Sufi music is for the soul, says Kavita Seth

She is best known for her chartbusters such as Iktara from Wake Up Sid and Tumhi Ho Bandhu from Cocktail. But popular songstress Kavita Seth’s primary forte lies in her ability to stir up the soul with her renditions of Sufi music. And the singer will soon be bringing her prowess to the fore as she is all set to bring the best of Sufi music to enthrall the city’s Sufi lovers at her upcoming annual concert Anandotsav. When her mentor, guide and husband, K.K Seth passed away in 2011, Kavita decided to fondly remember him by organising an annual Sufi concert, Anandotsav on his birth anniversary.

“My husband, K. K Seth believed in living every day of life to the fullest. He is the reason why I had the courage to face so many challenges in my career and reach where I have today. When we came to Bombay, this world was unknown to me. It was his confidence and belief in me that kept me going. He pushed me to chase my dreams and I owe it all to him. Anandotsav is my musical dedication to my husband and a celebration of life,” says Kavita.

This year marks the fifth edition of the festival. Spanning across two days, the festival will play host to Sufi poets from across the country. “I had once attended a Sufi mushaira in Delhi and was absolutely mesmerised by the concept. To hear poets so passionately recite Sufi poetry was a wonderful experience. I wanted to share this enchanting experience with the city of Mumbai. This year the mushaira will be an invite-only event intended to test the waters, but hopefully we will soon organise it on a larger scale,” she adds. Some of the poets who will be part of the event include Syed Zia Alvi, Sufi Waliullah Baqai, Nusrat Mehdi and Hasan Kamal, among others.

Ticking tasks off her checklist as we speak, the singer believes in completely immersing herself in music while preparing for her concerts. “The rehearsals are in full swing along with my entire team of musicians. I love spending time with them and it is a journey towards D-day. Being an artist, I prefer being soaked in just my music. But with this concert, I am a part of all the nitty gritties since it is so close to my heart,” she reveals. Kavita will be performing a medley of all the songs she has rendered for Bollywood films and some Sufi classics. “Sufi music is for the soul. It connects you with the divine energy above. A lot of songs in Bollywood use words such as Maula or Khuda and give the song a ‘sufi’ tag, which I think is a problem. Sufi music is all about beautiful poetry with a truly divine feel. Having said that, there are wonderful artists who compose beautiful Sufi compositions too,” she adds.

While Anandotsav holds a special place in Kavita’s heart, this time will be even more so. It will be the first time her son Kanishk takes the stage as solo. “Kanishk usually is my vocal support on stage, but he will be performing solo this time. It is great joy to see one’s children grow up into beautiful artists,” she signs off.

Today, 7 pm onwards At Rang Sharda, Bandra Reclamation, Bandra (West) Tickets: Rs 300 onwards