Kavita Seth
Encyclopedia
Sufi Singer Kavita Seth (born 1970) is an India
n singer, who is most known as a playback singer
in Hindi cinema, as well as a performer of Ghazal
s and Sufi music
, and has formed her musical group, Karwaan Group, a band of Sufi musicians
She won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer in 2010 for her classical Sufi rendition "Gunja Sa Koi Iktara" for the film Wake Up Sid
(2009), she also won the Star Screen Award for Best Female Playback for the same song, which was one of the biggest chartbusters in 2009.
, where was and brought up and did her schooling as well as her graduation.
After her marriage she moved to Delhi, where she started performing for All India Radio
(AIR) and Doordarshan
. Meanwhile she also did her post graduation in Music, Sangeet Alankar from Gandharva Mahavidyalaya
, Delhi and received M.A.
degree in Hindi literature from the University of Delhi
.
She received her musical training in Hindustani classical music
under N.D.Sharma of Gwalior Gharana
, Vinod from Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, and Ustad Iqbal Ahmed Khan of the Delhi Gharana.
, in Bareilly
, which soon lead singing in public shows and musical concerts.
Kavita specializes in Sufi-style singing though 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. Subsequently she moved to Mumbai
, as this was followed by , "Mujhe Mat Roko" in Anurag Basu
's Gangster
(2006), for which she received rave reviews.
Besides singing she also composes music. She has composed three songs in N. Chandra
's film "Yeh Mera India
" (2009). She has also released private albums, including, Woh Ek Lamha, Dil-e-Nadan both Sufi ghazal albums, and an Indipop album Haan Yahi Pyar Hain, 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
.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n singer, who is most known as a playback singer
Playback singer
A playback singer is a singer whose singing is prerecorded for use in movies. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and actors or actresses lip-sync the songs for cameras, while the actual singer does not appear on screen.-South Asia:...
in Hindi cinema, as well as a performer of Ghazal
Ghazal
The ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
s and Sufi music
Sufi music
Sufi music is the devotional music of the Sufis, inspired by the works of Sufi poets, like Rumi, Hafiz, Bulleh Shah and Khwaja Ghulam Farid.Qawwali is the most well known form of Sufi music, common in India and Pakistan...
, and has formed her musical group, Karwaan Group, a band of Sufi musicians
She won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer in 2010 for her classical Sufi rendition "Gunja Sa Koi Iktara" for the film Wake Up Sid
Wake up Sid
Wake Up Sid is a 2009 Hindi romantic comedy film. It is directed by Ayan Mukerji, produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions, distributed by UTV Motion Pictures, and has visual effects by the Prime Focus Group...
(2009), she also won the Star Screen Award for Best Female Playback for the same song, which was one of the biggest chartbusters in 2009.
Early life
Born in Bareily, Uttar PradeshUttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, where was and brought up and did her schooling as well as her graduation.
After her marriage she moved to Delhi, where she started performing for All India Radio
All India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
(AIR) and Doordarshan
DoorDarshan
Doordarshan is an Indian public service broadcaster, a division of Prasar Bharati. It is one of the largest broadcasting organizations in India in terms of the infrastructure of studios and transmitters. Recently, it has also started Digital Terrestrial Transmitters. On September 15, 2009,...
. Meanwhile she also did her post graduation in Music, Sangeet Alankar from Gandharva Mahavidyalaya
Gandharva Mahavidyalaya
Gandharva Mahavidyalaya is an institution established in 1939 to popularize Indian classical music and dance.The Mahavidyalaya came into being to perpetuate the memory of Pandit Vishnu Digamber Paluskar, the great reviver of Hindustani classical music, and to keep up the ideals set down by him....
, Delhi and received M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in Hindi literature from the University of Delhi
University of Delhi
The University of Delhi is a central university situated in Delhi, India and is funded by Government of India. Established in 1922, it offers courses at the undergraduate and post-graduate level. Vice-President of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari is the Chancellor of the university...
.
