Bappi Lahiri(1952-2022)

Bappi Lahiri was popular in the late 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s for the film soundtracks composed by him from films such as Zakhmee, Chalte Chalte, Naya Kadam, Aangan Ki Kali, Wardat, Disco Dancer, Hathkadi, Namak Halaal, Masterji, Dance Dance,Himmatwala, Justice Chaudhury, Tohfa, Maqsad, Commando, Gang Leader, Sailaab and Sharaabi. He came to Mumbai when he was 19. He received his first opportunity in a Cinema of West Bengal, ''Daadu'' (1974) where he made Lata Mangeshkar sing his composition. The first Hindi film for which he composed music was ''Nanha Shikari'' (1973) and his first Hindi composition was Tu Hi Mera Chanda sung by Mukesh. The turning point of his career was Tahir Husain's Hindi film, Zakhmee (1975), for which he composed music and doubled as a playback singer. He composed a duet with Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar named "Nothing Is Impossible", for the same film.His compositions Jalta Hai Jiya Mera (Kishore Asha duet) and Lata Mangeshkar solos like Abhi Abhi Thi Dushmani and Aao Tumhe Chand from the same film became popular and gave him recognition. The duet Phir Janam Lenge Hum sung by Kishore Lata became famous from the film Phir Janam Lengey Hum. All songs from the film Chalte Chalte (1976), became hits, thus bringing him recognition as a music director at national level.He sang duet with Sulakshana Pandit named Jana Kahan Hai which gave him recognition as singer. Songs from the films like Aap Ki Khatir, Dil Se Mile Dil, Patita,Lahu Ke Do Rang, Hatya and Ravikant Nagaichs ''Surakksha'' 1979 had soft music.

His singing and music became even more popular and got branded as disco master. In the early 80s, he added an element of the then-popular disco music to his compositions, in movies such as ''Wardat'' 1981, Sahhas 1981, ''Laparwah'' 1981, ''Pyara Dushman'' 1980. Examples are the songs "Hari Om Hari", and the ''Armaan'' (1981) song "Ramba Ho Samba Ho". Mithun Chakraborty and Bappi Lahiri became synonyms of Indian disco culture in the 1980s, largely due to movies such as Disco Dancer and Dance Dance .His song "Jimmy Jimmy" was a success in the early 1980s and is said to have achieved some fame in other countries such as Russia. Some in the media have called Lahiri the "Disco King" of India after success of Disco Dancer in 1983.He also composed music for some ghazals, namely "Kisi Nazar Ko Tera Intezaar Aaj Bhi Hai" and "Aawaz Di Hai" for the 1985 film ''Aitbaar''. He also composed melodious songs sung by Kishore Kumar either as duets with Asha Bhosle or Lata Mangeshkar in the films starring Rajesh Khanna in the 80's in hit films like Naya Kadam, Masterji, Aaj Ka M.L.A Ram Avatar, Bewafai, Maqsad, Suraag, Insaaf Main Karoonga and Adhikar. After success of the film Himmatwala, Bappi regularly composed duets sung by Kishore Kumar for films starring Jeetendra like in Justice Chowdhry, Jaani Dost, Mawali, Haisiyat, Tohfa, Balidaan, Qaidi, Hoshiyaar,Sinhasan, Suhaagan, Majaal, Tamasha, Sone Pe Suhaga and Dharm Adhikari.Bappi Lahiri made a record by composing for 12 super-hit silver jubilee movies starring Jetendra as the lead hero in the period 1983-1985. He entered the Guinness Book of World Records for recording over 180 songs for 33 films in 1986. He used fusion music in the feature film ''Namak Halaal'' in the song "Pagh Ghungroo Bandh Meera Nache Te", which was 12 minutes long.

Lahiri has composed over 5,000 songs in over 500 films. He has also composed music for three films made in Bangladesh. He composed the background score for the 1989 Hollywood film ''Eye Witness to Murder'', produced by Vijay Amritraj and directed by Jagmohan Mundra. He also created the music for the Indian English language film Divine Lovers, which was produced and directed by Babbar Subhash in 1997.He recorded two private English albums, ''Moving Away'' in 1986 and ''Snake Dance'' in 1990, with songs sung by himself. In 1982, he cut a private Hindi pop album titled ''Superuna'', with songs by the Bangladesh singer Runa Laila. This was followed by a private Hindi pop album for Polygram called ''Dance Dance Music Lover'', with Padmini Kolhapure. In 1986, he released ''Welcome'' in London, with Anil Kapoor and Salma Agha, and ''Dancing City'', which featured songs by the Hindi actress Mandakini. introduced his daughter Rema Lahiri in 1987, then 9 years old, in a disco version of children's nursery rhymes called "Little Star", marketed by HMV. The platinum disc song had an unbroken record for best sales among the children's section. Based on Michael Jackson's Thriller (Michael Jackson album, Lahiri released a video-pop album titled "Bappi Lahiri's thriller live", consisting of eight Hindi songs. He also released albums such as ''Dance Party'', sung by his daughter Rema Lahiri in 1990, ''Jawani Jawani'', released by Venus Records & Tapes, ''Night Lovers'' in 1992, ''Heatrave'' in 1993, ''Yamma Yamma Dance'' with Usha Uthup in 1995, and ''Nine Below Zero'' in 1997. In 2014, he composed two songs for the album ''Women's Day Special: Spreading Melodies Everywhere'', along with Sunil Jha and Shakir Ali. The tracks were penned by Meenu Singh and sung by Sunidhi Chauhan and Rekha Raj. November 1994 Lahiri started his music company, BL Sound (now called B9 Digital Studios Mumbai). He released several CDs under his banner such as ''Ala-li-la'' in 1995, ''Jungle Boy'', ''Super Rema'' sung by his daughter Rema Lahiri, ''Purono Jeans'', ''Agnee Prem'', ''Hum Hai Khalnayak'', ''Saajan Ke Liye'', ''Sraddhanjali Amar Maa - a tribute to Bansari Lahiri'' (1997) and ''Get on the dance floor'' (a compilation of eight songs by international singers such as Tony Di Bart and Sabrina Johnston. also a singer and performer of repute on stage. He introduced disco songs to Hindi cinema and introduced several pop singers such as Usha Uthup, Sharon Prabhakar, Alisha Chinai, Parvati Khan, Bali Brahmabhatt, Vijay Benedict, Nandu Bhende, Remo Fernandes, Salma Agha. Even film stars Anil Kapoor,Amrish Puri, Padmini Kolhapure,Moandakini and Amjad Khan have sung under his baton. Many prominent singers such as Lata Mangeshkar, P.Susheela, Asha Bhosle Kishore Kumar and Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh, Manna Dey, Yesudas S. Janaki and the newer generation singers such as K.S. Chitra, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Amit Kumar have sung for his compositions. He is also a singer and performer of repute on stage. Even next generation singers Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan,Suresh Wadkar, Sadhana Sargam, Sonu Nigam, Abhijeet Bhattacharya, S.P. Balasubramaniam, Alka Yagnik, Anuradha Paudwal, Shailender Singh, Shabbir Kumar, Vinod Ratho, Mohammad Aziz, Sudesh Bhosle, along with Gazal singers Jagjit Singh, Bhupinder Singh and Pankaj Udhas have sung songs composed by Lahiri in a career spanning 50 years in over 500 films in over 5000 songs.