Lucky Ali

Last updated

Lucky Ali
Lucky Ali at a concert in Goa.jpg
Ali performing in Goa, December 2020
Background information
Birth nameMaqsood Mahmood Ali
Also known asLucky Ali
Born (1958-09-19) 19 September 1958 (age 66)
Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
  • actor
InstrumentsVocals, guitar
Years active1978–present
Labels

Maqsood Mahmood Ali (born 19 September 1958), better known as Lucky Ali, is an Indian singer, songwriter, and actor. He is considered an important artist to popularize pop culture and albums in Indian music and is considered one of the finest artists in India. With several popular singles and albums, he emerged as a significant figure of Indipop during the 1990s. [1]

Contents

Early life and education

Ali is the second of the eight children of Bollywood actor, Mehmood Ali. His mother Mahliqa, was part Bengali and part Pashtun, and the younger sister of 1960s Indian Bollywood actress Meena Kumari. The Bollywood actress and dancer, Minoo Mumtaz, was his paternal aunt. He attended City Montessori School, Convent of Jesus and Mary, Hampton Court, Mussoorie, Manekji Cooper (Kindergarten) (Juhu), Bombay Scottish School in Mumbai, and the Bishop Cotton Boys' School, Bangalore. [2]

Connection with Tagore family

His mother Mahliqa's grandmother, Hem Sundari Tagore, was either the daughter or a widow of Rabindranath Tagore's distant cousin. [3] [4] After the death of her husband, she was forced by his family to leave for Meerut, where she became a nurse, married a Christian named Pyare Lal Shakir Meeruti (1880–1956), who was an Urdu journalist, and embraced Christianity. [5] She had two daughters; one of whom was Prabhavati, Ali's maternal grandmother. [6] [ page needed ]

Personal life

Ali has two children with his first wife Meaghan Jane McCleary – Ta'awwuz and Tasmiyah. He then married Inaya (Anahita, a Persian). With her, he has two children: Sara and Raiyan. He married a third time in 2010 to British model and former beauty queen Kate Elizabeth Hallam whom he divorced in 2017. [7] [8] The couple has a son named Dani Maqsood Ali. [9]

Ali currently lives on the outskirts of Bengaluru in his farm house. His favourite places are Mecca and Medina. [10]

Ali and his father shared a tempestuous relationship. Mehmood Ali was a very busy actor in the 1960s and '70s, and remained away from home for his shoots. Once, around the age of four when Ali first returned from boarding school, Mehmood and the entire family had come to receive Ali at the airport. Ali did not recognize his father, but on seeing him said, "He's the film comedian Mehmood!" Ali lived away from his family in a St George's College boarding school in Dehradun, Mussoorie. Ali's tryst with marijuana led Mehmood to write the script of the movie Dushman Duniya Ka (Enemy of the World). [11] The movie stars Ali's youngest brother, Manzoor. It is the story of the drug abuse of a young man called Lucky. In the end, the young man kills his mother, destroys everything around him and is then killed by his father. Ali differed from his father's vision and did not act in the movie. "I felt the story lacked hope," he said. [11] However, he sang his first song for the film. [12]

Best known for his music, singing and acting, Ali has also bred horses, worked on an oil rig off the coast of Pondicherry in South India, cleaned and sold carpets and is a farmer with a strong opinion on organic methods in farming. [13]

Personal albums

Ali made his debut on the Indian music scene with the album Sunoh , which established him as a singer. This album won many of the top awards in Indian music, including the Best Pop Male Vocalist at the 1996 Screen Awards and the Channel V Viewers Choice Award in 1997. It stayed on the MTV Asia Charts in the top three for 60 weeks. The song "O Sanam" from Sunoh launched his career. It was also nominated at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards [2] His next album, Sifar , was noted for its music, lyrics and vocals.

Ali became known for his distinctive music style and also for his untrained voice - elements that helped him emerge as a leading figure in Indipop during the period. [14] His third and fourth albums were Aks and Kabhi Aisa Lagta Hai , both of which were reasonably successful. He is also known for contributing the song "Anjaani Raahon Mein" to the album Meri Jaan Hindustan , which commemorated 50 years of Indian independence in the year 1997. The video was directed by Mani Shankar, and features him as a young rural man working in a foreign country, with a longing to go back home, and his joy of actually returning to a place he loved. When asked about the video, he once said "The video of 'Anjaani Raahon Mein' was a beautiful story in itself. It was done straight from the heart and it is very special to me."

Bollywood career

Ali debuted in Bollywood with the song "Nasha Nasha" in the movie Dushman Duniya Ka . After that he sang "Ek Pal Ka Jeena" and "Na Tum Jaano Na Hum", featured in Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000). He received the 2001 Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer for "Ek Pal Ka Jeena" song. He was nominated for the Best Playback Singer Male for "Aa Bhi Jaa", featured in Sur at the 48th Filmfare Awards, but lost to Sonu Nigam. He has lent his voice to playback singing in films such as Sur – The Melody of Life (2003), Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008), Anjaana Anjaani (2010) and Tamasha (2015).

Playback singing career

Lucky Ali started his playback singing career with the song "Walking All Alone" from the film Ek Baap Chhe Bete in 1978. This film stars Mehmood Ali and his six sons. Ali's second song was "Nasha Nasha" from the film Dushman Duniya Ka , which starred his brother Manzoor Ali in the lead role. The film was directed by their father Mehmood.

He has worked with composers such as A.R Rahman, Vishal Bhardwaj, Vishal–Shekhar, Mikey McCleary, Prashant Pillai, Varun Ahuja and Rajiv Bhalla.

Acting career

As the nephew of Meena Kumari and son of Mehmood, Lucky Ali did not lack the requisites to make his debut as an actor. He first appeared in Chote Nawab ("The Little Prince") in 1962, directed by Mehmood. He acted in a few films in the 1970s and 1980s such as Yehi Hai Zindagi (1977), Hamare Tumhare (1979) and Shyam Benegal's Trikaal (1985). He also acted in the television series Bharat Ek Khoj , directed by Shyam Benegal. After a long break from acting, he returned in Sanjay Gupta's Kaante (2002), in which he acted alongside leading stars Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Kumar Gaurav and Suniel Shetty. Ali also acted in the TV serial Zara Hatke. In 2002, he acted in the Hindi musical Sur-The Melody of Life playing a complex role.

Discography

Ali's discography contains six studio albums, six compilations, seven singles, 19 soundtracks, two concert tours and two other albums (as a composer).

Studio albums

Soundtrack

Filmography

Films

YearFilmRoleNotes
1962Chote Nawaabchild artist
1974 Kunwara Baap child artist
1977 Yehi Hai Zindagi Dinesh
1976 Ginny Aur Johnny Man in Car
1978 Ek Baap Chhe Bete Lucky
1979 Hamare Tumhare Ajay
1985 Trikaal Erasmo
2002 Sur-The Melody of Life Vikramaditya Singh
2002 Kaante Maqbool "Mak" Haider
2005 Kasak Amar
2008 Good Luck! Tarun Chopra
2009 Runaway Khalid
2021 Murder at Teesri Manzil 302 Inspector Tejender Singh

Television series

YearTitleRoleNotes
1986 Katha Sagar
1988 Bharat Ek Khoj [16] Various characters
1994Zara Hatke [17] Malu
2013 The Dewarists Himself

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kishore Kumar</span> Indian singer and actor (1929–1987)

Kishore Kumar was an Indian playback singer, musician and actor. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest, most influential and dynamic singers in the history of modern Indian music. Kumar was one of the most popular singers in the Indian subcontinent, notable for his yodelling and ability to sing songs in different voices. He used to sing in different genres but some of his rare compositions, considered classics, were lost in time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alisha Chinai</span> Indian Indi-pop and playback singer (born 1965)

Alisha Chinai is an Indian pop singer known for her Indi-pop albums as well as playback singing in Hindi cinema. She began her singing career with the album Jadoo in 1985, and by the 1990s she had become known as the 'Queen of Indipop'. Her best known songs were with producers Anu Malik and Biddu during the 1990s. Her best known song is Made in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mahendra Kapoor</span> Indian playback singer

Mahendra Kapoor was an Indian playback singer. In a long career spanning decades, his repertoire included popular songs such as Chalo ekbaar phir se Ajnabi ban jayen hum dono (Gumrah) and Neele Gagan ke tale (Hamraaz). His name however became most closely associated with patriotic songs including Mere Desh Ki Dharti in Manoj Kumar's film Upkaar. He considered Mohammad Rafi as his Guru. In 1972, he was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India. He lent his voice to actor Manoj Kumar in most of his films and had a lengthy association with director-producer Baldev Raj Chopra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohammed Zahur Khayyam</span> Indian music director and composer (1927–2019)

Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Hashmi, better known mononymously as Khayyam, was an Indian music director and background score composer whose career spanned four decades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laxmikant–Pyarelal</span> Indian composer duo

Laxmikant–Pyarelal were an Indian composer duo, consisting of Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar (1937–1998) and Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma. In their career span stretching from 1963 to 1998, they composed music for about 750 movies, working with several prominent film-makers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meena Kumari</span> Indian actress and poet (1933–1972)

Meena Kumari was an Indian actress and poet, who worked in Hindi films. Popularly known as The Tragedy Queen, she is regarded among the finest and greatest actresses in the history of Indian cinema. In a career spanning 33 years, from child actress to adult, Kumari starred in over 90 films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shekhar Ravjiani</span> Indian singer

Shekhar Ravjiani is an Indian singer, music director, record producer and actor, who has been one half of the Bollywood composing/producing duo Vishal–Shekhar, since 1999.

<i>Dushman Duniya Ka</i> 1996 Indian film

Dushman Duniya Ka is a 1996 Hindi-language drama film, directed by Mahmud and produced by Ashok Mishra, Babubhai, Masoom Ali under the Canmore Cinema banner and directed by Mehmood. It stars Jeetendra, Sumalatha, Manzoor Ali, Laila while Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan appeared in guest appearances. The music was composed by Anu Malik. The film is a debut to Laila and Manzoor Ali. The film was a box office failure.

Sharda Rajan Iyengar, known professionally as Sharda, was an Indian playback singer most active in the 1960s and 1970s. She won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer for the cabaret "Baat Zara Hai Aapas Ki" in Jahan Pyar Miley (1970), though she is most remembered for her song "Titli Udi" in Suraj (1966). In 2007, she released her album Andaaz-E-Bayan Aur, featuring her own compositions based on Mirza Ghalib's ghazals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amit Kumar</span> Indian singer (born 1952)

Amit Kumar is an Indian playback singer, actor, music composer. Kumar launched his own music production company, named Kumar Brothers Music. He predominantly worked in Bollywood and regional film songs since the 1970s, including 150 Hindi and Bengali compositions by R. D. Burman. After Burman's death in 1994, citing a lack of quality music composition, Kumar withdrew from playback singing and concentrated on live orchestra shows. In addition to singing in Hindi, has also performed in Bengali, Bhojpuri, Odia, Assamese, Marathi and Konkani. He is the eldest son of singer-actor Kishore Kumar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monali Thakur</span> Indian singer and actress (born 1985)

Monali Thakur is an Indian playback singer and film actress. She is the recipient of several awards including a National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for the song "Moh Moh Ke Dhaage" from the film Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015) and a Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer for the song "Sawaar Loon" from the film Lootera (2013). She was a judge of Zee TV's singing reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L'il Champs 2014. She was also an "expert" on Colors TV's Rising Star for two consecutive seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neelesh Misra</span> Indian journalist, writer, and musician

Neelesh Misra is an Indian journalist, author, radio storyteller, scriptwriter and lyricist. He hosted Yaadon Ka IdiotBox on BIG FM 92.7. He is co-founder and editor of Gaon Connection, a rural newspaper. He is working on "The Neelesh Misra Show" on Red FM 93.5 and "Kahaani Express" on Saavn.

