Lucky Ali talks about music, life and more in a candid chat

By Singing melodious tracks like O Sanam set in enchanting locales Lucky Ali earned several fans More albums followed and films too but with each project Ali became increasingly reclusive spending time at his home near Bangalore amid greenery But those who love his music are now seeing more of the 56yearold musician ldquoI am doing one gig a month itrsquos all I can manageItrsquos mostly at festivals attended by those who actually enjoy music mdash and not just like a college function where everyone is forced to attendrdquo Apart from these gigs he is working on new music Though itrsquos untitled Ali tells us that itrsquos almost finished ldquoWorking on an album today is different Technology and space allow you to do singular tracks and not varied thoughts dumped in one album I havenrsquot set a date because I am not restricted by a label where it has to be released commercially in a particular period of timerdquo he saysThe musicianAfter his previous album RaastaMan 2011 Ali says his new works are techniquedriven current futuristic beautiful and special at the same time ldquoI have been enjoying my free space I have always called myself a seeker I love to belt out sounds that are strange and unheard of The pathos in music is what attracts one itrsquos not specific to just my musicrdquo says AliMusician Lucky AliAbout collaborating with different artistes for his album he says ldquoThe people I work with are all teachers they travel around the world and teach Mishko my bassist is like a babaji the way he dresses and also how he understands things My flautist Butto is like Ganpati I have Kenny Bharat Kumar who plays the keyboard is also a physics student and our youngest member Subhash is our stage director who sails the ship We all create music togetherrdquoAsk him about performing live and recording he says ldquoWhen you are on stage it is alive and there is energy while on mic you have to be more subtle Itrsquos all peaceful for me no angstrdquo However in December Ali had to face trouble He reveals how someone had given his lsquosuparirsquo ldquoAfter my dad died in 2002 I was told by this gentleman Irsquom not sure if I can call him that though that my father had sold off the property where we stay to him and had documents with his signatureIt looked probable Later we found out that there were no sale agreements and it was fake The man misused my siblingsrsquo innocence and the fact that they werenrsquot present here Itrsquos a huge 162acre place once we learnt about the forgery I realised what the world can come toNow the government the police and the court knows what is wrong so I have no fear My father actor Mehmood told me that when a dog barks at your car you donrsquot stop and bark like a dog you carry on and do your own thingrdquo he recalls With the threat to his life Ali says his music became more inspirationalAli is open to film music but there is nothing on the charts now Director Sanjay Gupta also recently announced his plans to make a sequel to his popular film Kaante which also had Ali as part of its cast ldquoDoes he want to be pricked again laughs It was fun when I did it worked on the film I see things differently now I am more into documentaries or even comedyrdquo he sharesThe fatherldquoAll my children singrdquo Ali tells us proudly His eldest son Tarsquoawwuz is studying production at True School of Music and even performs with his friends while his elder daughter Tasmiyah is studying drama and music in Auckland His younger daughter Sara is in fifth grade and is artistic too while Raiyan who is nine is learning to play the guitar ldquoMy youngest son Dani is just four he loves to sing his grandfather is a Rock guitarist too Dani is pursuing his education in England and is busy doing everything that a toddler would dordquo he smilesWith families all over the world how does he manage to spend time with them we ask ldquoI am never busy itrsquos because I make time for everything I grew up in a family with a lot of siblings halfJapanese and other nationalities So I am used to this We have a connection and itrsquos just beautiful I am blessed happy and satisfiedrdquo he admitsThe travellerAli has dabbled in several things before like organic farming which he says he canrsquot do now because of the land trouble He tells us his priority is to sail around the world ldquoI want to see different places before the world ends Itrsquos not just a bucket list I have to do itrdquo on February 7 and 8 Ali performs on 8 415 pm cost Rs 1900 oneday pass Rs 3000 twoday passOn February 7 and 8 Ali performs on 8 415 pm Cost Rs 1900 oneday pass R3000 twoday passLog on to wwwsulafestnet