Bappi Lahiri
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Bappi Lahiri (b. 1953) is one of the most significant music composers of Bollywood.
Bappi Lahiri was born in Calcutta, West Bengal in 1953 into a family with a rich tradition in classical music. His father, Aparesh Lahiri was a famous Bengali singer and his mother, Bansari Lahiri was a musician and a singer who was well-versed in classical music and Shyama Sangeet. He was their only child. At a very early age, he had the ambition to become famous, not only nationally, but internationally. He began to play the tabla at the tender age of three. His relatives from his mother's family include Kishore Kumar and the S. Mukherjee clan. Initially he was trained by his parents, after which he received his first opportunity in a Bengali film, Daadu (1972) at the age of 19.
He came to Bollywood at the young age of 19. The first film for which he composed music was Nanha Shikari (1973). The turning point of his career was Shomu Mukherjee's Hindi film, Zakhmee (1975), for which he composed music and doubled as a playback singer. He himself sung a duet with Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar called Nothing is Impossible for the same film. The songs of his next film, Chalte Chalte, became a rage.
After this Bappi composed trend setting music in Hindi films and introduced a western touch to Hindi music. He pioneered the use of disco music in Indian cinema, while taking care that the music retained an Indian flavour. Bappi was also known to be inspired by popular western numbers, and some of his songs were based on popular western hits, including Dil Tha Akela from Suraksha ("Hasta Mañana" by ABBA), Jeena Bhi Kya Hai Jeena from Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki (Billy Jeans), Tera Mera Pehla Yaarana from Shart (Karma Chameleon by Culture Club), Jimmy Jimmy from Disco Dancer (T'es OK, T'es Bath by Ottawan), Hari Om Hari from Pyara Dushman (One Way Ticket by Neil Sedaka)
Some of the movies for which he composed successful music were Suraksha, Waardat, Commando, Pyara Dushman, Disco Dancer, Dance Dance, Film Hi Film, Tarzan, Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki, Wanted, Guru, Namak Halal, Sharabi, Himatwalla and Justice Chaudary. He popularised singers such as Alisha Chinoy and Vijay Benedict.
Most of his songs would be rendered by the two greats of Bollywood, Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle. After the death of Kishore Kumar, he launched Alisha Chinoy and Vijay Benedict into the music industry.
Though the name of Bappi Lahiri is generally associated with music of western influence, he was well versed in Indian classical music. However most of the films for which he was chosen as a music composer gave him very less opportunity to display his talent in the same. The outstanding but intricate Indian classical music based ghazal "Phoolon Ki Tarah Woh Hasti Thi" from the film "College Girl" sung by Mohammed Rafi composed by Bappi is a fine example of the same although the more contemporary styled number "Pyar Manga Hai Tumhi Se" sung by Kishore Kumar for the same film was much more popular.
In the Hindi film music era after 1975, Bappi Lahiri ranked among the popular music directors after Laxmikant Pyarelal, Rahul Dev Burman and Kalyanji Anandji. He was inevitably more popular than them all in the mid 1980's during which many popular contemporary Hindi films were made by filmmakers from South India.
He has sung many of the songs in his albums. Though his voice sounds quite different from the typical Indian voice, it is considered melodious.
Some of the memorable songs that he has sung are:
1. Rahi Hu Mein (Wanted) 2. Tu Mujhe Jaan Se Bhi Pyaraa hai (Wardat) 3. Bambai Se Aaya mera Dost ( Aap ki khatir) 4. Yaad Aa Raha Hai (Disco Dancer) 5. Super Dancer (Dance Dance) 6. Jeena Bhi Kya Hai Jeena (Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki) 7. Tera Mera Pehla Yaarana (Shart) 8. Raat Baaki (Namak Halal) 9. Yaar Bina Chain Kaha Re (Saheb)
He is very fond of jewellery and is usually found wearing gold ornaments and black glasses.
He disappeared from the Indian film industry in the 1990s. He made a brief comeback in the Prakash Mehra produced 'Dalal' starring Mithun Chakraborty. The song 'Chadh Gaya Upar Re' from the film was a big hit, though it had its own share of controversies due to its suggestive lyrics. In 2004, he brought out his album 'Bappi Magic - The Asli Baap Mix', featuring popular numbers such as 'Gori Hai Kalaiyan' and 'Jimmy Jimmy', all remixed in the trademark Bappi style. It attained great popularity. In 2005, he composed the background score for the Jahnu Barua film, 'Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Maara', thus reaffirming his identity as a very versatile composer. In 2006, he lent his voice to another composer for the first time with the song "Boombai Nagariya" which he sang for Vishal-Shekhar for the movie Taxi Number 9211. The song turned out to be an instant hit due to Bappi's singing and the musical arrangement. Of late, he has once again lent his voice to the title track of the yet-to-be-released Mani Ratnam film 'Guru', in which the music has been composed by A.R.Rahman. He has also recorded songs for the movie 'Level Crossing' produced by actor Jayaprada. In 2006, he appears on the popular television show 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li'l Champs' on Zee TV as co-judge with singers Alka Yagnik and Abhijeet.
