'Strangely I'dont want to be remembered for O Sanam,' says singer Lucky Ali
Far away, a musical sound passes through the breeze. It is 1999, and Ek Pal Ka Jeena drifts into homes through open windows and half-shut doors, bouncing off scooter radios and living room cassette players. Soft. Unhurried. It does not push its way into the noise. It stays. Almost without announcement or assistance (like social media), the song becomes an anthem, stitching itself into a memory across cities and generations. On screen, a debutant Hrithik Roshan moves with electrifying ease, the choreography and charisma catapulting him into instant stardom. By then, singer Lucky Ali, known for his songs that ooze laid-back, wanderer-like energy, had begun carving his path in music. More than two decades later, Ali, also popular for Na Tum Jaano Na Hum, Safarnama, Dekha Hai Aise Bhi, Kitni Haseen Zindagi, Hairat , speaks about Ek Pal Ka Jeena sans nostalgia. The truth of Ek Pal Ka Jeena is that were here for a moment and then were gone. The lyrics really stayed with listeners. The music, of course, is an enhancer, says the singer who is in his sixties. That impermanence shapes how he treats the song today. When we play the track in concerts, its different. We never follow the original recording. We do our own thing, and every time, its different, he says ahead of RE:SOUND Lucky Ali India Tour, by JetAlive, the live experience arm of JetSynthesys. Ali started his playback singing career with Walking All Alone from Ek Baap Chhe Bete (1978), also starring his father Mehmood, and went on to collaborate with composers like AR Rahman, Vishal Bharadwaj, Vishal-Shekhar, Mikey McCleary, leaving a lasting imprint on both indie and film music. Music, for Ali, must remain alive, shifting with space, mood and audience. That philosophy will carry into his upcoming Bengaluru concert. Its my hometown, so theres naturally a personal connect with anyone whos in the city. Were also bringing tracks we havent played before, a few new additions to set. Our concerts are never the same in any city. Even if some songs were part of the last show, theyll feel different this time. Across a catalogue that shaped Indian independent music, Ali resists ranking his work, as he places them all together. I love all my songs. I record and release them because I was convinced about them, Ali shares. Some stay close because you start living them after youve written them, but favourites are beside the point. Legacy too, seems to make him uneasy. Strangely, I dont want to be remembered for O Sanam, or as a musician or singer. This was a time and that was a time, and times will change, he reflects. For him, music is not a destination, but a journey, a path that still holds much to be discovered in corners of life he hasnt yet explored. Listeners have long been drawn to the wandering quality of his songs, yet Ali offers a different perspective. Wandering, he says, is far from being aimless. Its a way to travel inward, to internalise experience. Whether onstage or off, he is often deep within his own thoughts, observing and processing life in his own measured rhythm. His real sense of growth as an artist did not arrive with applause. It wasnt a single moment. It was a lead up to many things. Completing our first album proved we could finish a work comprehensively. As the music grew, I grew along with that, says Ali. Today, it is collaboration that excites him the most: meeting new artistes, exchanging ideas, and exploring fresh sounds. On stage, that exchange deepens into something almost sacred. When that connection happens, when were all singing or vibing together musically and rhythmically, its a special feeling, he says, adding that spirituality lives in that shared space, highlighting how music helps him connect with everyone who understands that language. Ask him to choose an actor who fits the Lucky Ali-coded aura on screen, he says, Im far removed from the entire film industry and I havent worked in it for a long time. So, I really wouldnt know, but its bizarre always to see someone lip-syncing to your voice. If he could meet his younger self, stepping into a first recording session, his advice would be brief Its not there forever. Perhaps thats why his music still moves with ease, neither fixed nor demanding, just passing through the air and lingering only as long as it needs to. (Lucky Ali will perform at Phoenix Marketcity, Whitefield, on Dec 6 at 6.30pm. Tickets Rs 1,500 )
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