She received her musical training in Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...
under N.D.Sharma of Gwalior Gharana
Gwalior gharana
The Gwalior Gharana is one of the oldest Khyal Gharanas. The rise of the Gwalior Gharana started with the reign of the great Mughal emperor Akbar...
, Vinod from Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, and Ustad Iqbal Ahmed Khan of the Delhi Gharana.
Career
She first started performing at the Khan-kahe Niyazia DargahDargah
A Dargah is a Sufi shrine built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often a Sufi saint. Local Muslims visit the shrine known as . Dargahs are often associated with Sufi meeting rooms and hostels, known as khanqah...
, in Bareilly
Bareilly
Bareilly is a prominent city in Bareilly district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Standing on the Ramganga river, it is the capital of the Bareilly division and the geographical region Rohilkhand...
, which soon lead singing in public shows and musical concerts.
Kavita specializes in Sufi-style singing though 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
Muzaffar Ali
Rajah Muzaffar Ali is an Indian film-maker, a fashion designer, a poet, an artist, a music-lover, a revivalist, and a social worker.He belongs to a Royal Muslim Rajput family of Kotwara. He is not to be confused with the famous 16th century Persian artist of the Persian miniature.Muzaffar Ali was...
'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
Vaada (film)
Vaada is a 2005 Indian Bollywood thriller directed by Satish Kaushik. The film revolves around a murder amidst a convoluted love-triangle and stars Arjun Rampal portraying as Rahul, the accidentally blinded husband of Puja, played by Amisha Patel, as well as his best friend and Puja's obsessed...
(2005), marking her debut as a playback singer. Subsequently she moved to Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, as this was followed by , "Mujhe Mat Roko" in Anurag Basu
Anurag Basu
Anurag Basu is an Indian film director and writer, known for directing films that tackle the themes of dark passion and adultery like Life in a... Metro, Gangster and Murder. Basu was nominated in the Best Director category at the 53rd Filmfare Awards in 2008 for Life in a... Metro. He has also...
's Gangster
Gangster (film)
Gangster is a 2006 Hindi film that premiered on 28 April. The film stars Shiney Ahuja, Emraan Hashmi and Kangna Ranaut. The plot is that of a bar girl who falls in love with two people, one a layman and the other a gangster...
(2006), for which she received rave reviews.
Besides singing she also composes music. She has composed three songs in N. Chandra
N. Chandra
N. Chandra , born Chandrashekhar Narvekar, is an Indian producer, writer and director, known for his dark and loud films such as Ankush, Pratighaat, Tezaab and Narasimha, made as a film editor in the beginning of his career...
's film "Yeh Mera India
Yeh Mera India
Yeh Mera India YMI is a 2009 Hindi movie, written and directed by N. Chandra. The film stars Anupam Kher, Perizaad Zorabian, Purab Kohli, Rajpal Yadav, Sarika, and Seema Biswas.-Plot:...
" (2009). She has also released private albums, including, Woh Ek Lamha, Dil-e-Nadan both Sufi ghazal albums, and an Indipop album Haan Yahi Pyar Hain, 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
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
.
Awards and nominations
Following are the awards and nominations for singer Kavita Seth:- Filmfare AwardsFilmfare AwardsThe Filmfare Awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film industry of India. The Filmfare ceremony is one of the oldest and most prominent film events given for Hindi films in India. The awards were...
- 2010 - Won - Best Female Playback Singer - "Iktara" - Wake Up SidWake up SidWake Up Sid is a 2009 Hindi romantic comedy film. It is directed by Ayan Mukerji, produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions, distributed by UTV Motion Pictures, and has visual effects by the Prime Focus Group...
- 2010 - Won - Best Female Playback Singer - "Iktara" - Wake Up Sid
- Star Screen Award
- 2010 - Won - Best Female Playback Singer - "Iktara" - Wake Up SidWake up SidWake Up Sid is a 2009 Hindi romantic comedy film. It is directed by Ayan Mukerji, produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions, distributed by UTV Motion Pictures, and has visual effects by the Prime Focus Group...
