Showing posts with label Lucky Ali. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lucky Ali. Show all posts
I’m not a trained singer and I’m a bad actor-Lucky Ali
8:23 AM
Toshiro Agarwal (BOMBAY TIMES; May 25, 2026)
Lucky Ali has remained one of Indian music’s most emotionally resonant voices, a singer who made vulnerability sound timeless. Lucky inherited fame early but spent much of his life quietly walking away from it. From briefly dabbling in acting to redefining India’s indie-pop landscape with Sunoh, his journey has always been guided less by ambition and more by instinct. In a conversation with us, the singer reflects on fame, silence, authenticity, and why music, for him, still feels like growth. Excerpts:
You briefly explored acting before finally settling as a musician. Was acting something you genuinely wanted for yourself, or was it a path shaped more by circumstance and family expectations? And if the right opportunity came your way today, would you consider returning to acting?
I’m not a trained singer, and I’m a bad actor. Acting was more my father’s (late actor Mehmood) wish. I wanted to please him, so I did a few films — some bad ones. But I also got to work with directors like Shyam Benegal and Sanjay Gupta. But I would only act again if something genuinely touched my heart. Music feels different to me. It feels like growth. On stage, you can keep discovering things you couldn’t do before — that’s the beauty of it.
At a time when pop music was becoming more polished and commercial, your songs felt unusually raw and personal. Was that natural or did it come from feeling disconnected from the mainstream music industry?
The industry was what it was, and I never found the comfort of making music from within that system. Honestly, the music we made had a lot of mistakes — musically, even lyrically sometimes. But whatever happened, happened naturally. It made me feel good, and I believed it would make others feel good too.
You’ve said before that you don’t like being forced to make music for trends. In today’s algorithm-driven industry, how difficult is it to protect authenticity?
Not difficult at all. I just do my music when I feel like doing it. I’m not dictated to by the system, and I don’t follow it either. I’ve always worked with people who are independent in their thinking and music. For me, music has to be heartfelt. It shouldn’t be too prolonged or repetitive.
You’ve often spoken about impermanence and not getting too attached to fame. Did that understanding come from personal experience, or from closely observing the entertainment industry over the years?
You see it everywhere, not just in the entertainment industry. There’s always a rise, and then there’s a point where things slow down. That’s natural. Age plays an important factor, and there comes a time when certain phases stop. So, fame is a difficult thing because after a point, you’re not entirely your own person anymore. It’s different when we’re performing because that comes from the heart. But it becomes difficult to move around normally because people surround you. I deal with it by taking long breaks before coming back to it again.
While most artistes try to move closer to the spotlight, you often walked away from it. Looking back, was protecting your personal life more important to you than protecting your career?
There was already so much fame within the family — my father, my aunt (Meena Kumari) — and I had seen that closely. It never really appealed to me. For many people, fame is something they want to achieve, but for me, it was just something that was thrust upon me. My intentions were always different. I never even thought of myself as a musician who would last this long. I simply wanted to do what I had set out to do, which was to make that album. I had applied myself to music far more than acting or anything else.
There are divided opinions within the music industry about bringing deceased artistes back through holograms and AI. Is there someone you would have wanted to share a stage with in that form?
I always wanted to bring my father back on stage in some form. We had even discussed the idea of performing his songs with him appearing on stage alongside us. But something like that takes a lot of time, effort and money, and I never really pursued it further. The idea still exists though. Maybe I’ll do it, maybe I won’t. I don’t really want to go beyond my father when it comes to that.
-------------------------------------------------
On Sunoh resonating with the audience till date... Lucky says, “What I felt at that time, I wrote. And whoever listened to it carried those feelings within them. Now those people have grown up, and somehow the music has stayed with them. I don’t know why I got the opportunity to do what I’ve done. It’s not something you can plan. It’s just how the time was, and how things happened.”
-------------------------------------------------
“If people are still listening to the music, then clearly the feelings haven’t become old. Their realities may be different now, but the emotions are still the same. My music evolves, and so do I with it”
-------------------------------------------------
“For me, music and singing were the only forms of expression that truly made sense because they came more naturally to me than theatrics or other forms of expression”
Lucky Ali reacts to taking a step back from touring: "One day this has to stop, and it will"
8:37 AM
Currently on his ‘Re: Sound Tour’, Lucky Ali discusses the possibility of his touring days ending soon and spreading love with his songs until then
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; November 10, 2025)
Sitting by the pool of a farmhouse, this writer and her friends were talking about songs that had a soul. As if on cue, a friend hummed O Sanam, and suddenly, we slipped into a gentle silence — each of us lost in our own thoughts, but with a smile on our faces. That’s what Lucky Ali’s music does to you. It slows down the world, strips away the noise, and leaves you with that moment of peace. In 2021, when the singer resurfaced from his solitude after a video of his performance in a Goa shack went viral, his songs returned to our playlists — on loop, like a warm memory.
Now, as he travels across India on the Re:Sound Lucky Ali India Tour, organised by JetAlive, mid-day sneaks in a moment with him to talk about his music, how life shapes his notes, and the day he will stop touring. Excerpts from the interview.
You were born with the skill to entrance people with your music. How much has your life’s story contributed to your art?
I had to develop my art. Over the years, I was able to [hone it] by working with some great musicians and good people. That has been my journey.
Is there a song you have written that tells your story?
[I have worked on] a new song that is coming out soon, it’s called Majbooriyan. It [is inspired by the] lessons of life. Actually, I write all my songs based on life lessons and aspirations. There’s always an aspect of search within my songs.
When you sing for large or small crowds, what do you think people hear in your music that resonates with them so strongly?
For me, a crowd is neither large nor small. When people listen to you, singing for them [is a form of] expression. Whether it’s just one person or there are 10,000 people, the feeling [is the same].
Your fans often revisit your earlier compositions. Do you go back to them too, or do they stay forgotten as you search for new tunes?
I don’t forget my tunes. I revisit them and if I have not played a track or I’ve not performed it [in a while], we bring that track into being. We perform it with the band, like I’m doing for the tour right now.
There are murmurs about you taking a step back from touring. If you stop touring, won’t people who love your music be bereft of soul-stirring performances?
Well, I [will] do it for as long as the Creator allows me to perform my art, but I’m human and there’s a limitation that I will reach at some point, if I’ve not already reached it. I’m realistic about the fact that one day this has to stop, and it will stop. [Until then] what I want is to experience bringing people together on a platform of understanding, of love. That’s what my music is about.
You have always come across as a curious mind. What makes you curious today?
Everything makes me curious. ‘Why’ is a question that I keep asking even now. Like a child would always ask ‘Why’ or ‘What’, I still have those questions.
In a world driven by data and artificial intelligence, where do you find yourself?
I’m perfectly comfortable wherever they are. They are in their own space, and I’m in my own.
What do you think your legacy will be?
I don’t know. I don’t even want to think about it.
Lucky Ali vs Javed Akhtar: Singer ‘apologizes’ for calling him ‘never original’
8:17 AM
HINDUSTAN TIMES (October 24, 2025)
Days after calling him “ugly as f**k”, singer-songwriter Lucky Ali ‘apologized’ to veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar. Ali (67) wrote in an X post that his words were not meant to offend. He wrote on Wednesday, “what I meant was that arrogance is ugly... it was a mistaken communique’ on my part... monsters may have feelings too and I apologize if I hurt anyone's monstrosity... (sic)”
This comes after his post on October 20, “Don’t become like Javed Akhtar, never original and ugly as f***,” over Akhtar’s (80) interview with India Film Project from last year that resurfaced online. Citing a scene from Sholay (1975), which he co-wrote with Salim Khan, Akhtar had said, “There was a scene where Dharmendra hides behind Shiv ji’s idol, and he speaks from that place. Hema Malini thinks Shiv ji is talking to her. Is it possible to have a scene like that today? No.”
Akhtar also remarked, “(Filmmaker) Raju Hirani and I were in Pune, and I said that don’t become like Muslims. Make them like yourselves. You are becoming like Muslims. It’s a tragedy.”
Akhtar did not publicly respond to Ali’s comments till the time of going to press.
I don't take life for granted anymore-Lucky Ali
8:35 AM
Devika V Menon (BOMBAY TIMES; September 26, 2025)
In May 2024, while driving back from Goa to Bengaluru with his daughter, singer Lucky Ali suddenly felt too unwell to continue. His daughter immediately took the wheel and rushed him to a hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with a transient ischemic attack (TIA).
“My recovery was possible only because my daughter got me to the hospital in time. The procedure was painless, and I feel even healthier now,” he says with quiet gratitude, adding, “I think my lifestyle and stress caused these situations.” Since then, every concert he performs has become more than just another show — it is a reminder of how fragile life is. Excerpts from the conversation:
‘EVERY CONCERT IS MY LAST CONCERT’
Ali speaks about music with disarming honesty: “Every concert is my last concert. I’ve had friends who died at concerts, so I don’t take anything for granted.” It’s this awareness, he believes, that gives his music its meditative quality, as listeners often describe it, and he admits he leans into that consciously. “I like meditative vibes on a track,” he tells us.
‘I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE JOURNEY I HAVE HAD’
Far removed from the frenzy of fame, Ali values the space he has carved for himself. “Being in the spotlight only takes away from you. It doesn’t give you anything,” he says. Looking back at his decades-long journey since his breakthrough in 1996, he has no regrets.
He says, “I’m very grateful to the Almighty for the journey I’ve had. I’ll continue for as long as I can, as long as I feel good about it.”
For Ali, music is inseparable from lived experience. “Each song of mine is a story. An aspect of my life or my experience with somebody else, which I try to put into lyrics and then I find the right movement for it in music,” he reveals.
‘EVERYONE IS QUICK TO REACT NOWADAYS’
Ali worries about a culture of instant reactions. “People should not get triggered so easily. We are so reactionary that it creates more problems. And unfortunately, we don’t have a very honest press,” he says. His advice: “Be sensible, evaluate what you listen to, instead of simply reacting.”
‘I CANNOT HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF TIMELY TREATMENT ENOUGH’
“The only reason I was able to recover and return to music fully was because of timely treatment,” Ali says. “A stroke or TIA is a medical emergency — but treatable if caught early. My advice to anyone is, don’t delay seeking help. Early recognition and treatment can change everything.”
'DON’T RELEASE YOUR WORK IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT'
While many young musicians see him as a guiding light, Ali remains humble. “It’s an honour, knowing young musicians look up to you. But I tell them — until you feel your own work, until you truly like it yourself, don’t release it," he explains.
My next dream? Main shaadi karunga phir se-Lucky Ali
8:34 AM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 4, 2025)
Singer-actor Lucky Ali charmed his audience at the 18th Kathakar International Storytellers Festival, which was held at Sunder Nursery in Delhi over the weekend. In addition to belting out various hits, such as Ik Pal Ka Jeena (Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, 2000) and Aa Bhi Jaa (Sur: The Melody of Life, 2002), Lucky also shared some interesting trivia behind his songs, much to the excitement of his many fans. The 66-year-old also revealed that he is going to collaborate with musician Faisal Kapadia next.
WHEN LUCKY PULLED HRITHIK’S LEG
Talking about the recording session of Ik Pal Ka Jeena, Lucky recounted the time he teased actor Hrithik Roshan: “The song had these lyrics — ‘Honthon pe pyaas hai, milne ki aas hai.’ And I remember I told Hrithik, ‘You are going to sing (lip-sync) ‘aas hai’ on screen? People would laugh!’ Then Hrithik went to his father (Rakesh Roshan, director) and told him, ‘Papa I don’t want to sing ‘aas’ on screen!’ Afterwards, Rakesh came to me and said, ‘Arey kya bol aur sikha raha hai isko?’”
‘I DON’T LISTEN TO MUSIC’
When Lucky was asked about a recent song that he would’ve loved to sing, he responded, “You are not going to believe this, but I don’t really listen to music. It’s all internal. Sometimes I do listen to artistes, though.”
Apart from singing, Lucky also had a brief stint in acting. Talking about the same, he opened up about how his father, the legendary late comedian-actor Mehmood, wanted him to become an actor. Although, that changed with time. “He was very happy when he saw me do well in music. He was my role model and I wanted to be like him. Before he passed on, he even helped me become more spiritually aware. [Afterwards] I started travelling a lot,” he said.
On a separate note, when the singer-actor was asked about his next dream in life, he revealed that he plans to marry for a fourth time: “Main shaadi karunga phir se.” Lucky divorced his third wife, model Kate Elizabeth Hallam in 2017.
Art itself is feminine. Science is masculine-Arko Pravo Mukherjee
1:43 PM
Riya Sharma (BOMBAY TIMES; October 11, 2024)
For singer, songwriter, music composer Arko Pravo Mukherjee, love songs are essentially feminine. “Nazm Nazm is very special to me. It is the only song with no changes – neither from the director nor the label. Wherever I go, especially women, love the song. Men, too but because women are softer and gentler...these love songs are essentially feminine, unless there are alpha sentiments like ‘Mujhe Tu Chahiye, Haq Hai Mera’,” says the Saathi Rey singer, who was recently in the city.
In Delhi for an album launch, Arko speaks to us about his faith in his art and how the number game doesn’t matter to him. Elaborating on the femininity of love songs, Arko adds, “Art itself is feminine. Science is masculine. Science is like yeh maine discover kiya. Art doesn’t have that. It is not something that belongs to the author or the singer completely,” he says.
“I’ve done many singles, but they haven’t done as well as my film songs like Nazm Nazm. If a layman knows a song, then you know that it has worked; I’ve been much luckier with film songs,” says Arko
‘WE HAD ABOUT 30 VERSES OF TERI MITTI’
Talking about the song Teri Mitti that has been added to the list of patriotic songs in many music charts, Arko, who composed the music for the hit, shares, “I keep telling MM (Manoj Muntashir) that it is very difficult to have this standard of poetry – so lucid and deep at the same time.”
He adds, “In my experience, if you fiddle with a song too much, it does not improve, but this song is an exception. I had about 30 verses and it was so difficult to pick what to keep and what not. MM and I have a great time together. He knows that I am non-diplomatic and I say wrong things to big shots and I fight. Agar kisi ne kuch kiya toh main usko suna deta hoon. I didn’t give up cardio surgery to be a chamcha. I have left so many films because of this,” says Arko, who holds an MBBS degree.
Talking about Teri Mitti, he shares, “Anurag Singh argued against keeping the line ‘O maayi, kya fikr tujhe’ because there is no mother character in the film, but despite its irrelevance to the script, it was kept to convey the essential emotional connection.”
‘I DON’T THINK THE NUMBER GAME MATTERS TO ME’
Arko’s songs like Teri Mitti have 100 million views. Some would say it’s a success, but does the number game matter to him?
“I don’t think the number game bothers me. But there’s stuff to learn from it. It matters in the industry. Success matters because it gives you the freedom. Hats off to these boys (singers) like King and Anuv Jain, I really appreciate how they have come up without the support of a big producer. Bhatt sahab gave me my debut (Jism 2) but these boys have made it on their own and people have loved their music and it is good music. But it is now that I get more feedback about the song than I did when it was released. I really don’t think music has a time frame, we have to be honest about it but the freedom to be honest also has to be earned and I am thankful to Bollywood for that,” he replies.
‘I AM NOT A FAN OF THE CURRENT MUSIC SCENE'
I am not a big fan of the current music scene and it’s not just India but across the world. When I was in high school and college, we used to go and buy CDs. Paisa save karke and we used to buy that Bryan Adams album CD, Aaj ke Top 20s, 18 songs you will not like. Why is Lucky Ali sold out everywhere? Today’s kids are listening to old music. Kids are listening to Jagjit sahab because there is no such artiste. There’s a vacancy, there is nobody like that. Achcha, bura koi nahi hai. Jagjit sahab toh legend hain par koi toh ghazal gaaye. When you switch on the TV, all you see is old songs, remixes and Punjabi music.
‘I ONLY WANT TO DO THE KIND OF WORK THAT WILL KEEP MY INTEGRITY INTACT'
After 46 films, Arko says that he does not want to be dishonest with his work. “Things like ghost writing are rampant. There were producers who asked me to do albums under someone else’s name early on... We do it sometimes in the beginning, but I’m past that now. I’m not greedy. I only want to do work that keeps my integrity intact,” says the singer.
Compared to TV shows, I was offered peanuts in films-Nausheen Ali Sardar
8:54 AM
Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; August 14, 2024)
Not many know that Nausheen Ali Sardar, best known as television’s KKusum, had tried her luck in Bollywood and even acted in five films.
In a recent chat with us, the actress revealed, “Between 2005-2011, I did five films, but unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned. The first film took five years to complete, the second, which was a Vikram Bhatt film, didn’t work due to a poor marketing strategy. Later, I acted in two more films; one with Irrfan and Lucky Ali, which was shot in 2007, but released in 2021!”
‘There is no money for newcomers in films’
Talking about her endless wait, she said, “I just got tired waiting for the films to release. TV actors say it is not easy for them to get into movies, but I didn’t face that problem... I faced other issues. While I got good work easily, I realized that people have a wrong notion that acting in films is lucrative. I was a star on TV at that time, but when I acted in films, I was offered peanuts! I feel there is no money for newcomers in films, only stars earn in crores. In comparison, TV actors get more stable income. Of course, after the pandemic, things changed because budgets were slashed.”
Meanwhile, Nausheen has returned to TV with the show Vasudha and is looking forward to a new stint. The actress says, “It’s an interesting role with scope to perform. I have always been choosy about the roles I take up.”
‘I don’t want to compromise when it comes to choosing a life partner’
On the personal front, Nausheen reveals that she has frozen her eggs. She says, “I want to get married and have kids someday, but I want to meet the right person and I’m willing to wait. I don’t want to compromise when it comes to choosing a life partner. I froze my eggs because I didn’t want to worry about my biological clock ticking.”
I don’t want to work with music labels anymore-Jasleen Royal
9:11 AM
Navya Kharbanda (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 16, 2023)
Jasleen Royal says she wants to have ownership over her content and be the face of her songs. The composer-singer, who just released a single, Heeriye, says, “I don’t want to work with music labels anymore. It’s sad that Indian artistes don’t have any ownership over their content. Anyone can change the beat or add a new line and your name is removed from the credits. They become the new song’s composer. It’s unfair. I don’t want to be a part of this.”
Despite the high costs of releasing music without a big label, the 32-year-old is determined to make it work: “I am aware it is a big investment, but that’s what I have to do. You will see my upcoming songs [release] in a grand way. It doesn’t mean if it’s an indie track, it will be on a small scale.”
Another thing that irks Royal is that artistes don’t get to shine in the spotlight. She says, “It’s only in India where musicians are on the back foot, but that’s slowly changing. In the ‘90s, maestros like Lucky Ali and A R Rahman were the face of their songs. I want to lead my songs and not depend on films or actors [to make them look grand].”
I have not got my royalties for so many years-Lucky Ali
8:09 AM
Syeda Eba Fatima (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 28, 2023)
While the music industry is rejoicing in a new agreement that states that 25% of PPL’s (Phonographic Performance Limited; an organisation that collects and disseminates royalty for musicians) collections will now be shared with Indian singers who are part of the Indian Singers Rights Association (ISRA),
Lucky Ali remains unaffected by the development. “I don’t care,” says the singer, adding, “I have not got my royalties for so many years, so it’s not going to make much of a difference if it happens now. When our sweat drips while performing on stage and people give us recognition, that’s our fee.”
The 64-year-old adds that such developments don’t make any difference to artistes in the independent music space and are only for those associated with music labels. “As an independent musician, you don’t care about all these things because you are responsible for what you do. If you make a fault, you suffer. If something works, you enjoy the benefits,” explains Ali, who released a song, Virtuality, in collaboration with Israeli artiste Eliezer Cohen Botzer recently.
Ask if not releasing music frequently hints at retirement from music and Ali shuts the speculation down, saying, “Music has to be created in yaksui (peaceful state of mind). You can’t force it. Music apne hisaab se banta hai... That’s why, with me, there is no pressure like, ‘Oh I have to make a song’. You don’t get good results until you are happy.”
Talking of retirement, the O Sanam (Sunoh; 1996) hitmaker quips, “I am retired right from the beginning. Whatever I’m doing is for the love of music. I have other responsibilities to fulfil and things to look after, including my farm, which keeps me very occupied.”
These guys are lying. They’re building a wall on my land and terrorizing us-Lucky Ali
8:29 AM
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 21, 2022)
Lucky Ali was about to take the stage in Dubai when he got a frantic call about people encroaching his farm land in Karnataka. The singer was worried about his family’s safety, and has now put all his “hope in the Indian judicial system”. “They (people who tried to encroach the land) always come at a time when I’m away for a show,” says Ali, who shared an open letter on Facebook, addressing the Karnataka police chief, accusing the husband of a serving IAS officer, and his brother, of encroaching his property in Kenchanahalli near Bengaluru.
The 64-year-old adds, “I was getting calls and videos of people walking on the farm. These guys are lying. They’re building a wall on the land as we speak and terrorizing us. The matter is in court now.”
Though there was a worker and some villagers at the farm with his family, Ali was worried about their safety. “Back in Dubai, I was thinking how I would perform at the concert when these people were messing around like that. But, the concert went well. I went to Mecca and Medina (Muslim pilgrimage sites) before coming back [to Bengaluru] to ensure my equilibrium,” says the singer, adding that the people in question also bring “bulldozers at the farm land for false possession”.
On tackling the situation, Ali shares, “I can’t bring in goons or ask anyone for a favour. That’s not done on my part as an artiste. If I go with the help of a politician, a responsible citizen would feel offended. What I can do is give all the evidence to the authorities and request for an action.”
