Bappi Lahiri: A Life in Music

Starting in the shadows of legends like R.D.Burman and Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Bappi was the bridge between the golden era of Bollywood music and its modern avatar

- NARENDRA KUSNUR

A WOMAN IN THE AUDIENCE screamed, a child whistled and a girl danced as Mithun Chakraborty crash-landed on stage in his shiny silver suit. In a jiffy, Vijay Benedict was heard singing “I Am A Disco Dancer," a tune composed by Bappi Lahiri at the height of the disco craze in India. The year was 1982, and the film Disco Dancer became known for huge hits, including Parvati Khan's “Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Aaja" and “Auva Auva Koi Yahan Nache," which Bappi sang with Usha Uthup.

Naturally, an entire nation of retro film music buffs remembered the disco era following the news that Bappi passed away on February 15th at the age of 69. His death was said to be caused by obstructive sleep apnea. One of the most successful composers in the early Eighties, he had a string of dance hits at a time when Hindi film music was going through a rough phase. And while his disco numbers were played at nightspots and on the radio, he also created some soulful tunes, most notably in the Amitabh Bachchan film Sharaabi, which had “Manzilein Apni Jagah” and “Inteha Ho Gayee." His Bengali tunes had a following of their own, and his penchant for wearing gaudy gold jewelry made him a photographer's delight.

Bappi also had a reputation for lifting western tunes. Uthup's “Hari Om Hari” in the 1980 film Pyaara Dushman was taken from Eruption's "One Way Ticket.” “Auva Auva" from Disco Dancer was a rehash of the Buggles' “Video Killed The Radio Star” and "Sochna Kya" from Ghayal (1990) was a Bollywood version of the “Lambada” super-hit by French-Brazilian band Kaoma.