this artist and his team performs at marriage and other occasions to meet their daily expenses. Those who want to make wedding ceremonies special with ‘vachanas’, ‘keertanas’, ‘bhavageeta’s or film songs, call Siddarama Kesapura at 9448744018.
