Before he ushered the disco wave, Bappi Lahiri, the music director, proved himself as a master of melody

Rohit Mahajan

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.

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 by 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’s voice.

Ahsaas is forgotten now, as are most of his songs, but if you’re a Kishore 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.

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.

In Kishore Kumar 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 this melody he created aged only 21.

Breaking the stereotypes

It was an era of colossal change: Pop challenged classical, beat challenged melody. Bappi 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.

Know this

• Kishore Kumar was Bappi’s mamaji (maternal uncle). The mama-bhanja jodi has given numerous hits in Hindi as well as Bengali. Not many know that Bappi Lahiri also acted in the 1974 film Badhti Ka Naam Dadhi, which was directed by Kishore Kumar.
• The singer was the fan of Elvis Presley, which influenced his demeanour. Mixed with his love for gold, he created a bling image of a rockstar with gold chains, dark glasses and leather jackets.
• He owned more than 75 kilos of gold and when he had enough of gold chains, he bought a tea set made of gold in 2021 on Dhanteras. Bappi considered gold to be the lucky metal for him.
• The singer once refused to part with his lucky gold pendent of Ganesha when Michael Jackson seemed quite fascinated by it in his 1996 visit to Mumbai. Bappi had confessed in detail about his brief encounter with his idol MJ.
• The song Jimmy Jimmy was an acclaimed song with the King of Pop Michael Jackson in the list of its fans.

Songs with Kishore Kumar

• Inteha Ho GayiIntezaar Ki
• Aaj Rapat Jaayen To
• De De Pyaar De
• Thodi Si Jo Pee Lee Hai
• Chalte Chalte
• Aaj Ei Dintake
• Pyaar Manga Hai Tumhi Se
• Ae Oha Aa Zara Mudke
• Palkon Ke
• Main Hoon Rahi Mastana
• Pyaar Mein Dil Pe Maar De Goli

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