When singer, songwriter, actor, and composer Lucky Ali says he might settle down in Kerala, in hope of a scoop, you immediately ask “Where?” “It is a secret,” he says. However, a reliable source says that it is the hills of Munnar that has captured the musician's heart.
Having spent nearly a month in Kerala, Lucky, who was in the city for a private concert at The Leela Kempinski, Kovalam, says it is the pace of life in the State that has attracted him the most. “I like Kochi. It is modern, but not in an oppressive way. Thiruvananthapuram too is nice as you have the Arabian Sea. I like Kerala because the old kind of lifestyles and values are still strong here. Besides, it is not too different from my home, Bangalore.”
Lucky spent most of his time in Kerala at a friend's residence in Kochi. “It was so peaceful there that I didn't feel like going to visit the sights.”
Working holiday
However, O SanamSunoh he was not merely lazing around. “I wrote some music,” says Lucky, whose album Rastaman will hit the market at the end of this month.
Rastaman is the “hard copy” of his album Xsuie, which was released on the internet in 2009. Xsuie had only fours songs, Rastaman has 11.
The musician who soared to fame with the song O Sanam from the album Sunoh , filmed amidst the pyramids of Egypt, has made videos for two of his songs in Rastaman . O Sanam
He is currently working on an album with American music producer Perry Margouleff. “I'm working on English versions of my songs and on some new ones too. It is a challenge as I don't think in English but in Hindustani.”
Lucky, who calls music a serious hobby, says he is a self taught musician. “I sing because I like to sing. But yes, there are times I wish I was a trained musician, at least trained in identifying raags,” says Lucky. He enjoys listening to Western and Indian classical music. “It is mostly Indian classical that I listen to and I don't go by the vocals but by the raags. I like listening to Malhar, Bhairav, Shivranjani…”
Ask him about rumours of his running a Music Academy and he says: “It is in the pipeline. I have been selected to head the music commission of the European Union Chamber of Commerce. I will be conducting a cross-cultural musical exchange between France and India.”
It comes as a surprise when this musician who sang Na Tum Jaano Na Hum (in the film Kaho Na Pyaar Hai) and Hairat Hai ( Aanjana Anjaani), and acted in films such as Sur-The Melody of Life , Kaante , and Kasak , says he doesn't belong to Bollywood. “I'm not a product of Bollywood. My priority is agriculture,” as he goes on to talk about sky farming. “It is not farming in the air but growing vegetables on your rooftops. The house becomes a food source,” says the artiste who hopes to make farming hip amongst youngsters. “In fact, I hope my four children and the fifth one that is on its way take up agriculture.”
Road show
A roadie, Lucky loves travelling. “I love discovering new places, cultures, sights, sounds, and smells. I would like to go to Russia, Siberia, Antarctica, and the Amazon.” But before he visits these places, Lucky plans to go on a road show. “We'll be travelling across South India, most probably in October. It is probably a first of its kind. We'll be travelling with a mobile stage, equipment et al. We will perform wherever we obtain permission for a show.”
So, singer, songwriter, actor, composer, agriculturalist, which does he enjoy the most? “I enjoy life. Life is my passion.”
Doodle pro
L ucky has recently started carrying a notebook and pencil wherever he goes. “It is great as I can immediately pen down my thoughts. Also, I have started doodling whatever catches my fancy,” he says, showing you three pages of his efforts, which includes a profile, sketches of eyelashes and a Ponga tree.
