MUMBAI: Musicians come and go, some are one-hit wonders and others stand the test of time. And then there are those who can revive an old genre and make it contemporary enough to please listeners from the current generation as well. Bappi Lahiri- the Hindi film music industry’s ