Brought up in Perth, Australia, he has lived in India for more than a quarter of a century, in Thiruvanathpuram, Kerala. He is director at the Daksha Seth Dance Company founded by his wife, the wellknown dancer Daksha Seth. His son is a percussionist, his daughter Isha Sharvani is an accomplished dancer and made her Bollywood debut in Subhash Ghai's Kisna.

Devissaro has collaborated with Girish Karnad on a stage production before. "I actually work more with dance than theatre," he says. "The difference being that in dance, music and form are balanced. In theatre, music has to be subdued. Dialogue is supreme."

"Whatever you do will be liked by somebody and disliked by others," he says, "so I do whatever I like to do, in which case one person is always satisfied -- me."

He concedes that this attitude doesn't bring in money, but he doesn't care.