Bappi Lahiri, the Melody King

Tribune News Service

Rohit Mahajan

Chandigarh, February 16

Bappi Lahiri, weighed down by kilos of gold, was King of Bling. He was also King of Disco and Synthesiser Master — a keyboard composer who created countless hit songs in the 1970s and 1980s.

But the purists didn’t love him. For them, he was an upstart who not only produced massive hits, but who also answered back when music directors such as Naushad made critical comments on his work.

It was an era of colossal change: Pop challenged classical, beat challenged melody. Lahiri was a shock to the system. He became the representative of the new sound of the synthesiser, challenging traditionalists who proudly used over 100-piece orchestra for their songs. Lahiri got labelled as a man who created music on the go, writing down the songs of one movie in one day.

Musical man

But, quite unjustly, Lahiri got labelled as just a beat and rhythm man — his melodies, some of which were top-class, got drowned by the din of the disco. People still remember many of them, but they’re often surprised when they learn that they were composed by Bappi da — for instance, the song Chalte Chalte Mere Yeh Geet Yaad Rakhna by Kishore Kumar. Lahiri also got Lata Mangeshkar for Door Door Tum Rahe and himself sang Jaana Kahan Hai along with Sulakshana Pandit — at only 23 years, Lahiri made a lasting impression with Chalte Chalte in 1976.

The previous year, in Zakhmee, Lahiri got Kishore Kumar to sing the solo Zakhmee Dilon Ka Badla and Jalta Hai Jiya Mera Bheegi Bheegi Raaton Mein with Asha Bhosle, but the most stirring, tender melody was reserved for Lata Mangeshkar, with Aao Tumhe Chand Pe Le Jayen.

These two movies established Lahiri, still in the early 20s, as the man to watch out for, and he did live up to the early promise in the coming years. Aap Ki Khatir (1977) is remembered best for Bambai Se Aaya Mera Dost, which he himself sang in his simple, earnest style. But for Kishore Kumar, he composed Seedhi Saadi Shehzadi. Kishore Kumar captures your ear right at the start with a taan of Heyyyy... and doesn’t let go. Kishore Kumar’s improvisations in the recording studio are legendary, but Lahiri deserves much credit for their collaborations. In spirit, if not in sound and melody, this lovely song is reminiscent of the Beatles’ Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.

Toote Khilone (1978) saw K Yesudas at his mesmerising best with Maana Ho Tum Behad Haseen — 44 years on, it’s still beautiful. Dil Se Mile Dil the same year had the lovingly woven Yeh Naina Yeh Kaajal and the party song Dil Se Mile Dil, both by Kishore Kumar, both unforgettable.  

Aangan Ki Kali (1979) had Saiyan Bina Ghar Suna Suna Lata Mangeshkar and Bhupinder Singh, but Kishore Kumar’s Na Ro Na Munni Tu Na Ro, a lori, is arguably the song of the album — even the purists would love the sitar, tabla and guitar sounds that fill the interludes between Kishore Kumar’s voice.

Ahsaas is forgotten now, as are most of his songs, but if you’re a Kishore Kumar and Lahiri fan, do listen to Sapno Ke Shahar Ham Banayenge Ghar — the matchless singer brings a wealth of feeling to the despondent but beautiful lyrics of Ravindra Peepat.

 

Also in 1979 came Lahu Ke Do Rang, in which Lahiri got Kishore Kumar for the romantic Muskurata Hua Mera Yaar and the rambunctious Chahiye Thoda Pyar, and also Mohammed Rafi and Anuradha Paudwal for the folksy Mathe Ki Bindiya Bole, Kaahe Ko Gori Dole. Lahiri’s soothing and ear-pleasing, if limited, vocals were at their best in Tumhara Pyaar Chahiye Mujhe Jeene Ke Liye for Manokamna (1980).

In Patita (also 1980), Lahiri composed the jolly Dil Dhak Dhak Karne Laga and the sensuous Hothon Pe Jaan Chali Aayegi for Kishore Kumar.

The next year, with Wardat, Lahiri took a decisive, career-defining turn towards disco — a step away from melody. A new dancing star was emerging in Mithun Chakraborty, and Lahiri’s music was ready for the western leap. Qurbani (1980) had been a massive musical hit, and Nazia Hassan’s voice had young India grooving to a very different kind of music — in Wardat, Lahiri was ready with different sounds. The catchy Tu Mujhe Jaan Se Bhi Pyara Hai, with guitar notes at the start slightly reminiscent of Aap Jaisa Koi from Qurbani, exemplifies the transition — the coming together of Bappi Lahiri and Mithun Chakraborty.

Disco Dancer (1982) was a game-changer, catapulting Mithun Chakraborty to superstardom and Lahiri to popularity far beyond the country’s borders — the then USSR’s officialdom found the disco sounds coming from India more acceptable than those from the West. Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy remains a fond favourite of those who were young in the 1980s in the former Soviet republics.

Disco became a formula, and Lahiri the foremost practitioner of this in Bollywood — he was now expected to stick to the formula, and the melody of his earlier work was overpowered.

Jeetendra joined the dancing bandwagon and Lahiri’s lead was followed by many others, including Laxmikant Pyarelal, RD Burman and Rajesh Roshan. Perhaps Lahiri’s best album of the  1980s was Sharaabi, which had everything — the jocular Jahan Chaar Yaar Mil Jaye, the uproarious De De Pyar De, the sombre Inteha Ho Gayi Intezar Ki and the sorrowful Manzilen Apni Jagah Hain.

Lahiri’s productivity increased and the sounds became same and monotonous, but he continued to produce gems such as Zindagi Ki Pehli Zaroorat Hai Kya (Justice Chaudhary, 1983) with Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar; Kisi Nazar Ko Tera Intezar Aaj Bhi Hai (Aitbaar, 1985) with Asha Bhosle and Bhupinder Singh; Kya Khabar Kya Pata (Saheb, 1985) with Kishore Kumar; Dil Mein Ho Tum (Satyamev Jayate, 1987) sung by himself and S Janaki; Mujhko Yeh Zindagi (Sailab, 1990) with Asha Bhosle and Amit Kumar; Jab Se Mile Naina (First Love Letter, 1991) with Lata Mangeshkar.

In Kishore Kumar's Badhti Ka Naam Dadhi, released in 1974, you see a chubby Lahiri on screen, singing Yeh Jawani Din Char... But the same time, just starting out and working with only small-time movie-makers, he was capable of composing the lilting Rahen Na Rahen Chahe for Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar. As he passes, it’s apt to remember a melody he created aged only 21.

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