RIP, Disco King

Rakesh Chopra

Close on the heels of Lata Mangeshkar’s death comes the news that Bappi Lahiri has passed on. He will be known more for setting the disco trend and promoting rock music in Hindi films. But among his large body of work, there are some compositions that will stand the test of time.

No Christmas is complete unless we hear that ‘jingle bell’ number 'Aao tumhe chand pe le jaayen' from Sunil Dutt-Asha Parekh-starrer 'Zakhmee' sung soulfully by Lata Mangeshkar. The tune that he made just at the beginning of his career is hummable even after so many years.

The song 'Mana ho tum behad haseen' in the silken voice of KJ Yesudas in 'Toote Khilone' is one of the earliest gems to have arrived from Bappi Lahiri’s stable.

Every composer fancies himself to be a singer first and Bappi was no exception. Hear the song 'Tumhara pyaar chahiye mujhe jeene ke liye' he sang for Raj Kiran and Kalpana Iyer-starrer 'Manokamaana' and you can’t help but love the man’s voice. Actor Raj Kiran has long faded from memory, but Bappi’s composition still endures.

'Tumhen kaise kahoon mein dil ki baat; from lesser-known 'Angan Ki Kali' shows his range as a music director. I just love 'Sapno ke shehar hum banayenge ghar, pal bhar mein yeh bana, yeh gira' rendered so beautifully by Kishore Kumar in 'Ahsaas'.

Another of his wonderful creations was ‘Muskrata hua, tan churata hua mera yaar’ from Vinod Khanna-Shabana Azmi-starrer ‘Lahu Ke Do Rang’. Written by Farooq Kaiser the catchy composition was just the kind of music that was up his alley.

He was very proud that Michael Jackson had liked his composition ‘Jimmy Jimmy aaja aaja’ from ‘Disco Dancer’, the cult movie that catapulted Mithun Chakraborty to stardom. For Anjaan’s lyrics ‘Yaad aa raha hai tera pyaar’ from the same movie he once again used his own vocals and brought out the anguish so beautifully.

Prakash Mehra’s ‘Sharaabi’ had many hit songs but one that stands out is the philosophical ‘Manzilen apni jagah hain rasste apni jagah’. People repeatedly hit YouTube to watch ‘Hamko aaj tak hai intezaar’ from ‘Sailaab’ picturised on Madhuri Dixit. And its popularity once again shows the genius of the man who had the music in his genes.

‘Dil mein ho tum ankhon mein’ in Vinod-Khanna’s comeback vehicle ‘Satyamev Jayate’ is hummable to this day.

Last but not the least is his composition 'Chalte chalte mere yeh geet yaad rakhna' sung by his maternal uncle Kishore Kumar in one of Bappi’s earliest films. The song is 24-carat gold, just like the jewellery Bappi da was so fond of sporting.

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