We are taken to a world where music is the common language as Kavita Seth’s voice flows like honey. She has touched hearts and souls with every note of her decades-long career, weaving her melodies into the fabric of our collective consciousness. From the early days of hardships to the subsequent acclaim, our conversation is a river that meanders through the landscapes of her life. As we speak, Shikha Duggal of Downtown Mirror India is moved by Kavita’s generosity! She and her son’s songs represent the depth of the human experience and each word depicts a life dedicated to the search for truth. Yes, her son also joined us for a special interview! When they are around, time seems to stop and the music—pure and unadulterated—is all that remains. The release of Kavita Seth’s song “Khumaari” from Kesari Chapter 2 last month was a huge gift for her admirers! In addition to being sung by Kavita herself, it is even more special because she and her son, Kanishk Seth, wrote the song. Fans loved the song’s soulful and creative vibe, and now get ready for an inside look as we sit down with the talented duo behind the magic!
Shikha Duggal: In an uncommon combination, Khumaari reimagines the ghazal via a retro jazz lens. What inspired you to explore this nexus?
Kavita Seth: Since Khumaari is a 2025 song, I wanted to give it a slightly contemporary feel despite its roots in Raag Darbari, which has a strong classical sense. I was particularly interested in Kanishk’s idea of the scenario because it was so remarkable! In that setting, the combination of Indian classical music and jazz sounded natural and unforced. I thought the distinct emotional texture that was produced by that combination was really lovely. Doing justice to the character’s emotional experience on film at that precise moment was the aim. I was pleasantly impressed by how it came together visually, something I hadn’t anticipated.
Kanishk Seth: The poetry and the composition, in my opinion, were the first things that really caught my attention and gave me the motivation to try something new. As I experimented with several beats, I came to the conclusion that a vintage jazz vibe could perfectly capture the spirit of the ghazal. It seemed like a surprising but appropriate turn.
Shikha Duggal: Your first lip-synced on-screen musical performance is Khumaari. How did your relationship with the song change when you first saw your voice graphically realised through Masaba Gupta?
Kavita Seth: Khumaari is actually my first lip-synced on-screen song and it felt like it fit Masaba perfectly; her presence, her expressions, everything aligned so well with the voice that it felt completely natural. I really liked how seamlessly it came together. When you’re watching a film, the song becomes part of that character’s emotional world. And once the film ends, if the song lingers in your mind, it means it has truly connected. That’s when it begins to live its own life—you might forget the film or even the actor, but the song stays with you. Eventually, those who are curious will look up the voice behind it and that’s when the song transitions into being the singer’s as well. That journey from being the character’s voice to becoming mine and then reaching the audience is a beautiful process. Seeing my music take form through Masaba made me feel more connected to the story behind the song and in a way, deepened my relationship with it.
Shikha Duggal: What is the best way to modernise a traditional raga for a popular movie soundtrack without sacrificing its spiritual quality?
Kavita Seth: Raag Darbari is renowned for its extraordinary emotional resonance and depth. It has a more masculine vibe traditionally, but as soon as I heard the poetry for Khumaari, I knew Darbari would be the ideal choice. It just made sense; there was something about its gravity that matched the words so well. I became aware of how organically it drew listeners in once we began working with it. The way the notes develop, they speak to your spirit as much as your ears. Darbari has a hypnotic tone that makes the listener feel virtually motionless and connected. Due to the raag’s spiritual grounding, I firmly feel that this song will instill a sense of calm in listeners.
Shikha Duggal: You and Kanishk Seth have created a unique space that combines contemporary and heritage as a mother-son team. How has your creative dynamic changed over time?
Kavita Seth: Over time, Kanishk and I have learned to capitalise on our individual skills and shortcomings. Our ongoing goal is to combine them to produce a kind of creative powerhouse that is whole in and of itself. Therefore, it is always important to balance our distinct visions when working on a project. There are times when we disagree, of course. It got really busy while we were working on Khumaari because I was actually travelling in Bhutan. At this point, we were locking the final cut, so I had to continue filming and delivering portions from wherever I was, be it Punakha, Paro, or Thimphu. I recall thinking, “I’m still working even when I’m not around!” It was a little annoying at times, but that’s the nature of the business. No matter where you are in the world, there are occasions when you have to deliver when a deadline arrives. But it was also interesting in retrospect. “All right, this is part of the process,” you think. And it’s all worthwhile in the end.
Kanishk Seth: We’ve naturally established very different roles in our creative process, so I don’t think there’s ever really been a confrontation in our perspectives. I take care of the production and treatment aspects, while Mom contributes the depth of her universe through her poetry and distinctive compositional approach. In that regard, we have a great deal of faith in one another.
Shikha Duggal: How significant do you think “silence” or “space” is to you as a vocalist?
Kavita Seth: Any rhythmic cycle, such as Teen Taal, has room for you to observe. The term “khali,” which literally translates to “emptiness,” also has meaning. The structure of each taal has a specific area for silence. Therefore, I think it’s really lovely when artists employ the concept of a vacuum or stillness in music in a unique way. Actually, I think it gives the music greater substance and emotional nuance. Those pauses have significance for me as a performer; they are more than just breaks. They give the listener more time to breathe, feel and relate to what is being spoken on a deeper level.
Kanishk Seth: The way Khumaari came together naturally is one of the things I truly like about it. It doesn’t have a strict, predetermined format, such as adding a musical number after a certain amount of bars. It’s quite deliberate that it doesn’t feel like a conventional pop song.
Shikha Duggal: How do you perceive the current state of spiritual poetics in Indian cinema, considering your extensive background in Sufi and spiritual music?
Kavita Seth: The situation in the film truly determines whether or not spiritual or poetic depth is included in Indian cinema. It is accepted if the situation demands it and if it flows organically from the story. Otherwise, it’s typically set aside. That’s just how on-screen narrative works. The most crucial thing to keep in mind, though, is that movies are made with the general public in mind. Therefore, even while meaning and complexity are important, we also need to be extremely mindful of language’s simplicity. There is always a balance struck between expressing important concepts in terms that are understandable and relatable. I have no qualms about borrowing a poet’s words if they achieve that harmony between emotional depth and clarity, whether I’m working with a new poet or taking inspiration from a classic. For me, the question of whether a poet’s expression can actually convey the feeling of the moment is more important than the time period they are from.
Kanishk Seth: Mom and I both think that a song’s words are its foundation. The music won’t resonate if the lyrics lack emotional depth, regardless of how lovely the melody is. Irshad Kamil’s words in Khumaari added a subdued intensity that was straightforward on the surface but rich in depth. In fact, the musical creation was motivated by that simplicity.
Shikha Duggal: What new sonic landscapes or collaborations most excite you going forward?
Kanishk Seth: We never want to limit ourselves to Sufi poetry alone; thus, we’re always looking into cross-genre collaborations. We’re exploring ghazals and even nazms at the moment, but we’re also combining them with modern production techniques like jazz and electronic and we’re open to many more. Our goal is to produce a singular fusion of contemporary, experimental soundscapes with rich, classic poetry and composition. We are tremendously excited by that contrast. In addition to a number of individual projects this year, Dharma Productions has a very intriguing series in the works! Yes, there will be a lot of soulful music in the future and we’re constantly hoping for the next fusion.
