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It is hard to decipher Lucky Ali. Simply because the man has so many layers to him. By the time you unravel and demystify one, a newer, more fascinating aspect emerges

Singer, part-time actor, part-time environmentalist and full-time philosopher…call him what you may, but his beliefs and comments, laced with his typically reflective observations, make for a fascinating study.

Be it his neatly balanced relationships with his two wives, his music, his caustic views on the media or his deep concern for the environment, Lucky dances to his own tunes.

Lucky says he had a premonition that he would be married twice. (Below left) With second wife Inaya

We are in his farm, a one-hour drive from Bangalore city, surrounded by acres of green when he walks in dressed in pyjamas and an orange sweat shirt over a grey tee, those famous curls, now all salt and pepper. His hazel eyes are hidden behind dark aviators. “I have puffy eyes,” he says. He reluctantly removes the aviators and settles down on a stone bench.

Over some kadak chai and toast, his “comfort food”, he ponders on a life less ordinary.

Music calling

Once again, it’s music that has brought Lucky out of near seclusion. After a five-year hiatus, he’s released ‘Xsuie’. “It means ‘at your own pace’,” he explains. He is excited about the online distribution of his album. “I wanted to do away with physical distribution. Imagine the plastic that you will be using, the paper that you will waste for making CDs. Moreover, an online release frees me up from numerous hassles associated with tying up with music companies. Also, it helps me interact with my fans directly,” he tells us.

Paddling Slowly

A quick glance at his career reveals that the album couldn’t have been more aptly named. “My brother once said, ‘In life you should paddle slowly.’ I didn’t understand it at that time. But it stuck with me. And I have been living life at my own pace. The point is you should paddle slowly but never miss the bus,” he smiles.

It’s not hard to see why. He’s been an actor (debuted at 44), a singer, a carpet-cleaner, oil-rigger, horse-breeder, organic farmer, playback singer and a father of four children and the husband of two women… the many identities which bring us then to the point of his relationships.

Lucky says he met Meaghan Jane McCleary, a native of New Zealand and a pastor’s daughter, when he went to YMCA in Delhi along with his brother “Macky.” He was helping him with the door when he saw a pretty girl smile at him. “My brother says `hi’ to everyone. Soon he got talking to Meaghan. Then I joined them.

We began meeting regularly and became friends. She went back to New Zealand. That’s when my brother said, ‘She is a good girl.

You should marry her.’ When Meaghan returned to India I felt she liked me too. She came to India on a Wednesday, I proposed on a Thursday and we married on a Friday,” he narrates the love story. Today they have two children, Ta’awwuz, 14, and Tasmia, 13.

Lucky says he did have a strange intuition about his marital life. “I always knew I’d have more than one wife. In fact I did tell Meaghan about it when we got married. She thought I was joking.” But he was not. Four years after his first marriage, he married again.

This time to a Parsi girl called Anahita. Today, known as Inaya, a filmmaker and photographer, she’s lives in Mumbai with Lucky’s other two children Sara and Raiyan.

An SMS interrupts the conversation. He checks it stealthily, but can’t hide his smile. “Inaya is such a funny girl,” he says. The SMS is from her.

The conversation continues, only to be interrupted by a long-distance phone call. It’s Meaghan. Lucky is making travel plans. He will be flying out to New Zealand to bring his wife and two children back to India. “We have decided to home-school our children,” he says.

Duality of love

What does love mean to him? “Oh, love…it’s everything. The Creator loved us so much, he made this world for us…plants, animals….” Okay, let’s get specific.

What about love between man and woman (or women)? Without missing a beat he says, “Marriage.” Huh? “Marriage, that’s it,” he reiterates. “Nothing beyond that.

In my space, in the faith I follow, I have the permission to marry four times. But Allah also says if you feel you cannot deal with them equitably then marry one.”

Does that mean you can love more than one woman at the same time?

“Yes. I think I can love more than two people with the same intensity. My strength comes from the women I am married to. They are a part of my spiritual make-up.” Does his wives understand that? “I think they do.

A woman does not really have a problem if her husband marries again as long as she knows that he loves her.

And I love my wives.”  He explains further, “It is not physical. It is something spiritual. It’s about children, growth,  making a world, a life, something about…..” he grapples for the right words.

Then he cuts it short with a..  “It’s not about what you irresponsible journalists think it is. I’m sorry,” he apologises. “Would you like your husband to come back home and lie to you?” he asks.

No. But few women would want their husbands to come back and say they’re marrying again.

He ignores and continues, “What would be harder? Your trust would break and you would do something wrong. For what? Some men are built a particular way.

Some are suited for one marriage. I don’t think I am suited for one marriage. I move around a lot. I am a free spirit. I get lonely. I cannot cheat. What happens when you are faced with temptations? It’s better to marry. Be honest to your wife and love your wives.”

But how did Meaghan take it when she was told about his second marriage? “Like a martyr. It’s such a hard hit for a woman,” he says.

In harmony

“I never knew I was going to get married to Inaya. I was spending a lot of time in India. I was lonely and needed to be with someone. It happened over a period of time.

Inaya spoke to Meaghan. And she said, ‘Go with Allah’s steps’. I have learnt so many things about life from my wives,” he says. How does he manage the balancing act? “They taught me about love and relationships. I am such a Jahil. And I have all these beautiful people in my life.”

Does your entire family live under the same roof? “The children connect with each other. But for women…it is sensitive na? Yes, we celebrate festivals together.

Earlier we all lived in the farm. Inaya and the children lived with my dad in his house, while Meghan and the children lived here with me. This is Meghan’s house,” he points out to a squat structure in front. The farm has many individual houses occupied by members of the Ali family.

Apparently, Mehmood had warned Inaya about him. “He said to her, be careful. He might just take a third wife.”

Life on the straight lane

Lucky Ali’s life, in his own words is “Out-of-the-box”. He just wants to live his life - truthfully. Truth as he knows it. “All my life I have lived in a family where two marriages was the norm. My father had two wives and so did my uncles. There was my mom and Tracy mom.

There was badi chachi and chotti chachi. And there was love. All the children grew up together with lots of love.” Then he asks pointedly, “Why do you journalists have to write about all this? There are more important issues you need to write instead of a jerk singing O Sanam and marrying twice.”

With wife Inaya and kids Sara and Raiyan

Agreed, but this facet of his life is intriguing to say the least. “I am not going to apologize for who I am,” he says. “Talk about the issues that worry the world. You are not thinking about deforestation; our ground water is depleting; I am worried about how this Earth is going to be for our children.”

He is not kite-flying. Lucky has spent time with farmers as part of a project with OXFAM. He is also passionate about education of children and works towards educating the underprivileged.

Currently, what is consuming him is M-Spot, a 24/7 music room that will be streamed live, online. The studio is being set up in his house. “Here those who are interested in music, can jam.

There will be artists from our own Lucky Ali Enterprise, and artists from abroad who will come and jam here.

Fans can see what we are up to and interact with us live. There’s going to be a radio station, on line space and live music room. The future is exciting,” he says.

As we mentioned, for Lucky Ali life is just a journey that paddles slowly and surely.