JestineLegg9 at 18:28, 25 March 2026

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{{short description|Indian singer, songwriter and actor (born 1958)}}
{{about||the Danish cricketer|Lucky Ali (cricketer)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Lucky Ali
| image = Lucky Ali at Majuli Music Festival 2022.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Ali at Majuli Music Festival 2022
| birth_name = Maqsood Mahmood Ali
| alias = Lucky Ali
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1958|09|19}}
| birth_place = [[Bangalore]], [[Karnataka]], [[India]]
| genre = {{hlist|[[Indipop]]|[[Folk music|folk]]|[[Bollywood music|bollywood]]}}
| occupations = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter|record producer|actor}}
| instruments = Vocals, guitar
| years_active = 1978–present
| label = {{hlist|Crescendo Music|[[Sony Music Entertainment|Sony]]|[[Universal Music Group|Universal Music]]|[[Zee Entertainment Enterprises|Zee Records]]|[[T-Series (company)|T-Series]]|Lucky Ali Entertainment}}
}}

'''Maqsood Mahmood "Lucky" Ali''' (born 19 September 1958) is an Indian singer, songwriter, and actor. With several popular singles and albums, he emerged as a significant figure of [[Indipop]] during the 1990s.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Viral: Lucky Ali's Impromptu Gig In Goa. Need We Say More?|url=https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/viral-lucky-alis-impromptu-gig-in-goa-need-we-say-more-2338252|access-date=2020-12-22|website=NDTV.com}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Ali is the second of the eight children of [[Bollywood]] actor, [[Mehmood (actor)|Mehmood Ali]]. His mother Mahliqa, was part [[Bengali people|Bengali]] and part [[Pashtuns|Pashtun]], and the younger sister of 1960s Indian [[Bollywood]] actress [[Meena Kumari]]. The Bollywood actress and dancer, [[Minoo Mumtaz]], was his paternal aunt. He attended [[City Montessori School]], Convent of Jesus and Mary, Hampton Court, [[Mussoorie]], Manekji Cooper (Kindergarten) (Juhu), [[Bombay Scottish School]] in [[Mumbai]], and the [[Bishop Cotton Boys' School]], [[Bangalore]].<ref name="Lucky Ali">{{cite news
|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2003/09/25/stories/2003092500680100.htm
|title=Ali is a Maali at Home
|author=Mala Kumar
|work=[[The Hindu]]
|access-date=11 February 2008
|location=Chennai, India
|date=25 September 2003
|archive-date=21 May 2009
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090521065720/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2003/09/25/stories/2003092500680100.htm
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>

===Connection with Tagore family===
His mother Mahliqa's grandmother, Hem Sundari Tagore, was either the daughter or a widow of [[Rabindranath Tagore]]'s distant cousin.<ref name="Songs of Yore">{{cite web |url=https://www.songsofyore.com/meena-kumari-an-enigma/ |title=MEENA KUMARI: An Enigma |website=Songsofyore |date=1 August 2017 |access-date=19 August 2019 |archive-date=27 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200227061511/https://www.songsofyore.com/meena-kumari-an-enigma/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lifeandmore.in/films-tv-theatre/the-eternal-tragedy-queen/|title=The eternal Tragedy Queen|date=1 August 2018|access-date=1 September 2023|archive-date=28 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230828110914/https://lifeandmore.in/films-tv-theatre/the-eternal-tragedy-queen/|url-status=live}}</ref> After the death of her husband, she was forced by his family to leave for Meerut, where she became a nurse, married a [[Christian]] named Pyare Lal Shakir Meeruti (1880–1956), who was an [[Urdu]] journalist, and embraced Christianity.<ref name="Dawn">{{cite web |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1536528/literary-notes-meena-kumari-pyare-lal-shakir-meruthi-and-journalism |title=Literary Notes: Meena Kumari, Pyare Lal Shakir Meruthi and journalism |website=Dawn |date=25 February 2020 |access-date=26 February 2020 |archive-date=25 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225233931/https://www.dawn.com/news/1536528/literary-notes-meena-kumari-pyare-lal-shakir-meruthi-and-journalism |url-status=live}}</ref> She had two daughters; one of whom was Prabhavati, Ali's maternal grandmother.<ref>{{cite book |last=Mehta |first=Vinod |title=Meena Kumari: The Classic Biography |title-link=Meena Kumari (book) |year=2013 |publisher=HarperCollins Publishers India |isbn=9789350296271}}</ref>{{pn|date=October 2024}}