I take responsibility for my music; agar chappal padne hain toh mujhe hi padenge-Lucky Ali
8:19 AM
Debarati S Sen (BOMBAY TIMES; May 16, 2022)
Lucky Ali’s popular songs, like Sunoh, O Sanam, Gori Teri Aankhen Kahen, Na Tum Jano Na Hum (Kaho Na Pyaar Hai), Aa Bhi Ja (Sur) and Safarnama (Tamasha), to name a few, continue to strike a chord with people across all age groups. The singer is known not just for his simple ballad-style rendition, but also for his elusiveness in his personal life. He likes to stay away from the limelight and surfaces only when he has something significant to share with his audience. In an exclusive interview with Bombay Times, he talks about his love for Mumbai, staying away from the city and the changing ways of the music industry. Excerpts:
It seems like you have a love-hate relationship with Mumbai. Why did you decide to settle down in Bengaluru?
I am not a person who stays at one place for a very long time. I need to move around, I need to wander, otherwise, I feel like I am stagnating. But when dad (veteran actor Mehmood) passed away, I realized that I, too, wanted to go away from here, because I felt that I did not belong here. I felt like a stranger in the crowd. I knew many people here, yet I felt like a stranger. I felt the need to go. Sometimes I feel like that in Bengaluru, too. When I feel the energy is dissipated, then I feel like moving away from there as well. I love Mumbai. It is just that the responsibilities that my parents left for me, took me to Bengaluru. I do visit Mumbai often, and I still have my ‘Bombayness’ in me. I watch the sea, I love going to Carter Road and Nepean Sea Road and all those places that I grew up around. For me, it is like returning home. Mumbai is like a mother to me. So, yes, Mumbai is my maika and I am Mumbai’s Mai ka lal!
You spent many years in Mumbai when you were growing up. What are your fondest memories of the city?
I remember I was 13 when they took me to Bengaluru, and I lived on the farm there. I missed Mumbai also because my mother would live here, so I would run away and come here. And three or four days later, they would catch me and take me back to Bengaluru. Mumbai is still a place that I love to come to. I like seeing life here. There are many places that are still the same and so is the vibe. There are so many endearing aspects of this city; all of Maharashtra, actually. Maharashtra is very special to me.
You have several popular Bollywood numbers to your credit, but lately, you have stayed away from Hindi film songs. Why?
For me, music and compositions are an aspect of fun. It is not really my career, and it’s not like I have to make a living out of it. I have not studied music, so I’m humbled when I work with the people I work with. I also learn from them. I never used to know the ragas that I sang. It’s only now that I have understood a bit of it because of the people around me. My being in this industry gave me access to all kinds of music. The musicians and the talent that was there in the early days are incomparable. They were masters. There was so much to learn from them when they sang or composed a melody. I’m grateful that I was there watching greats like R D Burman, Madan Mohan ji or Lata ji and Asha ji.
You are known to take time off between songs and albums. Don’t you fear that out of sight would also be out of mind?
I think it is just my bandwidth that makes me work the way I do. If music and singing were a commercial thing for me, I would continuously put out songs. Then I would have more numbers, too. But then, I would lose my soul on the way. It is very important for me to maintain that balance. I can’t exceed my ability. I want to be true to what I do. The music that I work on is not just about me alone, it is about the entirety of the team and everybody who is a part of the composition. I take responsibility for it, aur agar chappal padne hain toh mujhe hi padenge.
Your brother-in-law, Mikey McCleary and you have worked together right from the beginning, including the tracks Sunoh and O Sanam. Recently you two collaborated on a series of singles, tell us more about them...
My new track Intezaar is the first song from our new compilation. It has been sitting around for the last two years because of the pandemic. It was a big wait. Mickey shifted to America and I was in Bengaluru. We communicated online. Finally, in the studio, I recorded some 20 different versions of the track. It was all about getting it just right. Mickey is a taskmaster. We don’t accept anything that we are not convinced about. For this song, we have recorded a video at my home in Bengaluru.
You are known to be a private person, yet you have always been open about your personal life (Lucky married Meaghan Jane McCleary 1996, Anahita in 2000 and Kate Elizabeth Hallam in 2010. He separated from Kate in 2017). What are the family dynamics like? What about your children? How has your relationship been with them?
I’m in touch with all... and my loving children. We share a very warm understanding, we’re all mature and it’s all right! They have made me a better and more responsible man. I have beautiful children who carry the best of their parents and represent how we brought them up. I’m very peaceful and happy living with my children.
I have been thinking of retiring for a long time-Lucky Ali
8:23 AM
Samarth Goyal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 30, 2022)
During a recent conversation with us, singer-songwriter Lucky Ali confessed that he has been mulling stepping away from the recording studio in order to do things “that I want to do, and I haven’t done, yet”. Ali says, “I am not exactly saying no to music, but I don’t know how long it’s going to be for, in the future.”
While the 63-year-old doesn’t say that his upcoming series of tracks, starting with Intezaar, would be his swansong, he thought of stepping away much before the upcoming compilation took shape.
“I have been thinking of it (retiring) for a long time. I think of it as more of a responsibility than anything else. When my kids started their music label, I thought I was on my way out. I was prepared for it,” he says.
The Coronavirus pandemic helped him have some major realisations, says the singer, as he was happy that “no concerts were happening”. “I was like ‘Chalo, holiday’,” he laughs and explains further, “I was just happy for the fact that I don’t have to go anywhere. The last few years have been very tough. To be on the road constantly is not easy. You travel hundreds of miles and it takes a lot of energy from you.”
The singer, whose last album, Lemalla, marked his collaboration with Israeli musician Eliezer Cohen Botzer in 2019, goes on to highlight the impact live shows have had on his “physical and mental well-being”. “You go to a completely new place. Of course, all of it is nice and comfortable. But, it’s not home. My neck hurts because of the pillow, or the bed. I can’t sleep on new beds. So, [because of] all of these things, I think it (the wish to retire) is happening,” he signs off.
