Sumedh K of ‘Su From So’ and ‘Thulasi’: Meet Kannada music’s new voice

Sumedh K made a splash as a composer for the hit film ‘Su From So’, which raked in over 100 crores in 2025. His latest single, ‘Thulasi’, inspired by the legendary Purandara Dasa, has racked up a jaw-dropping 2.8 million views

Sumedh K watches films, shows, and goes out with friends, as most 21-year-olds do. But not many, especially in the Kannada film industry, start as young as this music composer. It turned out to be a dream debut for the Bengaluru boy as his songs were one of the pillars of the 100-crore box office show of Su From Soin 2025. Apart from cinema, Sumedh has made an impression in the Kannada independent music space with Thulasi, a soulful song based on the verses of Purandara Dasa. It’s been two weeks since the video was released on YouTube, and it has raced to 2.8 million views, and counting.

“It’s not fair to say I am disturbed, but I am definitely overwhelmed,” Sumedh tells The Hindu about the continuous attention on him over the last few months. I agree that music has become a semi-occupation. Yet, I still see it as a hobby,” adds Sumedh, who is pursuing a User Experience Design course at RV College.

Thulasi was born out of Sumedh’s immense respect for Purandara Dasa, the legendary composer hailed as the father of Carnatic music. “I am glad that a music video was made out of my song,” says Sumedh, thanking the production companies Rectangle Film Productions and Lightbucket Film Productions.

“It was a collaborative process, and there was no ego involved. It’s great to see how people have responded. Many have mistaken this to be produced by a film production team, looking at the superior quality of the video. I am thankful to all those who made this happen.”

The success of Thulasi has put the focus on the Kannada indie music scene. “Sumedh feels there is a shift in attitude required to succeed in the genre. “The way we approach independent music in Karnataka has to change. People want to make a video, and for that purpose, they want a song,” he explains.

“The issue here is that they are approaching indie music as films. Music videos should be made after the song is composed. The video must be a visual representation of the music. Independent music is a lonely effort. You are making music from things that have influenced you. It’s an honest expression, and you aren’t even thinking if this will work with the audience,” adds the youngster, who loves listening to Indian fusion bands such as Agam and Thaikkudam Bridge.