==Personal life==
Ali has two children with his first wife Meaghan Jane McCleary – Ta'awwuz and Tasmiyah. He then married Inaya (Anahita, a [[Persia]]n). With her, he has two children: Sara and Raiyan. He married a third time in 2010 to British model and former beauty queen Kate Elizabeth Hallam whom he divorced in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thisweekbangalore.com/?p=1119 |title=Former Miss UK Visits Samarthanam | This Week Bangalore |access-date=11 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323021739/http://www.thisweekbangalore.com/?p=1119 |archive-date=23 March 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title='I realised that I want a man who is not divided between three families' - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/music/news/i-always-wanted-a-family-where-the-man-is-focusing-only-on-one-family/articleshow/71275189.cms|website=The Times of India|date=25 September 2019 |language=en|access-date=2020-05-23|archive-date=11 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201011163001/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/music/news/i-always-wanted-a-family-where-the-man-is-focusing-only-on-one-family/articleshow/71275189.cms|url-status=live}}</ref> The couple has a son named Dani Maqsood Ali.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/music/news/Our-son-is-Gods-most-beautiful-gift-to-us-Lucky-Alis-wife/articleshow/13130544.cms | title=Our son is God's most beautiful gift to us: Lucky Ali's wife | access-date=12 July 2012 | archive-date=26 July 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726235026/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-05-14/news-and-interviews/31700106_1_maqsood-mehmood-ali-dani-lucky-ali | work=[[The Times of India]] | url-status=live }}</ref>

Ali currently lives on the outskirts of [[Bengaluru]] in his farm house.

Ali and his father shared a tempestuous relationship. [[Mehmood (actor)|Mehmood Ali]] was a very busy actor in the 1960s and '70s, and remained away from home for his shoots. Once, around the age of four when Ali first returned from boarding school, Mehmood and the entire family had come to receive Ali at the airport. Ali did not recognize his father, but on seeing him said, "He's the film comedian Mehmood!" Ali lived away from his family in a St George's College boarding school in Dehradun, [[Mussoorie]]. Ali's tryst with [[Cannabis (drug)|marijuana]] led Mehmood to write the script of the movie ''[[Dushman Duniya Ka]]'' (Enemy of the World).<ref name="rediff_hitting_high">{{cite web
|url=http://www.rediff.com/style/1996/lucky.htm |title=Hitting the high notes |author=Aparjita Ghosh |work=[[Rediff.com]] |access-date=13 June 2007
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109203120/http://www.rediff.com/style/1996/lucky.htm
|archive-date=9 November 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The movie stars Ali's youngest brother, Manzoor. It is the story of the [[drug abuse]] of a young man called Lucky. In the end, the young man kills his mother, destroys everything around him and is then killed by his father. Ali differed from his father's vision and did not act in the movie. "I felt the story lacked hope," he said.<ref name="rediff_hitting_high"/> However, he sang his first song for the film.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.hindustantimes.com/music/lucky-ali-explains-his-cryptic-tweet-on-chemotherapy-that-got-fans-worried-about-his-health/story-VmSZ4FhqwbUiOaONxoEvEP.html|title= Lucky Ali explains his cryptic tweet on chemotherapy that got fans worried about his health|date= 20 July 2018|newspaper= [[Hindustan Times]]|access-date= 1 October 2018|archive-date= 4 October 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181004000717/https://www.hindustantimes.com/music/lucky-ali-explains-his-cryptic-tweet-on-chemotherapy-that-got-fans-worried-about-his-health/story-VmSZ4FhqwbUiOaONxoEvEP.html|url-status= live}}</ref>

Best known for his music, singing and acting, Ali has also bred horses, worked on an oil rig off the coast of [[Puducherry (city)|Pondicherry]] in South India, cleaned and sold carpets and is a farmer with a strong opinion on organic methods in farming.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/mp/2003/09/25/stories/2003092500680100.htm|title=ALI is MAALI at home|access-date=9 January 2019|archive-date=11 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201011163003/https://www.thehindu.com/archive/print/2003/09/25/|website=[[The Hindu]]|date=2003-09-25|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Personal albums==
Ali made his debut on the [[Indian music]] scene with the album ''[[Sunoh]]'', which established him as a singer. This album won many of the top awards in Indian music, including the Best Pop Male Vocalist at the 1996 [[Screen Awards]] and the [[Channel V]] Viewers Choice Award in 1997. It stayed on the [[MTV]] Asia Charts in the top three for 60 weeks. The song "O Sanam" from ''Sunoh'' launched his career. It was also nominated at the [[1997 MTV Video Music Awards]]<ref name="Lucky Ali"/> His next album, ''[[Sifar]]'', was noted for its music, lyrics and vocals.