I am not joining politics; I want to stay far away from it-Lucky Ali
8:05 AM
Singer Lucky Ali rubbishes rumours around his political aspirations
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 8, 2021)
Ever since singer Lucky Ali’s photo with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O’Brien surfaced on the Internet, there’s been speculation about his entry into Indian politics. But setting the record straight, he tells us, “That was not the case. I am not joining politics. Nobody asks me, and everybody just assumes. I don’t have a spokesperson. I speak for myself.”
Ali continues, “My work is music based. It has got nothing to do with political ideology. I want to stay far away from politics. But I like to meet people who, I feel, deserve my respect. I am always there to encourage a good effort on behalf of anybody who does things that bring changes to people’s lives and I want to support that morally.”
Last month, Ali, along with friend, actor Nafisa Ali, was photographed meeting O’Brien, and that set rumour mills abuzz. The 63-year-old says politics is not his cup of tea, “Being an active member in a political environment is just not me. I am happy to sing for people and not for an ideology. I don’t think that way. For me, it would be biting off more than I can chew. So, I would never do that. Mera jo kaam hai, main wahi karunga, aur uske alawa main aur kuch karna bhi nahin chahta.”
Meanwhile, Ali has recently returned from a trip to London, UK. He was there for a concert and to meet his son after a long time, as he couldn’t travel due to the ongoing pandemic. “I hadn’t seen my son for a while. I spent time with him. But I had a concert in India, so I had to come back. But I am so grateful to God that I could go and meet him,” says the Na Tum Jano Na Hum (Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai; 2000) singer.
People are worried about the next meme, not about fresh air-Lucky Ali
7:52 AM
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 19, 2021)
Angry and overtly expressive — that is how singer Lucky Ali defines the essence of commercial music. That is also the reason he has maintained a safe distance from it.
“When there’s commercialization of music, there’s an end to those things; it is evident right now. When things lose their validity, nature itself takes its way and makes it defunct. You can do all you want but nature doesn’t allow for that to happen,” Ali tells us.
In Bollywood, best known for songs such as Ek Pal Ka Jeena and Na Tum Jaano Na Hum , the musician adds, “God forbid, I could do something in the future which is commercially viable with expressive words and aggressive music. But, that is not me. I might have experimented, but didn’t like it.” Ali maintains he doesn’t like a space or any music that brings aggression. Instead, he likes music which is about a “peaceful vibe and that keeps me on my toes”.
He is quick to mention that he doesn’t mind if his songs make him or anyone else fall asleep. “I fall asleep many times when I’m recording, now. But for me, sleep is a form of rejuvenation,” quips the 62-year-old. The O Sanam hitmaker points out that pre-pandemic, “we were making music as a factory”, whereas now, “more talent is being explored and expressed”. Right now, with all the worries and sadness, peaceful music is needed.
“There’s no way for them to express their feelings or anger, and they end up expressing anger as violence. People are worried about the next meme, not about fresh air,” he says, asserting that he likes to use his social media to entertain, communicate and educate. “I don’t entertain as amusement. I’m not an amusement park. I believe in keeping it simple. I work and stay humble,” says Ali, who recently joined the web show, Sounds of Society, to perform an acoustic version of his single, Rehna Sake.
I’m resting at home and praying for everyone, says Lucky Ali on his death hoax
8:09 AM
Saptaparna Biswas (BOMBAY TIMES; May 7, 2021)
On Tuesday evening, fans of singer-songwriter Lucky Ali went into a tizzy when a rumour of his demise started doing the rounds on social media. Soon, condolence messages started surfacing, while many did state the news seemed fake. The singer’s friend Nafisa Ali took to Twitter to dispel the rumour. We reached out to the singer and his team, who assured us that all is well, and he is at his Bengaluru farm along with his family.
Talking to us briefly, Lucky said, “I’m resting in peace at home with my family, and I’m praying for everyone’s safety and well-being.”
The statement put all rumours to rest and his fans could breathe a sigh of relief. When we asked Lucky if he has any idea about why and how the rumour started, he said that he didn’t know who started the rumour, but he finds it funny. On the work front, the singer plans to release a bunch of new singles this year.
I have gained great values from my material losses-Lucky Ali
8:30 AM
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 4, 2021)
Singer Lucky Ali has been navigating the industry for over two decades now and has several successful Bollywood tracks to his name. Though his roots trace back to a filmy family, he stays disconnected from the regular mechanism of the showbiz or the number game of music business. Having seen many ups and downs, Ali has made peace with some bitter chapters of his past.
“Fortunately, I’d say that in my situation, whatever I went through was like a lesson for me,” says Ali, who has always been vocal about not receiving royalties for his songs, some of which have become classics now.
“I didn’t really follow it up (as well). Because there are (other) things to do than to follow up things on that front... Of course, it does hurt you in a sense that you worked on it,” the musician adds.
Instead, the singer, who likes his music to do much of the talking, prefers to look at the brighter side. “The love, the respect and the honour… You can’t buy these things and no amount of royalties or likes can buy that. So, there are great values that I gained from the very material losses that I might have gone through,” he says.
Back in 1996, Ali, son of legendary actor-comedian Mehmood, took the pop route to enter the industry with the release of album, Sunoh. In Bollywood, he got into the spotlight with popular hits from Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000) – Ek Pal Ka Jeena and Na Tum Jaano Na Hum. In films, he last lent his voice to Safarnama in Tamasha (2015). Indeed his popularity once again soared during the pandemic when his video of performing pop hit O Sanam, went viral.
