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.
This story is from the April 2022 edition of RollingStone India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 2022 edition of RollingStone India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
anumitanadesan
The singer-songwriter talks about her first Malayalam film song, her upcoming debut abum and working across genres and languages
amrit ramneath
Understanding the interplay between abiding by tradition and progress is no new feat for this 25-year-old composer
yashraj
With chart-topping collaborations with seasoned veterans, this rapper has consistently been in the conversations of industry observers
dǝbzee
The 'Malabari Banger' hitmaker shares exclusive insights on his upcoming projects, life, and his vision for the future of music in India
taba chake
The Arunachal Pradesh-based singer-song-writer discusses how his latest song \"Kahani\" reflects the power of love songs.
ranj x clifr
The Bengaluru singer-composer and producer duo may not be done with hip-hop, but they are venturing into pop, R&B and Tamil songs next
RESHAPING THE FUTURE OF MUSIC
How digital collectibles, especially for live events, have a tremendous potential
Evnne On 'Un: Seen,' Their 'Seen,' And 'Unseen' Sides
The Band Discusses How A Setback Early In Their Career Spurred Them On And How They Fused Those Experiences With Their Sound In Their Second Mini Album, ‘Un: Seen
kayan
Between fandoms and aesthetic-setting live shows, artist Ambika Nayak talks about wanting to put out an album
anoushka maskey
Taking her “self-organized” Sunny Side Tour across the country, the Sikkim-origin artist is prioritizing consistent releases and exploring bossa nova next