Ali became known for his distinctive music style and also for his untrained voice - elements that helped him emerge as a leading figure in [[Indipop]] during the period.<ref name="scroll">{{cite web |last1=Ghosh |first1=Devarsi |title=Press play (and wipe away the tears): The ultimate 1990s Indipop songlist |url=https://scroll.in/reel/942185/press-play-and-wipe-away-the-tears-the-ultimate-1990s-indipop-songlist |website=Scroll.in |access-date=15 November 2020 |date=31 December 2019}}</ref> His third and fourth albums were ''[[Aks (album)|Aks]]'' and ''[[Kabhi Aisa Lagta Hai]]'', both of which were reasonably successful. He is also known for contributing the song "Anjaani Raahon Mein" to the album ''[[Meri Jaan Hindustan]]'', which commemorated 50 years of Indian independence in the year 1997. The video was directed by [[Mani Shankar]], and features him as a young rural man working in a foreign country, with a longing to go back home, and his joy of actually returning to a place he loved. When asked about the video, he once said "The video of 'Anjaani Raahon Mein' was a beautiful story in itself. It was done straight from the heart and it is very special to me."

==Bollywood career==
Ali debuted in Bollywood with the song "Nasha Nasha" in the movie ''[[Dushman Duniya Ka]]''. After that he sang "Ek Pal Ka Jeena" and "Na Tum Jaano Na Hum", featured in ''[[Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai]]'' (2000). He received the 2001 [[Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer]] for "Ek Pal Ka Jeena" song. He was nominated for the Best Playback Singer Male for "Aa Bhi Jaa", featured in ''[[Sur - The Melody of Life|Sur]]'' at the [[48th Filmfare Awards]], but lost to [[Sonu Nigam]]. He has lent his voice to playback singing in films such as ''Sur – The Melody of Life'' (2002), ''[[Bachna Ae Haseeno]]'' (2008), ''[[Anjaana Anjaani]]'' (2010) and ''[[Tamasha (2015 film)|Tamasha]]'' (2015).

==Playback singing career==
Lucky Ali started his playback singing career with the song "Walking All Alone" from the film ''[[Ek Baap Chhe Bete]]'' in 1978. This film stars [[Mehmood (actor)|Mehmood Ali]] and his six sons. Ali's second song was "Nasha Nasha" from the film ''[[Dushman Duniya Ka]]'', which starred his brother Manzoor Ali in the lead role. The film was directed by their father Mehmood.

He has worked with composers such as [[A.R Rahman]], [[Vishal Bhardwaj]], [[Vishal–Shekhar]], [[Mikey McCleary]], [[Prashant Pillai]], Varun Ahuja and Rajiv Bhalla.

==Acting career==
{{weasel|section|date=January 2026}}
As the nephew of [[Meena Kumari]] and son of Mehmood, Lucky Ali did not lack the requisites to make his debut as an actor. He first appeared in ''Chote Nawab'' ("The Little Prince") in 1962, directed by Mehmood. He acted in a few films in the 1970s and 1980s such as ''[[Yehi Hai Zindagi]]'' (1977), ''[[Hamare Tumhare]]'' (1979) and [[Shyam Benegal]]'s ''[[Trikaal]]'' (1985). He also acted in the television series ''[[Bharat Ek Khoj]]'', directed by Shyam Benegal. After a long break from acting, he returned in [[Sanjay Gupta (director)|Sanjay Gupta]]'s ''[[Kaante]]'' (2002), in which he acted alongside leading stars [[Amitabh Bachchan]], [[Sanjay Dutt]], [[Kumar Gaurav]] and [[Suniel Shetty]]. Ali also acted in the TV serial ''Zara Hatke''. In 2002, he acted in the Hindi musical ''[[Sur-The Melody of Life]]'' playing a complex role.

==Discography==
{{Main|Lucky Ali discography}}
Ali's [[discography]] contains six studio albums, six [[compilation album|compilations]], seven [[single (music)|singles]], 19 soundtracks, two [[concert tour]]s and two other albums (as a composer).

===Studio albums===
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* ''[[Sunoh]]'' (1996)
* ''Sifar'' (1998)
* ''Aks'' (2001)
* ''[[Gori Teri Aankhen...]]'' (2001)
* ''[[Kabhi Aisa Lagta Hai]]'' (2004)
* ''[[Xsuie]]'' (2009)
* ''Raasta Man'' (2011)
* ''Subaah Ke Taare'' (2024)
}}

