Kavita Seth

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Kavita Seth
Background information
Born (1970-09-14) 14 September 1970 (age 53)
Bareilly, Bareilly district, Uttar Pradesh, India
GenresSufi, playback singing
Occupation(s)Playback singer, singer of ghazals, Sufi music
Instrument(s)Vocals
Websitewww.kavitaseth.com

Kavita Seth (born 14 September 1970) is an Indian singer, who is most known as a playback singer in Hindi cinema, as well as a performer of Ghazals and Sufi music, and leads a Sufi musical group, Karwaan Group.[1][2] She is currently based in Mumbai, India.

She has won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer twice: in 2010 for her classical Sufi rendition "Iktara" of the film Wake Up Sid (2009)[3] and in 2023 for "Rangisaari" of the film Jugjugg Jeeyo (2022). She also won the Star Screen Award for Best Female Playback for the former, which was one of the biggest chartbusters in 2009.[4][5]

Early life

She was born in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh[4] in a middle class family of a bank officer.

Career

Seth at the Jagjit Singh's anniversary

Kavita specialises in Sufi-style singing although she also sings geet, ghazal and folk songs. Over the years she has performed at live shows at London, Birmingham, Scotland, Berlin, Oslo and Stockholm and places across India. It was at one of her performance at Muzaffar Ali's International Sufi Festival concert, in Delhi that director Satish Kaushik heard her and offered a song "Zindagi ko Maula", in his film, the Amisha Patel starrer, Vaada (2005), marking her debut as a playback singer.[1][6] Subsequently, she moved to Mumbai, as this was followed by, "Mujhe Mat Roko" in Anurag Basu's Gangster (2006), for which she received praise.[7]

Besides singing she also composes music. She has composed three songs in N. Chandra's film "Yeh Mera India" (2009).[8] She has also released private albums, including, Woh Ek Lamha, Dil-e-Nadan both Sufi ghazal albums, followed by Sufi music albums, Sufiana (2008) and Hazrat. Her 2008 album Sufiana, composed of couplets of Sufi poet-mystic, Rumi was released at the 800-year-old Khaman Pir Ka Dargah in Lucknow.[9][10]

In 2020, Kavita composed the soundtrack of the BBC TV series A Suitable Boy, while also giving vocals to the songs of Tabu's character in the show.[11]

In 2023, Kavita contributed to the album of the movie Gulmohar - starring Sharmila Tagore.

Awards and nominations

Year Nominee / work Award Result
5th Mirchi Music Awards

Female Vocalist of The Year – "Tum Hi Ho Bandhu"

Nominated[12]

Filmography

Playback singer

Film Year Song name Note
Vaada 2005 Maula
Gangster 2006 Mujhe Mat Roko
Wake Up Sid 2009 Iktara Won- Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer
Yeh Mera India[13] 'Aap roothe rahe' Also Music Director
'Dil Mandir'
'More Naina'
Admission Open[14] 2010
Raajneeti Mora Piya (Trance Mix)
I Am Baangur
Trishna 2011 'Raunakein'
'Lagan lagi'
'Khari Khari'
Cocktail 2012 Tumhi Ho Bandhu Nominated- Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer
Cigarette Ki Tarah Mujhko Khud Se Also Music Director
Bombay Talkies 2013 Murabba (Duet)
Neerja 2016 Jeete Hain Chal
Santheyalli Nintha Kabira Navu premada huccharu
Waiting Zara Zara
Begum Jaan 2017 Prem Mai Tohre
A Suitable Boy 2020 "Lutf Woh Ishq Mein" Web Series
"Mehfil Barkhaast Hui"
"Na-Rawa Kahiye"
"Muddat Hui Hai"
"Dil-E-Nadaan"
"Love Has Run Its Course"
"Maan in Turmoil"
Jugjugg Jeeyo 2022 "Rang Saari" Also Music Director along with Kanishk Seth
Double XL "Ki Jaana"

Music director

Film Year Notes
Yeh Mera India 2009
My Friend Pinto 2011 Along with Shamir Tandon
Cigarette ki Tarah 2012
Jugjugg Jeeyo 2022 Along with Kanishk Seth

Personal life

She has two sons, Kavish Seth and Kanishk Seth, both of whom perform with her.[15] Her husband K.K.Seth died of pancreatitis on 15 December 2011, aged 48.[16]

Albums

  • Sufiana (2007)
  • Kabirana Sufiana (2010)
  • Bulleh Shah (2010)
  • Khuda Wohi Hai (2011)
  • Ek Din (2012)
  • Trance With Khusrow (2014)
  • Lagan Laagi Re (2021)

References

  1. ^ a b Udasi, Harshikaa (1 April 2010). "Sufi and soul". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  2. ^ Kavita Seth performs at Sufi concert Archived 21 August 2019 at the Wayback Machine Screen, 30 January 2009.
  3. ^ "Amitabh Bachchan, Vidya Balan claim top honours". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 28 February 2010.
  4. ^ a b "Music and Lyrics". Indian Express. 26 March 2010. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  5. ^ "Song Sung True". Indian Express. 24 September 2009. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012.
  6. ^ "VISHESH Break". Screen. 24 March 2006.[dead link]
  7. ^ When new female singers announced their arrival in 2006: 8. Kavita Seth[dead link] Bollywood Hungama, 3 January 2007.
  8. ^ ‘Hard work always pays!’ Screen, 4 September 2009. Archived 9 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ "Recreating Rumi's poetry". DNA. 3 November 2009.
  10. ^ Mission Sufi[dead link] Screen, 4 January 2008.
  11. ^ Service, Tribune News. "Kavita Seth is still on cloud nine after composing music for Mira Nair's web series A Suitable Boy". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  12. ^ "Nominations - Mirchi Music Award Hindi 2012". www.radiomirchi.com. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  13. ^ Kavita Seth Filmography Archived 15 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine Bollywood Hungama
  14. ^ Music Review of Admissions Open
  15. ^ "Juhi at a musical do!". The Times of India. 25 March 2010.
  16. ^ "Singer Kavita Seth's husband dies". Archived from the original on 10 July 2012.

External links