Chandrani Mukherjee is a former Bollywood playback singer, she is a sister-in-law of Bappi Lahiri from West Bengal and a Filmfare nominee.

Chandrani began her career in Bollywood with the film Aag Aur Toofan in 1975. Thereafter she sang in a couple of films until her swan song in Aaj Kie Aurat (1993). She was nominated for the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award thrice though she never won it.

The 20th Filmfare Awards were held in 1973, awarding the films made in 1972.

Mehmood Ali, popularly known simply as Mehmood, was an Indian actor, director and producer best known for playing comic roles in Hindi films. During his career of more than four decades, he worked in over 300 films. He has played many unforgettable roles in movies of 70's & 80's decade.

The GiMA Best Male Playback Singer Award is given by Global Indian Music Academy as a part of its annual Global Indian Music Academy Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male playback singer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a film song.

The GiMA Best Lyricist is given by Global Indian Music Academy as a part of its annual Global Indian Music Academy Awards.

Pucky Ali is a former Indian film actor. He is the eldest son of India's ace comedian Mehmood Ali and elder brother of singer Lucky Ali.

Macky Ali was an Indian actor. He was the third son of India's ace comedian Mehmood Ali and the younger brother of singer Lucky Ali.

References

  1. "Viral: Lucky Ali's Impromptu Gig In Goa. Need We Say More?". NDTV.com. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  2. 1 2 Mala Kumar (25 September 2003). "Ali is a Maali at Home". The Hindu . Chennai, India. Archived from the original on 21 May 2009. Retrieved 11 February 2008.
  3. "MEENA KUMARI: An Enigma". Songsofyore. 1 August 2017. Archived from the original on 27 February 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  4. "The eternal Tragedy Queen". 1 August 2018. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  5. "Literary Notes: Meena Kumari, Pyare Lal Shakir Meruthi and journalism". Dawn. 25 February 2020. Archived from the original on 25 February 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  6. Mehta, Vinod (2013). Meena Kumari: The Classic Biography. HarperCollins Publishers India. ISBN   9789350296271.
  7. "Former Miss UK Visits Samarthanam | This Week Bangalore". Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  8. "'I realised that I want a man who is not divided between three families' - Times of India". The Times of India. 25 September 2019. Archived from the original on 11 October 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  9. "Our son is God's most beautiful gift to us: Lucky Ali's wife". The Times of India . Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  10. "Malleshwaram & St Mark's Road, Bengaluru with Lucky Ali | Tere Gully Mein | Curly Tales". YouTube .
  11. 1 2 Aparjita Ghosh. "Hitting the high notes". Rediff.com . Archived from the original on 9 November 2007. Retrieved 13 June 2007.
  12. "Lucky Ali explains his cryptic tweet on chemotherapy that got fans worried about his health". Hindustan Times . 20 July 2018. Archived from the original on 4 October 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  13. "ALI is MAALI at home". The Hindu . 25 September 2003. Archived from the original on 11 October 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  14. Ghosh, Devarsi (31 December 2019). "Press play (and wipe away the tears): The ultimate 1990s Indipop songlist". Scroll.in. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  15. "Lucky Ali makes Sandalwood debut". The Times of India . 9 November 2011. Archived from the original on 8 July 2012.
  16. "Revisiting Bharat Ek Khoj that showcases India's rich history in brief". 26 January 2021.
  17. "Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah's Dilip Joshi shares a throwback picture from his show 'Zara Hatke'; says 'the first time I was entrusted to lead the show' - Times of India". The Times of India. 5 September 2020.