Mention this, and Ali, 62, humbly expresses his gratitude, and starts introspecting upon his pandemic experience. “It was something that almost felt like it was going to happen, with the way the world was moving. Something like that was expected, which would change the things and world,” mentions Ali, who has recently released a multi-lingual single with Israeli singer-songwriter Eliezer Cohen Botzer.
As an individual, was coping with the changes difficult for the artiste? “For many years, my life has been an isolated one. So, coming back to the farm again… there was nothing new about it, except that nature spoke very differently,” he says, adding, “Nature kind of came out and expressed itself in a way that I have never seen before.. You could see the animals being so free. You could see that in the air.”
Moreover, he was happy not to travel much. “Because after a while, you feel that you need to put your roots down,” he adds.
Besides music, I’ll be involved in agriculture this year-Lucky Ali
8:03 AM
Saptaparna Biswas (BOMBAY TIMES; January 28, 2021)
For many of us, the latter half of 2020 was buzzing with melody as Lucky Ali revisited O Sanam, and the rendition went viral. In 2021, too, an entire generation of fans has been waiting for him to announce new tracks. In a chat, he reveals his plan for this year.
‘I’LL RETURN TO BENGALURU SOON’
After a year of uncertainties, Lucky feels certain about investing more time in being ‘atmanirbhar.’ “I was in Goa for a while, to be around the sea. But now it’s time to go back to Bengaluru. Besides making and releasing new music, I’ll be seriously involved in agriculture this year because I learnt my lesson well from last year. God forbid if anything similar happens this year, it’ll be difficult for us to fend for ourselves,” he says.
‘ARTISTES WILL FOCUS MORE ON DIVERSIFICATION OF TALENT NOW’
Speaking about the music community, Lucky says, “This will probably be a year of change. People are talking about aggregating talent, based on experience. That should work well. There may also be diversification of talent now. Artistes who had been singing and doing a particular kind of music, will express themselves more and may even surprise us.”
‘HAVE COLLABORATED WITH LYRICISTS ACROSS INDIA’
Lucky will be releasing some singles this year. He says, “Sayyaah is already out, more will follow. Mikey, my brother-in-law, and I had been working on some numbers. We have songs written by various lyricists from across India, including me. Now, we are taking them on the road. Having said that, I’m not in control of my music talent. It is managed by able youngsters and thankfully, their vision aligns with mine. My funda of less is more works with them. I hope I can live up to their expectations.”
‘MY SON KEEPS HIS WORK A SECRET FROM ME’
Lucky’s son will be soon launched as a musician. He says, “My son better come out with his songs; it is high time now. He is creating something based on his observation, which should be good. He keeps it a secret from me. I bet he has complained about me somewhere in the song (laughs).”
I wish someone like Mukesh Ambani enables India to have a music industry-Palash Sen
9:45 AM
From releasing its first acoustic song, to dabbling in Bengali music, Euphoria has been stepping outside its comfort zone, says frontman Palash Sen
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; January 11, 2021)
Away from the razzmatazz of commercial music, Euphoria seems to be reinventing itself. The 22-year-old band, fronted by Palash Sen, has dabbled in a wide array of genres in the past few months, crafting its tracks with deftness such that several have emerged to be among its biggest hits, already.
In an interview with mid-day, Sen discusses the band's upcoming releases, including an elaborate 16-track album.
We've seen a spate of new releases from Euphoria recently. Many of the songs have become big hits in a rather short period of time.
They did. A one-minute track that we created called I Like It, earned 850 million views, and that is a first for our band. Another memorable one is a song that we made for, and with indie artistes, because they were facing several problems during the lockdown. Seventy-six indie artistes recorded their portions from their homes or gardens, and created this beautiful piece. We also had many firsts. We created an acoustic version of Kisi ki muskurahoton pe, which was a tribute to those band-mates who play at weddings.
You are also set to release your debut Bengali track this month.
On the 14th, we are bringing out our first Bengali song by Gurudev Rabindranath Thakur. The current generation doesn't know the kind of music that our elders created. We wanted to [put the spotlight on] the sangeet that deserves attention. It is a song on the beauty of mother nature, and how human beings have destroyed it.
We know that indie artistes are among those who have suffered immensely in the pandemic. Could you reflect on how this phase has been?
All of us depend on live gigs. We don't make money from our recorded songs. They may make money for music labels, but not for the artiste. We need an indie industry that takes care of the needs of all artistes.
But, taking to virtual gigs has been gratifying. A live set-up has a lot of distractions. Virtual gigs helped us connect with listeners in their personal space. We've [been able to reach out to] those listeners who don't care about the frills, and listen to us only for our music.
We are also set to bring out an album which will be a collection of songs that we have been creating for six years. It will have tracks based on love, self-belief, and expression, and will include folk, rock, qawwali and acoustic music. There will be something for each kind of listener.
You've stated that you believe India has a film industry, but not a music industry. Why do you think this industry failed to flourish when it was celebrated in the 90s?
In the '90s, there were artistes like Daler Mehendi, Lucky Ali, and Alisha Chinai, who were superstars. For the film industry, nobody apart from an actor should be a superstar. You may not know this, but there was a time when Daler Mehndi was paid a large amount of money to feature in a song with an actor, because he was not saleable, but Mehndi ji was.
The film industry realised they had the resources to dismantle this system, and did. It was easy for them to promote their music because they had budgets, and would recover costs. Think about the indie music being created by these labels — it sounds like film music anyway. India doesn't have an independent music industry. I wish someone like Mukesh Ambani decides to invest in it and enables India to have a music industry. That will bring about change.
