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.Kavita Seth performs at Sufi concert Screen, 30 January 2009.
She has won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer twice: in 2010 for her classical Sufi rendition of "Iktara" of the film Wake Up Sid (2009) and in 2023 for "Rangisari" 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. She is the mother of musicians, Kavish Seth and Kanishk Seth.
Early life
She was born in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh in a middle class family, to a bank officer father and a homemaker mother.
Career
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. Subsequently, she moved to Mumbai, as this was followed by, "Mujhe Mat Roko" in Anurag Basu's Gangster (2006), for which she received praise.When new female singers announced their arrival in 2006: 8. Kavita Seth Bollywood Hungama, 3 January 2007.
Besides singing she also composes music. She has composed three songs in N. Chandra's film "Yeh Mera India" (2009).‘Hard work always pays!’ Screen, 4 September 2009. 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.Mission Sufi Screen, 4 January 2008.
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. In 2023, Kavita contributed to the album of the movie Gulmohar - starring Sharmila Tagore.
Personal life She has two sons, Kavish Seth and Kanishk Seth, both of whom perform with her. Her husband K.K. Seth died of pancreatitis on 15 December 2011, aged 48.
Filmography
Playback singer Year Film Song name Note 2005 Vaada "Maula" 2006 Gangster "Mujhe Mat Roko" 2009 Wake Up Sid "Iktara"Won- Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback SingerYeh Mera IndiaKavita Seth Filmography Bollywood Hungama "Aap Roothe Rahe"Also Music Director "Dil Mandir""More Naina" 2010 Admission OpenMusic Review of Admissions OpenIsi Life Mein!..."Banno Anne" Raajneeti "Mora Piya (Trance Mix)"2011 I Am "Baangur"Trishna "Raunakein""Lagan lagi""Khari Khari"2012 Cocktail "Tumhi Ho Bandhu"Nominated- Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer Nominated- Mirchi Music Award for Female Vocalist of The Year Cigarette Ki Tarah "Mujhko Khud Se"Also Music Director 2013 Bombay Talkies "Murabba (Duet)" 2016 Neerja "Jeete Hain Chal" Santheyalli Nintha Kabira "Navu premada huccharu" Waiting "Zara Zara"2017 Begum Jaan "Prem Mai Tohre" Maatr"Maa Aise Hi"2020A Suitable Boy"Lutf Woh Ishq Mein"Web SeriesAlso music director along with Alex Heffes and Anoushka Shankar"Mehfil Barkhaast Hui""Na-Rawa Kahiye""Muddat Hui Hai""Dil-E-Nadaan""Love Has Run Its Course""Maan in Turmoil"2022Jugjugg Jeeyo"Rangisari"Also Music Director along with Kanishk SethWon- Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer Double XL"Ki Jaana"2024Mr. & Mrs. Mahi"Ranjhaana"2025Kesari Chapter 2"Khumaari"
Music director Film Year Notes Yeh Mera India 2009 My Friend Pinto 2011 Along with Shamir Tandon Cigarette ki Tarah 2012A Suitable Boy2020Web SeriesAlso music director along with Alex Heffes and Anoushka Shankar Jugjugg Jeeyo2022Along with Kanishk Seth Kesari Chapter 22025
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
Kavita Seth Interview
External links
Sufi Singer Kavita Seth Discography Sufi and the voice Sufi Singer Kavita Seth Website