Ali Sethi

Ali Sethi
Born Ali Najam Sethi
(1984-07-02) July 2, 1984
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Residence Lahore, Pakistan
Alma mater Harvard University
Occupation
  • singer
  • musician
  • writer
  • columnist
Parent(s) Najam Sethi
Jugnu Mohsin
Family

Mira Sethi (sister)
Moni Mohsin (aunt)

Musical career

Genres Classical
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitars
  • piano
  • Harmonium
Labels
  • True Brew
Associated acts Coke Studio

Ali Sethi (Urdu/Punjabi: علی سیٹھی; /seɪtiː/; born July 2, 1984) is a Pakistani singer, musician, writer, and columnist.[1] After establishing himself as a columnist of The New York Times and The Friday Times, Sethi achieved recognition for authoring a novel The Wish Maker. He began focusing increasingly on his music career and made his film debut as a playback singer in 2013 film The Reluctant Fundamentalist and later release a cover single "Mohabbat Karne Waley". In 2015 he released his own version of Reshma's song "Kithay Nain Na Jori" as a tribute to her, which add further critical praise to his music career.[2] Sethi has also recorded two songs "Kya Hoga" and "Aah Ko Chayie" for an film Manto and debuted as a featured artist in eight season of Pakistani music reality show Coke Studio.[3]

Life and career

1984–2006: Early life and education

Ali Sethi was born in Lahore, to Najam Sethi and Jugnu Mohsin. Both his parents are veteran journalists. His father also served as an acting Chief Minister of Punjab and chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board for one year. His mother founded Pakistan's first English-language independent newsweekly, The Friday Times.[4] Sethi has one sister, Mira Sethi who is a journalist.[5] Sethi attended Harvard University from 2002 to 2006 and graduated in South Asian Studies.

2006–2012: Publications, The Wish Maker and music career

"The Wish Maker, in Ali Sethi's mature and sure-handed prose, is an engaging family saga, an absorbing coming-of-age story, and an illuminating look at one of the world's most turbulent regions. Ali Sethi steadfastly resists the usual cliché's about both Islam and his native country. Instead, he offers a nuanced, often humorous, and always novel look at life in modern day Pakistan."
– Khaled Hosseini reviewed The Wish Maker[6]

In 2006, at the end of his graduation Sethi started to write an English novel The Wish Maker about "the political history of Pakistan with three generations of characters who live in a middle-class, liberal enclave of Lahore."[7] After graduating he worked for four months with a magazine but soon gave up to complete the novel. Sethi finished the second draft of book in Pakistan by 2008, as per his accounts, "I was wrapping up at Harvard and so I wrote on weekends and at nights. I didn't miss classes to write – and I did graduate!".[8] The success of his book led him a wide spread critical acclaim and recognition. It was ranked on no. 8 at Vogue Top Ten Summer Books.[9] The book has bee translated into Italian, Dutch, German, Hindi, Chinese and Turkish.[8] After graduation Sethi also wrote reviews and articles for several local and international publications including The New York Times, The Friday Times and Dawn News for two years.[10]

He first performed a ghazal "Aaj Jaane Ki Zidd Naa Karo" on stage at Harvard, Sethi professionally started his singing career by training himself during his second year, in an interview with The Express Tribune he stated that, "I just knew I was to become a singer; so, in my second year in college, I bought myself a harmonium. Then, I started to look for an ustad who could teach me."[11]

In 2008, at the age of 24 Sethi started his training in classical music from Ustad Naseeruddin Saami. He recorded a few Reshma songs in London with musicians Tsivi Sharett and Natalie Rosario, which were then uploaded on the video-sharing website and received a great response. From 2009 to 2012 he received training and consistently released covers on SoundCloud and YouTube, with producer Saad Sultan.

2013–present: The Reluctant Fundamentalist, and playback singing

In 2013, Ali recorded a song "Dil Jalannay Ki Baat" in Mira Nair's political-thriller film The Reluctant Fundamentalist, which brought Sethi to recognition as a singer.[12][13] The song was named the "highlight of the album".[14] He recorded several covers including "Mohabbat Karnay Walay", "Kithay Nain Na Jori", "Haal Aisa Nahin" and "Yaad Mein Teri" with recorder and producer Saad Sultan. In 2014, he was hired to playback in the film Manto by Jamal Rahman of True Brew who previously worked with the Ali on The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Sethi recorded two songs, a duet "Kya ho Ga" with Zebunnisa Bangash and solo "Aah Ko Chahiye". Both songs achieved him a critical praise and recognition.[15]

In February 2015, Sethi also released his first music video "Kithay Nain Na Jori" at Karachi Literature Festival featuring Sethi himself, starring Sania Saeed, Adnan Siddiqui and Ali's sister Mira Sethi as a tribute to Reshma. Sethi said, "Reshma ji's song is so powerful that today everyone is ready to do anything to bring it back." explaining his tribute to singer he expressed, "It's been a miraculous journey. All of us who have worked on the song have been touched by something really special. Everything – from recording to finding musicians and the shooting – came together at the end and it's because of our love for the song. The song belongs to Reshma ji."[16]

The video was directed by Sarmad Sultan Khoosat with whom Sethi works on film Manto and produced by his long time friend Saad Sultan. Currently he is making a documentary on singer Farida Khanum[16] and planning his second book as a tragedy.[1] He also made his debut from eight season of Pakistani music reality show Coke Studio as a featured artist.[17]

Filmography

Sethi has sung following songs in films, television and music programs.

Film

Television

Bibliography

Discography

Cover singles

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Hottie of the week: Ali Sethi". The Express Tribune. December 10, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
  2. ↑ "'Kithay Nain Na Jorin': Ali Sethi's tribute to Reshma set to launch at KLF". Mahjabeen Mankani. The Express Tribune. February 4, 2015. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Coke Studio Season 8 Songs & Artists Revealed!". Pakistan Advertisers Society. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Biography". najamsethi.com. Archived from the original on September 7, 2012. Retrieved September 7, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Actress Mira Sethi Brief Biography". Pakistan Mind Updates. June 12, 2014. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  6. ↑ ""THE WISH MAKER" by Ali Sethi". Vanguard Books. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  7. ↑ "The Wish Maker By Ali Sethi". Catherine Taylor. The Guardian. July 25, 2009. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  8. 1 2 "The write choice – For Pakistani author Ali Sethi, writing a book was a bit like joining the family business, says Samita bhatia". The Telegraph. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  9. ↑ "The Hot List: Our Top Ten Summer Books". Megan O'Grady. Vogue. June 12, 2009. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Capital Interview – Ali Sethi, Pakistani Novelist". Mayank Austen Soofi. The Delhi Wala. August 9, 2009. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Ali Sethi: A new stylus in an old groove". Faiza Rehman. The Express Tribune. May 3, 2015. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Ali Sethi – Dil Jalaane Ki Baat OST Reluctant Fundamentalist". Asad Haroon. Dispatch Desk News. April 30, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  13. ↑ "The Reluctant Fundamentalist Music". Sam. White Green. August 12, 2015. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  14. ↑ "The Reluctant Fundamentalist: Radio Mirchi Music Review". Times of India. May 24, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Manto packs soulful soundtrack". Geo Music. April 20, 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  16. 1 2 "Ali Sethis tribute to legendary singer Reshma Ji". Brand Synario. February 16, 2015. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Coke Studio Season 8 Artists' List Released". The Daily Times. June 20, 2015. Retrieved August 14, 2015.

External links

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