They have to live with what they make out of existing songs, says Lucky Ali on remixing of ’90s songs
8:24 AM
Saptaparna Biswas (BOMBAY TIMES; November 25, 2020)
With one short video of an unplugged version of his 24-year-old song O Sanam, Lucky Ali recently gave a hit of the ’90s nostalgia to many people. Tucked away in a remote area in Goa and living a completely atmanirbhar life on a farm, the singer-composer, however, is unaffected by the viral sensation he’s become in the last few days. Excerpts from a chat with the reluctant conversationalist:
O Sanam, a song made in 1996 has gone viral in 2020. Did you expect this?
Someone asked me to sing it on video, and I obliged. The attention it received was quite unexpected. For me, it’s just a song that I tried to revamp. I generally don’t think about popularity. We do a lot of work — some get due attention, some don’t.
It’s been a while since you sang for Bollywood...
I have been away from Mumbai for a while; away from the chaos and stress. I like the simple way of living now. Singing for mainstream Bollywood needs a lot of energy — it has to be about the actor, about the story. I don’t think I’m in that mind space now. Having said that, once in a while, some good songs do happen. But I enjoy doing live performances and extempore on stage.
A lot of songs from the ’90s are coming back as remixes and reprised versions. Your thoughts?
Let them do what they want to, imagine it in their own ways. Someone reinterpreting it is completely their responsibility. They have to live with what they make out of an existing number. If it comes out well, good for them; if it doesn’t, they’ll have to own that, too.
Many people are asking for a revival of the ’90s music era.
The era has passed. We must grow up and move on. Yes, many good things happened in the ’80s and ’90s in the music world. However, it is better to create stuff that’s worth remembering in the current era.
After Sur, Kaante and Kashish, you never acted again. Would we see you returning to acting anytime?
No, I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to be in people’s stories, and I don’t want to make mine either. I don’t want to go away from the reality that I’m living in. I don’t want to go to the theatre and watch someone else having issues. Everyone is angry, and I don’t want to be a part of that. Movies used to be fun earlier, something a person could truly enjoy with popcorn. The whole scenario has changed. Cinema isn’t the same anymore.
Hrithik Roshan is a boy with deep emotions, more suited to love stories-Rakesh Roshan
8:11 AM
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 14, 2020)
In March 1998, I arrived at Rakesh Roshan’s Santa Cruz office one afternoon for a chat with the producer-director on his next film, Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai, which marked the debut of his son Hrithik. “You missed him by a few minutes, he just left” he told me regretfully. Looking at the photographs on the walls, I pointed out that Hrithik was still there with us.With his lean six-foot frame, macho stubble and smouldering eyes, he looked like a ’90s Rambo rather than another turn-of-the-century Romeo. Papa, however, pointed out that “Hrithik is a boy with deep emotions, more suited to love stories”. He didn’t want to play around with the rich-boy-falls-in-love-with-poor-girl cliché. “I wanted a hint of mystery,” he reminisced. And one day, a story just came to him. “A story where the hero dies in the first half.”
Back then, Raj Kapoor’s granddaughter and Randhir and Babita’s younger daughter, Kareena Kapoor, was the leading lady. Eventually though, Ameesha Patel went on to play Sonia, Rohit’s girlfriend and Raj’s wife. The change in cast made little difference to the outcome. Kaho Naa… opened on January 14, 2000, to an overwhelming response. It was Hrithik’s film all the way and he went on to not only sweep the best debutant (male) awards, but also beat Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan to the best actor trophy, playing two contrasting characters with ease that came from months of hard work. Interestingly, at one of the award shows, Kareena presented him with the best actor award. When she opened the envelope and saw his name, she quipped, “It’s very obvious…” reinforcing public opinion.
Hrithik had worked with his father as an assistant for five years before he was signed for Shekhar Kapur’s Ta Ra Rum Pum, which was to also feature Preity Zinta. But the film didn’t take off. Then, one day, while he was doing the rounds of producers’ offices with his portfolio, his father dropped a bombshell, casually informing him that he’d be doing his next film. “I was so stunned I quietly walked out of the room. Dad followed, asking, ‘Aren’t you ready? Don’t you want to do the film?’ he had reminisced back then. Hrithik being Hrithik say much. He simply got a photo session done and it was only when his father liked the pictures, did he start prepping for a career in films, going on for voice training, dialogue classes and even learning music.
At an award function in 1999, before the release of his film, he had wowed a 5000-plus audience when he had rolled into stage in a snazzy blue sports car and twirled to one of my favourite numbers from the film, “Kyun Chalti Hai Pavan” with the grace of a ballerino. As part of the act, he also joined the velvet-voiced Lucky Ali who was crooning the song live, picked up the mic himself. And even though Aamir Khan in absentia bagged the best actor award that year for Sarfarosh, it was HR who was voted the Hero No. 1 of the evening.
Interestingly, Lucky Ali had never given playback for a film before and only did it because the Roshan brothers were good friends. In fact, Rajesh Roshan had debuted as a composer with Kunwara Baap, directed by Lucky’s father Mehmood, who also acted in the 1974 film. While on firsts, Rajesh Roshan was also the first music director to give Alka Yagnik a break in Basu Chatterjee’s Hamari Bahu Alka. Eighteen years later, she sang the title track of Kaho Naa… Farah Khan, the film’s choreographer, recalled how, while filming “Ek Pal Ka Jeena”, one of her assistants had given Hrithik some really tough moves as a joke. Unfazed, he kept rehearsing till he got them down pat. After seeing the rushes and realising what a super dancer he was, Farah decided to re-shoot portions of the song, giving Hrithik some really difficult steps. He pulled them off too.
It’s been 20 years… Hrithik’s still urging the audience, “Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai”, and the answer to that is still a resounding “Kaha Naa Pyaar Hai.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)