THE MUSICIAN ON HIS UNIQUE JOURNEY AND INVENTION NOORI
by ASJAD NAZIR
AS THE son of widely acclaimed singer and musician Kavita Seth, it was perhaps inevitable that Kavish Seth would follow in the giant footsteps of his mother.
The talented singer and musician has created a unique space for himself, which has included inventing a new instrument named noori. The versatile instrument can be used for genres, including Indian classical, western contemporary and Arabic music. The rising star has performed all over India and is on the cusp of going international and releasing new material.
Eastern Eye caught up with Kavish Seth to discuss music, his new invention, famous mother and future plans.
Music has been with you since birth, but what first connected you to it?
I have cherished music since my childhood, listening to my mother, ghazals and western pop. I used to be very angry in my childhood and hit out a lot, after which my mother thought it would be better if I learnt tabla and put my hands to some constructive use. I picked it up well, but considered music as a hobby and aimed to become a scientist.
What changed all that?
Later, after my advanced studies, I connected to music on a deeper level. My friend took guitar lessons and took me along, after which I picked it up and started learning. I had the most wonderful, divine like feeling, which I’d never had and realised my expression never had space. We were learning about thermodynamics and how the world works, but rarely did school encourage our voices, ideas and expressions. Our ideas were found scribbled on the last page of our notebooks, which became our spaces of expression. After picking up guitar, I found my expression and medium to communicate what I feel to everyone and myself. That connected me to music and myself.
What has been the highlight of your journey?
Zubaan music project has been the highlight and basis of my music journey. Zubaan is a project where indie artists across diverse scenes collaborate and perform across India, be it villages, cities, streets or stages. The idea is to unify the indie music scene of India. Through Zubaan, I have performed in around 60 cities, towns and villages of India. And every collaboration has been educational, so a lot of my learning has happened through Zubaan.
What led you towards creating new instrument noori?
What triggered the making of noori was when I was singing in the Jagriti Yatra (entrepreneurship train journey), with friends. While passing through Gorakhpur, someone asked us to play something Indian. That remark registered on a deep level, as foreigners often associated Indian music with sarod, sitar and tabla, but not guitar. And there was an issue of learning Indian classical instruments.
What do you mean?
The general perception is that learning these instruments is impractical, where one has to search for a guru and do their dishes or housework before they would teach you. I had not seen anybody doing song writing and singing with sitar or sarod as well, so didn’t know how practical it was to learn them. So I made up my mind to make my own instrument, which would have Indian roots and could do what a guitar does. As I started to collaborate with Indian classical artists and also got exposed to Arabic music, the idea of noori started to evolve.
How long did it take to create the instrument?
I started working on the idea of the instrument in the winter of 2015, did experiments on guitar and after we were content with the experiment, we proceeded to make the instrument. By September 2016, the first noori was made.
Tell us about the instrument?
Noori is a new musical instrument belonging to the family of lute instruments (guitars, rabab, oud, sarod) wherein all three kinds of schools of music are playable, namely Indian classical, western music and Arabic music. One can play chords like that in guitar and shrutis/microtones of Indian classical music and Arabic music.
What other musical instruments do you love?
I love sitar, oud, rabab and guitar, but sarod touches me most because of its sheer projection, innocence and beautiful sound. I remember encountering sarod in Banaras while carrying a guitar, and was left awestruck by its sound. The shruti playing in sarod makes it so pure. I have a sarod with me, which I am studying and love to play it.
Musically, what can we expect next from you?
My songs. I had been down with chronic laryngitis since many years, and just recently, I have recovered from it. I have started to record my songs and yes, noori will feature on them.
Who would you love to collaborate with?
I would love to collaborate with classical Indian artists and Arab musicians, along with those from the orchestral music scene. I believe collaborations are relationships. They can’t be engineered and are made just like any relationship. I love my existing collaborations in the Zubaan music project, as we continuously grow and teach each other new things.
Who are your musical heroes?
At present, they are Zia Mohiuddin Dagar and Ali Akbar Khan.
What do you most love about your mother Kavita Seth as an artist?
As an artist, I think my mother is a fabulous composer. I love to see that she is always practising and learning, from everyone. She is so humble. I idolise these values in her and practise them.
What music dominates your personal playlist?
Mostly Mediterranean reggae and desert blues.
What inspires you as an artist?
The will to connect with myself and everyone. The act of creation makes me feel alive.
What is the musical plan going forward?
In the immediate future, it is to release my songs, create more music on noori, evolve the instrument further and then open it to the world. I look forward to doing more collaborations with artists in India and across different music scenes.
If you could master something new in music, what would it be? Singing, writing, playing noori and doing all of them together. Being able to sing and play what’s on my mind for hours, and be able to do the same in performance.
As HBO prepares to bring Harry Potter back to screens with a new television adaptation, excitement is high around the casting of Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, and Alastair Stout as the iconic trio of Harry, Hermione, and Ron. But amid the buzz, a quiet voice of caution has emerged. Chris Watson, father of original Hermione actress Emma Watson, is urging parents and the industry to tread carefully when it comes to child stardom.
Chris Watson is not speaking as a critic or industry insider but as someone who watched his daughter grow up inside a global franchise. Emma was nine when she landed the role of Hermione Granger, and what followed was a decade of public attention that reshaped her life. Her father remembers the shift vividly. “Her homework would go back to school on motorbikes,” he once said, pointing to the surreal logistics fame forced on them.
Emma, who has since spoken openly about the emotional toll of growing up famous, has described feeling “terrified” and “inadequate,” and even envying her peers for being able to do ordinary things, like knowing their favourite colour or forming friendships without public scrutiny. It’s this experience that Chris is drawing from when he warns: “As a parent, you have to be scared.”
Fame at a young age comes with a price
The context this time is different. The casting process for the HBO reboot reportedly involved sifting through 30,000 applicants. The new trio are young and relatively unknown, just like their predecessors were in 2001. But the digital world they’re entering now is far more invasive. Every post, photo, or comment is dissected in real time, exposing young actors to criticism, trolling, and unwanted attention, far beyond the limited press tours of 2001.
Chris Watson, Emma’s father, and other insiders warn of the emotional toll facing today’s young starsGetty Images
Emma’s journey: Blueprint and cautionary tale
Emma Watson was nine when she won the part of Hermione. Almost overnight, their whole family life bent around filming schedules. Chris Watson deliberately downplayed Hollywood’s glamour at home. He “doesn’t actually watch films” to prevent Emma from believing the character defined her. He insisted Warner Bros. respect her schoolwork and spare time. Yet the pressure still mounted.
Emma later admitted she struggled with guilt in therapy and suffered “vertigo” from constant public attention. At 18, invasive paparazzi shots were published within hours of her birthday, while her co-stars faced parallel battles. Daniel Radcliffe used alcohol to cope, arriving on set "still drunk" and "dead behind the eyes," while Rupert Grint felt reduced: "I felt like I only knew how to do one thing: play Ron."
From online hate to AI threats, the rebooted Wizarding World may be more dangerous than magicalGetty Images
2025’s more perilous journey
The AI Boggart- Generative AI and deepfakes now make non-consensual, manipulated images or videos a real threat. These digital illusions can damage reputations and cause emotional harm in ways the original cast never encountered.
The Rowling Snare- With J.K. Rowling as executive producer, her polarising views on transgender rights hover over the series. Despite assurances they won’t influence the storyline, the new actors will be drawn into cultural debates and pressured to take sides.
Although he never offered a bullet-point plan, his comments cut straight to the heart of what matters:
"As a parent, you have to be scared" “While there are many upsides, nothing is perfect and you have to recognise there are going to be downsides you could not have imagined.” His frank admission underlines the need to stay vigilant and prepared for unexpected challenges.
Keep home life sacred “It certainly helped that I don’t actually watch films... the studio and everybody else knew that this was not Emma’s whole life, and that she had homework to do, she played a little bit of cricket as well.” Here, Watson shows how he maintained normal routines including school, family time and sports to prevent Emma’s identity from merging with Hermione Granger.
Reach out and share hard-won experience “If they want to talk to someone who’s been through this… I would be more than happy.” By offering mentorship to the new parents, Chris emphasises that open communication and shared support are vital tools in safeguarding young actors.
Unlike the early 2000s, today’s child stars face nonstop scrutiny, digital dangers and cultural controversyGetty Images
Alumni perspectives: Lessons from child stars past
Several former young actors have shared insights that accentuate Chris Watson’s warnings. Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) recalls feeling “adored and trapped” when the cameras stopped but expectations didn’t. Jake Lloyd (young Anakin Skywalker) describes how relentless attention led to severe anxiety. Their stories make it clear that the hardest effects often come once filming wraps up.
Behind the excitement of the reboot lies a harsh reality many child stars never escapeGetty Images
The ethical dilemma: Joy versus risk
Prospect Magazine asks whether it is ethical to place children in an environment rife with digital threats and guaranteed controversy. Can the magic of Hogwarts justify this gamble? HBO’s Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod praise the trio’s “wonderful” talent, and Rowling herself endorses them. But raw talent alone offers no protection.
Hollywood’s history with child stars reads grimly: Judy Garland fed amphetamines, Macaulay Culkin abused, Star Wars' Jake Lloyd broken by bullying. Can this cycle end? Chris Watson offers more than warnings; he’s extending mentorship to the parents.
Hogwarts is calling but fame’s dangers are louder for Harry Potter’s new trioGetty Images
Real magic: Protecting childhood
The return of Harry Potter also raises broader questions about corporate priorities. With J.K. Rowling returning as executive producer, a figure who now carries both creative authority and controversy, the series enters a more complex media landscape. Will the focus stay on the storytelling, or will the new stars be caught in wider debates?
For now, Dominic, Arabella, and Alastair are at the start of a journey that will define their adolescence. Whether that journey is empowering or overwhelming will depend not just on their talent, but on how well they’re protected behind the scenes. Chris Watson’s voice may not be the loudest in the room, but it carries weight, built on lived experience, and a simple truth: children in the spotlight still deserve a childhood.
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With a massive music collection spanning several decades, multi-genre DJ and music producer DJ Funky T found it challenging to narrow down just 10 songs he loves. Also known as Tony Hayer, his favourites range from Michael Jackson, Dr Dre and Fleetwood Mac to Bollywood, Punjabi, Hindi, Sufi and more. Some of these diverse influences feature in his own track Tu Meri Rani Si.
Before revealing his choices, he said: “The following golden tracks have stood the test of time. It was a hard call, as many more songs could have made this list. So, in no particular order from my current conscious memory, I present 10 Indian songs I love. Check them out and enjoy.”
Chand Sifarish from Fanaa: This Bollywood track, headlined by Aamir Khan and Kajol, starts with a cheesy rock guitar but quickly transforms into a dynamic blend of beats, choppy tablas, rich harmonies, sitars and an addictive whistling motif.
Neuke Phadin Jawanan by Panjabi MC: A 2003 hit that borrows rhythm styles and melodies from Maxi Priest’s Wanna Be Close To You. It features lyrics by Lal Chand Yamla Jatt, a classic 1990s urban swing beat, as well as a fantastically groovy chorus built around tumbi plucking melodies.
Indian Dance by Kray Twinz ft Elephant Man: A powerhouse club anthem marked by the Kray Twinz’ signature sound. This thrilling blend of hard bashment and traditional gidha boliyan rides a thunderous bassline and features ragga legend Elephant Man.
Addi Mardi by Malkit Singh: This timeless party favourite tells the story of a man smitten with a girl and wanting to dance with her. From the start, it delivers plucky guitars, a cheeky bassline and a fast reggaetón-tinged rhythm. Guaranteed to lift the mood every time.
Akhiyaan by Vee/Jay Kahn: A beautifully produced love song by the exceptional Vee, younger brother of Hunterz. The track blends a spiritual mood with high production value, hypnotic melodies and subtle Sufi elements that uplift and soothe.
Khwaja Mere Khwaja from Jodhaa Akbar: AR Rahman delivered one of my favourite Sufi songs in this Bollywood film. He composed and sang it himself. The touching song about the relationship with a higher power is picturised beautifully, with dancers reaching up to the sky, as if to be holding God’s hand.
Discovery by Shammi Pithia: Taken from his album Cosmic, this track is very spiritual sounding. The healing song performed and produced by Shammi Pithia has world-class flute melodies. This song can both make or break you, dependent on your mood. But either way, it will leave you feeling touched.
Gutt Sapni by Jhinda Music ft Captain: The fabulous sounding track featuring Punjabi singer Captain has great keys composition, dynamic drum beats and a magnificent mixdown finish. Captain has a similar singing energy to Malkit Singh, but with his own contemporary twist. The track has terrific tumbi melodies throughout.
O Mere Dil Ke Chain from Mere Jeevan Saathi: This 1972 RD Burman composed film song sung by Kishore Kumar is an absolute classic. It personally takes me to my childhood days when everyone’s parents, including mine, played it. A huge all-time classic favourite Hindi song written with sweet, innocent love lyrics.
Tere Liye from Veer Zaara: The late legend Lata Mangeshkar along with top singer Roop Kumar Rathod. Enough said. This classic Bollywood track is an absolutely beautiful piece describing the heartache between two people deeply in love.
Qawwali remains popular with cross-cultural audiences, but very few get the chance to experience one of the world’s oldest music genres in its purest form. Whether it is the diluted style seen in Bollywood adaptations or fusion with contemporary sounds, the tradition is often watered down.
Najmuddin Saifuddin & Brothers Qawwali Group stand apart from that commercialised crowd, presenting the Sufi genre in its most authentic style. The five talented brothers – sons of the late qawwali icon Ustad Bahauddin Khan Qawwal – belong to a remarkable lineage that traces directly back to the first group formed by the genre’s founding father in the 13th century.
Currently on a UK tour, the group delivered a stunning stage performance that confirmed their brilliance. Unlike most qawwali ensembles that rely on one or two lead singers, all five brothers took turns leading, gracefully exchanging vocal passages to produce a timeless, mesmerising sound. The power, passion and grace of their high-energy performance shone through as they delivered beloved classics such as QaulQalbana, Rang and Naat Shareef. The concert opened in high gear and gained momentum with each composition, before culminating in a thunderous rendition of Mast Qalandar.
They also performed khayal and tarana-style qawwalis, alongside pieces deeply rooted in mysticism. Accompanied by a superb percussionist, their sound remained untouched by modern influences, yet felt completely relevant and accessible to audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Their tour continues across the UK until mid-July, and they are certain to keep transporting audiences back in time through a forward-looking, spiritually rich performance – the kind few qawwali acts worldwide can deliver. The only downside? The show had to end. It felt as though the group were just getting started – they could have easily played for several more hours.
They were the nurses, cleaners, activists, and everyday heroes who arrived in Britain with little more than courage and determination. Now in their 80s and 90s, six women who helped rebuild the UK after the Second World War are finally getting their due in Fearless, a powerful new documentary that brings their remarkable stories to the big screen.
Launching on Windrush Day (22 June), the film will tour select cinemas across London through July, with post-screening Q&As featuring the directors and cast. It celebrates the lives of Sheila Daniel, Aileen Edwards, Maggie Kelly, Anne Gaché, Nashattar Kang, and Nages Amirthananthar, women of Caribbean, Irish, and South Asian descent who came to Britain as part of the Windrush generation and beyond.
These women, once young migrants navigating hostility, isolation, and discrimination, found strength through solidarity and built lives that left a lasting impact. From taking part in historic strikes like Grunwick to surviving the aftermath of the Notting Hill riots, their personal journeys are woven into the wider political and social fabric of the country.
Drawing on rare archival footage and emotional interviews, Fearless preserves their legacy. But beyond that, it challenges the invisibility that has long plagued immigrant women in British history books. This is more than nostalgia, it is a necessary act of recognition.
A still from Fearless showing archive footage interwoven with first-person storiesMcasso/ Screengrab
Bold stories told by those who lived them
The documentary comes from husband-and-wife filmmaking duo Damian Paul Daniel, a BAFTA-nominated cinematographer, and Noella Mingo, a director of Guyanese-British heritage passionate about amplifying overlooked voices. Their production company, They’re Watching Us, focuses on stories that defy expectation, and Fearless is no exception.
Screenings are scheduled at The Rio in Dalston (22 June), Bertha Dochouse (29 June), Genesis in Whitechapel (1 July), and The Lexi in Kensal Rise (16 July). Each screening includes a post-film conversation with the team.
At its heart, Fearless is a tribute to courage, resilience, and the quiet force of women who shaped a nation, even when history tried to forget them.
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A bee flew into his mouth and stung him while he was on the field
Sunjay Kapur, a prominent industrialist and polo patron, passed away at the age of 53 in the United Kingdom after reportedly suffering a heart attack during a polo match. Kapur was also known for being the former husband of Bollywood actress Karisma Kapoor.
Tragic incident on the polo field
The incident occurred during a polo match where Kapur was representing his team, Aureus. According to reports, a bee flew into his mouth and stung him while he was on the field, triggering a fatal heart attack. Despite the rapid arrival of medical assistance, he could not be revived.
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Kapur, who had a deep love for the sport, was playing against team Sujan, led by hotelier Jaisal Singh, at the time of the incident.
Business legacy
Sunjay Kapur was the son of the late Surinder Kapur, founder of the Sona Group, an influential player in India’s automotive components industry. After joining the family business in 2003, Sanjay played a key role in its expansion and global outreach. He served as chairman of Sona Comstar, a company known for its focus on electric vehicle parts manufacturing.
Educational background
Born into a prominent business family, Kapur was educated at The Doon School in Dehradun and later attended the Cathedral and John Connon School in Mumbai. He pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, specialising in Corporate Strategy and Human Resources, in London.
Personal life and marriages
Kapur's personal life often attracted public attention. He was married three times. His first marriage was to fashion designer Nandita Mahtani, which ended in 2000.
He married actress Karisma Kapoor in 2003. The couple had two children—Samaira and Kiaan—before separating in 2016. They remained committed to co-parenting their children.
Following his divorce, Kapur married Priya Sachdev, a model-turned-entrepreneur. The couple welcomed a son, Azarius, in 2018. Priya also has a daughter, Safira Chatwal, from a previous marriage.
Passion for polo
Beyond business, Kapur was deeply involved in polo, both as a player and patron. His team, Aureus, was part of various domestic and international tournaments, showcasing his commitment to the sport.
Sunjay Kapur is remembered for his contributions to Indian industry and his passion for polo. His sudden death has left the business and sports communities in shock.