===Soundtrack===
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* ''[[Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri]]'' (2025)
* ''[[Do Aur Do Pyaar]]'' (2024)
* ''From The Land of Gandhi'' (2016)
* ''[[Tamasha (2015 film)|Tamasha]]'' (2015)
* ''Tere Mere Sath'' (2014)
* ''[[Amen (2013 film)|Amen]]''
* ''DAVID'' (2013)
* ''[[Dev Son of Mudde Gowda|Dev S/O of Mudde Gowda]]'' (2011)<ref>{{cite news|title=Lucky Ali makes Sandalwood debut|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/music/news/Lucky-Ali-makes-Sandalwood-debut/articleshow/10653670.cms |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708010947/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-09/news-and-interviews/30373863_1_lucky-ali-playback-singer-song |url-status=live |archive-date=8 July 2012 |work=[[The Times of India]]| date=9 November 2011}}</ref>
* ''[[Anjaana Anjaani]]'' (2010)
* ''[[Paathshaala]]'' (2010)
* ''[[Bachna Ae Haseeno]]'' (2008)
* ''[[Kaalai]]'' (2008)
* ''[[Vellitherai]]'' (2008)
* ''[[The Film (film)|The Film]]'' (2005)
* ''[[Yuva]]'' (2004)
* ''[[Anand (2004 film)|Anand]]'' (2004)
* ''[[Aayutha Ezhuthu]]'' (2004)
* ''[[Sye (2004 film)|Sye]]'' (2004)
* ''Chupke Se'' (2003)
* ''[[Boys (2003 film)|Boys]]'' (2003)
* ''[[Sur – The Melody of Life]]'' (2002)
* ''[[Kaante]]'' (2002)
* ''[[Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai]]'' (2000)
* ''[[Bhopal Express (film)|Bhopal Express]]'' (1999)
* ''[[Dushman Duniya Ka]]'' (1996)

}}

==Filmography==
=== Films ===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year !! Film !! Role !! Notes
|-
|1962
|''Chote Nawaab''
|
|child artist
|-
|1974
|''[[Kunwara Baap (1974 film)|Kunwara Baap]]''
|
|child artist
|-
|1977
|''[[Yehi Hai Zindagi]]''
|Dinesh
|
|-
|1976
|''[[Ginny Aur Johnny]]''
|Man in Car
|
|-
|1978
|''[[Ek Baap Chhe Bete]]''
|Lucky
|
|-
|1979
|''[[Hamare Tumhare]]''
|Ajay
|
|-
|1985
|''[[Trikaal]]''
|Erasmo
|
|-
|2002
|''[[Sur-The Melody of Life]]''
|Vikramaditya Singh
|
|-
|2002
|''[[Kaante]]''
|Maqbool "Mak" Haider
|
|-
|2005
|''[[Kasak (2005 film)|Kasak]]''
|Amar
|
|-
|2008
|''[[Good Luck!]]''
|Tarun Chopra
|
|-
|2009
|''[[Runway (2009 film)|Runaway]]''
|Khalid
|
|-
|2021
|''[[Murder at Teesri Manzil 302]]''
|Inspector Tejender Singh
|Delayed release; Filmed in 2008-09
|}

===Television series===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Role
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
|1986
|''[[Katha Sagar]]''
|
|-
|1988
|''[[Bharat Ek Khoj]]''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/revisiting-bharat-ek-khoj-that-showcases-indias-rich-history-in-brief-7161505/|title=Revisiting Bharat Ek Khoj that showcases India's rich history in brief|date=26 January 2021}}</ref>
|Various characters
|
|-
|1994
|''Zara Hatke'' <ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/taarak-mehta-ka-ooltah-chashmahs-dilip-joshi-shares-a-throwback-picture-from-his-show-zara-hatke-says-the-first-time-i-was-entrusted-to-lead-the-show/articleshow/77945447.cms|title=Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah's Dilip Joshi shares a throwback picture from his show 'Zara Hatke'; says 'the first time I was entrusted to lead the show' - Times of India|website=The Times of India|date=5 September 2020 }}</ref>
|Malu
|
|-
|2013
|''[[The Dewarists]]''
|Himself
|
|}

== See also ==
* [[Mehmood Ali Family]]

==References==
{{Reflist|33em}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [https://www.luckyali.com/ Lucky Ali's Official Website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723221603/https://www.luckyali.com/ |date=23 July 2021 }}
* {{IMDb name|0004699}}
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{{Lucky Ali}}
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}}

{{Authority control}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ali, Lucky}}
[[Category:1958 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Hindi-language playback singers]]
[[Category:Male actors in Hindi cinema]]
[[Category:Indian male film actors]]
[[Category:Indian male playback singers]]
[[Category:Indian male pop singers]]
[[Category:Indian male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:Indian singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:Indian male television actors]]
[[Category:Bishop Cotton Boys' School alumni]]
[[Category:Telugu-language playback singers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian male actors]]
[[Category:Singers from Mumbai]]
[[Category:Male actors from Mumbai]]
[[Category:Indian folk-pop singers]]
[[Category:Filmfare Awards winners]]
[[Category:Screen Awards winners]]
[[Category:Zee Cine Awards winners]]
[[Category:International Indian Film Academy Awards winners]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian composers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian composers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male singers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian male singers]]

Lucky Ali - Revision history

JestineLegg9 at 18:28, 25 March 2026