- 2010 - Won - Best New Talent In Music
- 2010 - Won - Best Female Playback Singer - "Iktara" - Wake Up Sid
- International Indian Film Academy AwardsInternational Indian Film Academy AwardsThe International Indian Film Academy Awards, also known as the IIFA Awards are presented annually by the International Indian Film Academy to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in Bollywood, the Hindi language film industry. Instituted in 2000, the ceremony is held in...
- 2010 - Won - Best Female Playback Singer - "Iktara" - Wake Up SidWake up SidWake Up Sid is a 2009 Hindi romantic comedy film. It is directed by Ayan Mukerji, produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions, distributed by UTV Motion Pictures, and has visual effects by the Prime Focus Group...
- 2010 - Won - Best Female Playback Singer - "Iktara" - Wake Up Sid
- Stardust Award
- 2010 - Won - New Musical Sensation (Female) - "Iktara" - Wake Up SidWake up SidWake Up Sid is a 2009 Hindi romantic comedy film. It is directed by Ayan Mukerji, produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions, distributed by UTV Motion Pictures, and has visual effects by the Prime Focus Group...
- 2010 - Won - New Musical Sensation (Female) - "Iktara" - Wake Up Sid
- Global Indian Music Award
- 2010 - Won - Best Playback Singer (Female) - "Iktara" - Wake Up SidWake up SidWake Up Sid is a 2009 Hindi romantic comedy film. It is directed by Ayan Mukerji, produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions, distributed by UTV Motion Pictures, and has visual effects by the Prime Focus Group...
- 2010 - Won - Popular Singer Of The Year
- 2010 - Won - Song Of The Year - "Iktara" - Wake Up SidWake up SidWake Up Sid is a 2009 Hindi romantic comedy film. It is directed by Ayan Mukerji, produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions, distributed by UTV Motion Pictures, and has visual effects by the Prime Focus Group...
- 2010 - Won - Best Playback Singer (Female) - "Iktara" - Wake Up Sid
- Other Awards
- 2010 - GR8 FLO Women Award - Women Achiever Award - "Iktara" - Wake Up SidWake up SidWake Up Sid is a 2009 Hindi romantic comedy film. It is directed by Ayan Mukerji, produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions, distributed by UTV Motion Pictures, and has visual effects by the Prime Focus Group...
- 2010 - GR8 FLO Women Award - Women Achiever Award - "Iktara" - Wake Up Sid
Playback singer
- VaadaVaada (film)Vaada is a 2005 Indian Bollywood thriller directed by Satish Kaushik. The film revolves around a murder amidst a convoluted love-triangle and stars Arjun Rampal portraying as Rahul, the accidentally blinded husband of Puja, played by Amisha Patel, as well as his best friend and Puja's obsessed...
(2005) - GangsterGangster (film)Gangster is a 2006 Hindi film that premiered on 28 April. The film stars Shiney Ahuja, Emraan Hashmi and Kangna Ranaut. The plot is that of a bar girl who falls in love with two people, one a layman and the other a gangster...
(2006) - Wake Up SidWake up SidWake Up Sid is a 2009 Hindi romantic comedy film. It is directed by Ayan Mukerji, produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions, distributed by UTV Motion Pictures, and has visual effects by the Prime Focus Group...
(2009) - Yeh Mera IndiaYeh Mera IndiaYeh Mera India YMI is a 2009 Hindi movie, written and directed by N. Chandra. The film stars Anupam Kher, Perizaad Zorabian, Purab Kohli, Rajpal Yadav, Sarika, and Seema Biswas.-Plot:...
(2009) - Admissions Open (2010)
- Raajneeti (2010)
- I Am (2011)
- TrishnaTrishna (2012 film)Trishna is a 2011 British drama film directed by Michael Winterbottom, starring Freida Pinto and Riz Ahmed. The story is an adaptation of Thomas Hardy's novel Tess of the d'Urbervilles. It is Winterbottom's third Hardy adaptation, after Jude and The Claim. It and was shot in Jaipur and Mumbai,...
(2012)