Legendary threatre actor, singer, and owner of professional repertories Enagi Balappa passed away on Friday morning. The 103-year-old, who was suffering from age related illness, passed away at Enagi village, near Savadatti in Belagavi district.
Born Balappa Karibasappa Lokur in 1914, he came to be known as Enagi Balappa, as drama enthusiasts connected the actor with his native village.
A towering personality among the professional theatre artistes of India, he had performed across the country and abroad. He had mentored several hundred actors, singers and artistes. His son Nataraj, who was an accomplished actor himself, died in 2012.
Balapppa was a recipient of numerous awards. He was a recipient of the central Sangeet Natak Academi award, the honourary fellowship of the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, and the Doctor of Performing Arts degree by the Dr. Gangubai Hangal University of Performing Arts. He had also served as the chairperson of the Karnataka Nataka Academy.
His effeminate personality and fair complexion helped him bag female leads in plays as there were few women in theatre then. His roles as Lord Rama’s mother Kousalya and Goddess Marikamba and Kali were well appreciated. He also played female roles of Hemareddy Mallamma and Kittur Rudramma in historical plays.
“He was famous across the state for his intimate portrayal of Saint Basaveshwara. His performances in plays, such as ‘Basaveshwara Mahime’, were so convincing that people would fall at his feet the next morning, believing him to be an incarnation of Basaveshwara,” said Ganesh Amingad, his biographer.
He played Basaveshwara in a farewell performance at Ravindra Kalakshetra in Bengaluru soon after celebrating his 100th birthday.
Three generations of the Enagi family came together at Ranga Shanakra in 2012 when Balappa, his son Nataraj and his grand children performed the play ‘Kalyan Kranti’, which was about the 12th century socio- cultural revolution. Balappa had essayed the role of Saint Haralayya in that play.
D.S. Chougule, a Belagavi-based playwright, remembers Balappa as a “walking encyclopedia of theatre”. He said that Balappa was known for his elephantine memory of different plays and theatrical songs. In 2005, the Karnataka Nataka Academy recorded over 150 songs that he sung from memory. “We were happy to be part of that effort as members of the academy,” he said.
Balappa also contributed to “Ranga Kusuma”, a weekly column in the Kannada magazine ‘Karmaveera’, where he related the life stories of theatre artistes of Karnataka and neighbouring states. This ran for over three years.
His early life was tough. Born in a landed family, he suffered losses when he tried to set up and run his repertory. He was disciplined by the British when he staged a play on Kittur Rani Channamma, who fought the East India Company, and another play “Sangya – Balya,” which was perceived to be anti-establishment. He closed down his company and went to work as an actor in other drama companies. After Independence, he started another company - Sri Kala Vaibhav Natya Sangha - and staged plays related to the freedom struggle, such as “Chale Jao” on the Quit India movement.
On the invitation of the government, he served as a trainer of young amateur drama artistes in some camps in Bengaluru. He also directed a play by amateur artistes in Mysuru.
He will be cremated with full state honours at his village on Saturday at 11 a.m. Minister for Kannada and Culture Umashree, Deputy Commissioner S. Jiyaullah and other officers are expected to attend.
