Garud Sadasivarao was introduced to the professional stage theatre by a junior contemporary of A.V. Varadachar. He followed a traditional style of acting and trained scores of young men in the theory and practice of stage-acting. And the Garud School is an achieved reality, for; almost every known actor in North Karnataka seems to have drawn his inspiration, if not direct training, from Garud.
Life in Theatre for Garud Sadasivarao
To Garud, the art of acting was a methodical science, which could be reasoned out and taught. He believed that an actor was not born but made with a systematic training and practice. Those that desire to make others feel an emotion must first feel it themselves` was the basis of Garud`s success on the stage. He practiced what he preached. Garud`s method was a planned portrayal rather than a spontaneous performance and he had trained himself in the Trishya and Chaturashra types of acting in the portrayal of mixed emotions and employed them at command, particularly in the roles of Dasaratha, Echama Nayaka, Kabirdas and Ashoka. Garud was perhaps the first actor in Karnataka to have analysed and rationalised the art of acting.
Almost every play of Garud Sadasivarao created sufficient scope for the "study in contrasts", thereby providing equal scope for the full expression of the actor`s talent. An artist who came out with success from the vigorous methods of training and meticulous tests of Garud was certain of making a name, for he would always be on demand by different professional troupes. As important as the facial expression was an intelligent use of voice and a calculated articulation. Garud`s own troupe which earned a reputation for impressive abhinaya paid a great deal of attention to the best use of the voice, unlike many other troupes which "shouted out the play". In the role of the aged Dasharatha -crushed with the shock of the departure of Rama - Garud put his voice into a memorable use when he moaned the name of Lord Rama twice or thrice with short pauses in between completely altering the tone and the pitch of his voice. Equally grand was his playing the role of Ashoka (in the play Vishama Vivaha), particularly while portraying the emotions of the great monarch who suffered a shock on realising the wickedness of his wily queen.
Later Life of Garud Sadasivarao
Like A.V. Varadachar, he often appeared in minor roles also to make a magnificence of the insignificant. The country recognized his art, his patriotism and his great efforts to stage the theatre of North Karnataka and honoured him with the title Karnataka Natakalankara at the Belgaum Kannada Conference in 1925.
