Bappi Lahiri - Disco King

There is more to this Disco King of India apart from his signature dark glasses, fancy jewelry and white jumpsuit. He is in reality, a very talented song writer, music composer, singer and table player. He is certainly a multi- talented personality.

Today he has created a place for himself in the film industry and is referred to as a living legend. Young aspiring music composers and playback singers look up to him as their role model, idol and icon. Such is the talent of this famous music composer.

This legendary music composer was born on November 27, 1952 in Calcutta, West Bengal. Singing classical music was a part of the familys tradition. His father, Aparesh Lahiri was a famous Bengali singer. His mother, Bansari Lahiri, was a musician and singer.

She excelled in classical music and Shyama Sangeet. He does not have any siblings. He started to play table when he was only 3years old! He belonged to a family of artists. Bappi Lahiris relatives from his mothers side were Kishore Kumar and the S.Mukherjee clan.

Like every other child, he wanted to be acclaimed internationally. Initially, Bappis music guide and guru comprised of both his parents. At the age of 19, he received his first break. He got to compose music for a Bengali flick DADU (1972).

In 1969, he composed music for the following films: MERA YAAR MERA DUSHMAN and DADU. In 1972, he returned to the scene composing music for the film JANATAR ADALAT. In 1973, he once again composed music for the following films: NANNHA SHIKARI and CHARITRA.

In 1974, he once again composes music for BAZAAR BANDH KARO. In 1975, the audience gets to hum to his tunes in the movie ZAKHMEE. In 1976, he is once again engrossed in his work composing music for the flick SANGRAM and CHALTE CHALTE.

In 1977, he had a series of movies to compose music for. The movies included PRATIMA AUR PAYAL, PAAPI, JANAM JANAM NA SAATH, HAIWAN and AAP KI KHATIR. In 1978, we again get to hum to his beats in the movies TOOTEY KHILONE, TEERE PYAAR MEIN, KHOON KI PUKAR, DIL SE MILE DIL and COLLEGE GIRL.

In 1979, he had a fresh list of movies to compose music for. The movies were JAAN-E-BAHAR, IQRAAR, DO WALDAR, AUR KAUN?, AANGAN KI KAALI, SHIKSHAA, SURAKKSHA, LAHOO KE DO RANG and AHSAAS. In 1980.

He composed music for the following movies: TAXI CHOR, PYAARA DUSHMAN, PATITA, MORCHHA, GUEST HOUSE, BEQASOOR, SABOOT, MANOKAAMNAA, APNE PARAYE, AGREEMENT, EK BAAR KAHO, HUMKADAM and KISMET.

In 1981, the audience again gets to hum to his tunes in movies like PAANCH QAIDI, OGU BODHU SUNDARI, NAI IMARAT, MAA BIPAT TARINI CHANDI, LAPARWAH, JYOTI, JOSH, JEENE KI ARZOO, BHULA NA DENA, WARDAAT, DAHSHAT, SAHHAS and ARMAAN.

In 1982, he composed music for a list of movies. The list included TAQDEER KA BADSHAH, SUMBANDH, SHIV CHARAN, SAUGANDH, PYAAS, NAMAK HALAL, MAUT KA SAYA, GUMSUM, FARZ AUR KANOON, DULHA BIKTA HAI, DO USTAD, DIAL 100, HAATHKADI and SURAAG.

In 1983, he again kept himself busy composing music for the films PROTIDAN, PASAND APNI APNI, LALACH, KISSI SE NA KEHNA, KARATE, HUMSE NA JEETA KOI, FARAIB, EK DIN BAHU KA, DU JANAY, DO GULAB,
The year 2009 saw him compose music for the films GEETA IN PARADSE and TEREE SANG.

Physically ageing had not detoriated his capacity for music composition and we got to hum to his tunes even in 2010 in the movies LASHKAR: THE WAR AGAINST TERROR, OGO BODHU SUNDARI and BACHAO- INSIDE BHOOT HAI .

He is married to Chitrani. He has two children, a daughter named Rema and a son named Bappa. He is fond of wearing jewelry. His style statement is wearing gold ornaments with black glasses and a tracksuit.

He was the pioneer of adopting disco music and blending it with Indian flavor to create his own music. Many of his songs were used by Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle. He was responsible for bringing in Vijay Benedict and Sharon Prabhakar into the industry.

Plagiarizing music without paying any royalties is something Bappi Lahiri has always been charged with. On one instance, his song had also been plagiarized. Parts of his song Thoda Resham Lagta Hai was used in a single Addictive released in 2002 by the American R&B singer Truth Hurts.

The songs copyright holders Saregama India LTD sued Interscope Record and its parent company Universal Music Group for a sum of more than 500 million dollar. The verdict was passed in Bappis favour. He won the Filmfare Award for the Best Music Director in 1984.

He had also bagged the Golden Lotus Award.