As a mainstay of Indipop, Lucky Ali’s colourful career has stretched over decades, with heartfelt romanticism his signature. • Born Maqsood Ali in 1958, he is the son of iconic comic actor Mehmood Ali and appeared in several of his father’s films as a child. • Transitioning from movies to music in adulthood, Ali’s debut album Sunoh had a profound impact on the Indipop world when it arrived in 1996. Driven by the success of lead single “O Sanam”, Sunoh was instrumental in redirecting a scene in thrall to synth-driven pop to a new era of acoustic balladry defined by delicate lyricism. • Subsequent albums by Ali, including 1998’s Sifar and 2000’s Aks, followed the same formula and met with similar success. • As he rose to prominence, Ali quickly expanded to Bollywood playback singing, adding vocals to Hindi soundtracks such as 2000’s Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai. The film spawned hits like “Ek Pal Ka Jeena” and “Na Tum Jano Na Hum”, and the latter earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer in 2001. • The 2000s saw a return to the acting world for Ali, with a role in the 2002 heist thriller Kaante followed by a leading turn in 2003’s Sur — The Melody of Life. • Ali continues to release music and perform live. In 2020, he won new fans when a powerful clip of him singing “O Sanam” unplugged went viral.