Hottie of the week: Ali Sethi

Status: Undisclosed   Born: Lahore   Birthday: July 2, 1984   Horoscope: Cancer

Who is he?

Author of The Wish Maker, scion of a family of journalists and publishers, Harvard grad, columnist for The New York Times — at 28, Ali Sethi has plenty of feathers in his cap. Mohsin Hamid, author of The Reluctant Fundamentalist calls him “a fresh voice from a new generation of Pakistani novelists” and he is right in more ways than one because, intriguingly, this hottie is also a singer trained in Hindustani classical music and is a disciple of Ustad Naseeruddin Saami of the Delhi Gharana. The Harvard boy, who currently lives in Lahore, is a rare mix of brains, brawn and sexy voice — and we’d love to meet him even if it means calling out his names on the streets of Anarkali.

Why he is droolworthy

As the nerdy, brooding wordsmith, his intensity is balanced by his bubbling enthusiasm and energy. We are suckers for the intellectual look that Ali Sethi has perfected with the trademark muffler and thick glasses. That nerd appeal, his sweet, strong voice and that poetic soul make a pretty lethal combination and hearing him sing Eastern classical music is likely to transport you to a more romantic era altogether.

As for his writing talent, Ali says he’s been telling stories ever since he could speak. “I used to make up scenarios. I once told my paternal grandmother that my maternal uncle and aunt were getting married to Nazia and Zoheb Hassan respectively. (They weren’t; I just thought it would be a good idea.) My paternal grandmother called up my maternal grandmother and said, ‘Haww...you never told us!’”

A US-graduate, who writes desi fiction in English, but understands his cultural roots and has an appreciation of shai’ree, Ali Sethi is the real deal: brains, looks, sensitivity and singing. Can you blame us for being smitten?

What you didn’t know about him

Ali Sethi was so moved by the Gojra riots that he is basing his second novel on the tragedy. He is singing a track for Mira Nair’s adaptation of The Reluctant Fundamentalist.

Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, December 9^th, 2012.

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