Bappi Lahiri ruled both music genres - disco and melodious romance, say industry insiders

Singer Shaan with music composer and singer Bappi Lahiri.

Bollywood composer-singer Bappi Lahiri breathed his last at Mumbai's CritiCare Hospital on February 15, 2022, Tuesday, at 11.45pm. The 69-year-old suffered from multiple health issues, including obstructive sleep apnea. His last rites will be held on February 17, Thursday, once his musician son Bappa Lahiri returns from Los Angeles, US.

Known for introducing a contemporary and even edgy style to the Hindi film industry’s songs in the 1970s, '80s, '90s and even until recently, his passing away just 10 days after Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar’s demise, has left everyone devastated.

Born Alokesh Lahiri, he was lovingly called Bappi Da by the music industry. An official statement issued by his son Bappa Lahiri says, “With great sadness we announce the loss of my father Shri Bappi Lahiri ( Bappi Da). Please keep him in your prayers.”

Bappi Lahiri's songs - from 1970s' and 80s' films like Chalte Chalte, Disco Dancer, Dance Dance, Suraksha, Aitbaar, Namak Halaal and Sharaabi, as well as his latest works including "Bhankas" from Baaghi 3 (2020) and "Banna Banni" from Babloo Bachelor (2021) - were extremely popular.

We spoke to a few musicians and singers about the iconic composer-singer and here is what they had to say…

Jeet Gannguli, music composer

It is a great loss for our film industry and for our music industry as well. His demise has hurt me and left me completely devastated. Bappi Da has been my Guru since childhood, and I have grown up listening to his songs. The sense of loss I felt when I lost my father is the kind of feeling I have right now knowing that BappiDa is no more. I have been very fortunate that I had him sing for me. And he has sung for my Hindi as well as Bengali films.

His pitch was always perfect as a singer. After he would finish recording for me and singing my song for me, I have never had to work on the pitches with the recordist.

Agnidev Chatterjee’s Babloo Bachelor...was the last film that I worked with him in. It released in 2021 and Baapi Da sang the duet ‘Banna Banni’ with Shreya Ghoshal.

In the Bengali film industry, too, I have worked with him and Mithun Chakraborty in a lot of songs. His death is like a massive shock for me. My father has also worked with him. Baapi Da was one of those composers who could create songs for any kind of situation, in any kind of film. And not just a composer and musician, he was a very good singer as well, and I realised that when I had him singing on my compositions. Today. I will use his line, ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna', and I can never say Alvida to him.

Shaan, Singer

Though BappiDa was stamped as ‘Disco King’, I feel that his romantic melodies are superlative and timeless. His songs, ‘Aao Tumhe Chaand Pe’ (Zakhmi) by Late Lata Mangeshkar ji, ‘Mana Ho Tum Behad Haseen’ (Toote Khilone, 1977), ‘Manzilein Apni Jagah Hain’ (Sharaabi, 1984), 'Chalte Chalte Mere Ye Geet Yaad Rakhna' (Chalte Chalte), 'Kisi Nazar Ko Tera Intezar' (Aitbaar, 1985) and so many other songs…

Salim Merchant, Composer-Singer

My last meeting with BappiDa was in 2019, just before Covid happened... He spoke to me about our film’s album Chak De! and he said that he recently saw it and that it had brought tears to his eyes... He was always so very appreciative, and that’s how I have always known and loved Bappi Da.

A long time back when we were just musicians he would be very appreciative of us, and later he would speak about our sound after we started composing music. He was always, always very loving and would love to talk to us about his time, his special relationship with Kishore Da (Kishore Kumar), his relationship with some of the veteran musicians and how he would go about his work. There was a time when he was recording non-stop, sometimes two songs in a day. He also did a lot of international collaborations. There weren’t any other music directors like him during the '70s and '80s.

Kavita Krishnamurti, Singer

Bappi Da was like family to us singers. He was extremely hard-working, and I have never seen Bappi Da in the studio not thinking of another project in store. He was completely committed and dedicated and continued to work on his projects and his recordings all the time. And when he was not doing these, he was busy doing concerts. He was always into music, totally immersed and he loved his work. As a music director, he loved his singers like myself and my friend Alka (Alka Yagnik). He used to treat all of us so beautifully, just like family members.

Udit Narayan, Singer

I have worked with Bappi Da in quite a few films. But more than just work, I always shared a very homely relationship with him... kaam se jyazda hamara gharelu sambandh the. Right from my struggling days to date, we have always had a beautiful relationship and bahut pyaar mohabbat ka rishta tha hamara. He had got the epitaph of the Disco King Of India and he completely deserved it. He has played an exemplary innings with the beautiful combination of Indian music and Western music. His demise is not just a shock for the film industry but also a big setback for all of us. I really hope that God gives strength to his family.

Jonita Gandhi, Singer

I feel really lucky that I got the opportunity to work with Bappi Da. His reign over the disco era in Bollywood will never be forgotten. He’s an icon. So loveable and such a sweet person. I’ve only interacted with him a couple times but each time I felt he was extremely warm. It turns out that his last released song, "Bhankas" from Baaghi 3, is a song that I’ve also sung on and that feeling is surreal.

Shilpa Rao, Singer

I had met BaapiDa and his family when I first started out in 2008-09. The one thing that has stayed with me is his warm nature and the fact that he loved being around people, music and good food. I am very sorry for his family for their loss. My deepest condolences with his family and millions of fans all around the world.

Anup Jalota, Singer

People who set a trend in any industry or in any field always become immortal, and Bappi Lahiri was one such person. He popularised disco music so much that people would only listen to his songs when it came to this genre. There was a time when all recording studios in Bombay would be booked in his name. He would be doing so many songs at one point!

I remember going to the studio and then getting to know that it was booked already in his name. He was into so much work at that time. He had so many fabulous compositions - one of my favourites is "Chalte Chalte Mere Yeh Geet Yaad Rakhna"…

He was very fond of good food and he was extremely fond of gold and his lockets and watches. He would always present himself like an international singer and an international music composer.

I pray to the Almighty to make a palace of gold for Bappi Da in heaven to keep him there.