Music: The Soul of SRUTI BHEDHAM & BROKEN NOTE
In Sruti Bhedham (also being staged in English as Broken Note), music is far more than just the background score; it is the central protagonist. It is also the backdrop of the play as Carnatic classical music—a world where a single microtone (gamaka) can define a legacy or fracture a relationship.
To bring this narrative to life, we assembled an ensemble of artists who didn't just perform the music—they inhabited the drama, and now our talented actors bring that same depth to the stage.
The Artists
Under the visionary direction of Asha Ramesh, our musical landscape is shaped by the evocative voices of Asha herself, Anil Narasimha, Roopa Mahadevan, and Akshaya Ramanujam.
The melodic dialogue is carried by Aditya Satyadeep and Sri Vidya Pamarthy on Violin, supported by the rhythmic pulse of Vignesh Venkataraman and Srivathsa Pasumarthi on Mridangam.
A short video captures the artists working together on the captivating music for the play. The background music in the video is one of the songs recorded for the production - Manavyalakincharadhate.
The Music
The music in the play is rooted in the "Golden Age" of Carnatic music. Some of the songs featured in this production include:
Pibare Ramarasam – Composed by Sadasiva Brahmendra in Ragam Nadanamakriya
Jagadeesha – Composed by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal in Ragam Nadanamakriya
Manavyalakincharadhate – A Saint Tyagaraja composition in Ragam Nalinakanti
Sarasijanabha Sodari – Composed by Muthuswami Dikshitar in Ragam Nagagandhari
Sarasaksha – A composition by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal in Ragam Panthuvarali
Bantureethi – Saint Tyagaraja's composition in Ragam Hamsanadham
To ensure the authenticity of the sound, the production was meticulously captured and polished by:
Recording Engineer: Srivathsa Pasumarthi
Mixing & Mastering: Anish Mohan (Atrium Studios, Chennai)
In Sruti Bhedham / Broken Note, when the music begins, the dialogue doesn't stop—it simply changes form. A ragam is a revelation. A talam is a heartbeat. And in the silence between notes, a lifetime of truth is revealed.
We invite you to join us for a journey where every note serves to bring separated hearts back together.
March 13–21 | Sunnyvale Theater