'Bollywood Is A Misnomer, Nothing To Be Proud Of The Term': Lucky Ali On Films, Organic Farming, And ‘Economy’

Lucky Ali expresses his thoughts on why he quit acting and how organic farming can be therapeutic at the ABP Network Ideas Of India summit.

“Failure is good. It’s a positive thing as it can help you grow,” Ali said at the Ideas Of India summit.

Lucky Ali, who belted out some of the biggest pop hits of the ‘90s and the early ‘2000s, expressed his thoughts on an array of subjects — ranging from organic farming to how to address India’s poverty — at the ABP Network Ideas Of India summit on Thursday. 

Lucky Ali On ‘Bollywood’ And Decision To Give Up Acting

Ali, who first tried his hand at acting before moving on to becoming a singer-songwriter, made his debut way back in 1961 on “Chhote Nawab” which was directed by his father, the late comedian Mehmood. 

He appeared in a handful of acting ventures, including “Kaante” and “Sur” in 2002, before deciding to stick to being a musician. When asked about the recent trends “Boycott Bollywood” that has been plaguing the industry for past months, Ali said, “I always considered it to be the Indian film industry.” He added, “Bollywood is a misnomer, carried from the West. There’s nothing to be proud of in the term ‘Bollywood’.”

When speaking about moving away from acting, Ali joked, “I had to do a lot of retakes.” He said, “Music is very special to me. It has so many different elements that appeal to me.”

For those unaware, Ali’s singing repertoire has several hit numbers on it, including the likes of “O Sanam,” “Na Tum Jano Na Hum,” “Jaane Kya Dhoondta Hai,” and “Aa Bhi Ja.”

Keeping true to his honest, grounded self, Ali admitted that he felt he went “out of tune” in several parts of “Aa Bhi Ja,” which was featured in “Sur.” “I thought at first that I could sing it. But there were several classical bits in the song, which was not my style,” Ali said. “All credit goes to [music director] M. M. Keeravani, who put us through rounds of practice to perfect the song.”
Speaking on why he left acting, Ali said, “Cinema wasn’t doing it for me. I did enjoy working with some people, but I just felt that I didn’t belong there.”

“With songs and music videos, you could tell a story in three minutes. It felt simpler to me,” Ali added. He also added that he enjoyed the freedom music video production brought to him, as there was no director to listen to, and that “you could do what you really wanted to do.”

Lucky Ali On Organic Farming

Ali, 64, has tried his luck in several professions, from being a carpet seller to an artist. However, for now, he admits he is quite content with his life as an organic farmer in Bengaluru. “It’s therapeutic,” Ali said. “Everyone should be self-sufficient and growing your own vegetables and walking down your own vegetable fields just feels so good.”

A self-taught farmer, Ali did see a fair share of fails. “I tried to grow basmati in Bengaluru. It was after several attempts of learning about its related pesticides and diseases that we understood.” He stressed on the importance of experimentation in organic farming. 

“Failure is good. It’s a positive thing as it can help you grow,” he said.

Lucky Ali Has An ‘Idea For India’

When asked if he has an “idea” that could work for India, Ali chuckled, “I may have to pack my bags and leave if I shared that.” Bolstered by the audience’s roaring support, Ali would eventually go on to elaborate. 

He said that India has a population of some 1.7 billion. If everybody would pitch in with Rs 10, the country can garner nearly Rs 4,400 billion in a year, which can be distributed among all the states to help develop several sectors. 

“We are talking about ‘gareebi hatao’, but poverty needs to be removed by us only. We have the right technology and the manpower as well, but we don’t put them to use in the right way,” Ali added. “As a citizen, it pains me knowing that we can change so many things, but we are not motivated to do anything.” 

“We threw colonialism out of the window, just to become them. Is this where we’ve reached after all these years?” Ali noted. “Nothing will change for you if your heart doesn’t change.”

#WATCH | #LuckyAli tells @Shaguns1984 how to eradicate poverty

Ideas of India Summit 2023 | @panavi #ABPIdeasOfIndia #NayaIndia pic.twitter.com/8JLXlvlHnf

— ABP LIVE (@abplive) February 24, 2023

Ideas Of India Is Back

ABP Network Ideas Of India summit is back for its second edition. On February 24 and 25, eminent personalities from all walks of life will share their thoughts on pertinent topics and issues, ranging from climate catastrophe to India’s position as a new global power player. 

Speakers this year will share their thoughts on what constitutes ‘Naya India’ and how our country, which is now the fifth-largest economy, can position itself as a developed nation by 2047, marking 100 years of independence.

This year, the ABP Network Ideas Of India summit — co-presented by Dabur Vedic Tea and co-powered by Dr Ortho, Gallant Advance, and Rajesh Masala (driven by Maruti Suzuki and with tech partner Panasonic) — will see notable speakers such as Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, Minister Of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Former British Prime Minister Liz Truss, lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar, musical artists Bickram Ghosh and Shubha Mudgal, authors Amitav Ghosh and Devdutt Pattanaik, actresses Sara Ali Khan and Zeenat Aman, actors Ayushmann Khurrana and Manoj Vajpayee, celebrity chef Vikas Khanna, sports stars Jwala Gupta and Vinesh Phogat, and many more.

You can stream it live below: