How cancer helped Bengaluru musician Konarak Reddy redefine his art

After beating cancer, Konarak Reddy is all set for his upcoming concert, Bangalore 1974, which celebrates his 50-year journey in music.

There is a quiet vulnerability for an artist while revisiting their past creations, especially when life has reshuffled their perception of the world. Konarak Reddy knows this feeling intimately. He wrote a song called ‘Look For Me In The Stars,’ several years ago. Back then, for him, it was merely a generic farewell melody. The lyrics tinged with a vague sense of goodbye. Last year, however, the meaning of the song changed. The meaning of his life changed. 

Last April, in Germany, the curtain closed on a play Konarak had scored. He and his family were eager to return to their farm near Bengaluru, where they host creative residencies and workshops. Amidst the anticipation, however, a discordant note disrupted their plans. Konarak increasingly felt uneasy. He had symptoms of colorectal cancer. After reaching Bengaluru with his family, the oncologist confirmed their worst fear.

“The treatment involved two phases: first, I underwent chemo for a few months. Then came the radiation, a series of 32 sessions. Thankfully, after this combined treatment, tests showed the tumour was gone, likely destroyed by the radiation.”

This two-sentence summary of his ordeal makes it seem like a minor inconvenience. It was, obviously, one of the most challenging times of his 69 years of existence — not just for him but also his family. “The three of us, my wife, daughter, and I, became a team. We faced it together for a whole year,” he says over the phone from Bengaluru, ahead of his upcoming concert, Bangalore 1974, which celebrates half a century of his journey in music.

“Knowing I wanted a distraction, my wife, Kirtana, suggested a concert. It seemed crazy at first – neuropathy (nerve damage that can cause weakness, numbness, and pain) after the radiation made playing difficult. Then, however, the music started pulling me back in. I started composing, creating visuals with AI, and reminiscing about the joy of playing music.”

Konarak rocked his first post-cancer show last December at Unboxing BLR, followed by another in March at Jagriti. The upcoming Bangalore 1974 concert, however, will be the defining moment for him. ‘Look For Me In The Stars’ will be the centrepiece — a song reborn, perhaps with him.

Konarak, strangely, also feels a sense of gratitude for his cancer. For, it reshaped his entire relationship with music. Gone are the days of chasing stadium gigs, large crowds, and relentless pursuit of technical perfection. “Now, my wife and I are keen on travelling to beautiful, hidden corners of the country and playing for a close-knit audience. Maybe in Srirangapatna on the riverbank, under the stars, without any fancy setup. That’s what excites us,” he says.