Kavita Seth
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". 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. Early life. She was born in Bareilly , Uttar Pradesh. 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 MA degree in Hindi literature from the University of Delhi. Career. She first started performing at the Khan-kahe Niyazia Dargah, in Bareilly, and in public shows and musical concerts. 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. 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, 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. 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. Awards and nominations. Best Female Playback Singer – "Iktara" Best Female Playback Singer – "Iktara" Best New Talent in Music Best Female Playback Singer – "Iktara" New Musical Sensation (Female) – "Iktara  Best Playback Singer (Female) – Iktara" Popular Singer of the Year Song of the Year – "Iktara" Women Achiever Award "Tumhi Ho Bandhu" Female Vocalist of The Year – "Tum Hi Ho Bandhu" Personal life. She has two sons, Kavish Seth and Kanishk Seth (musician), both of whom perform with her. Her husband K.K.Seth died of pancreatitis on 15 December 2011, aged 48.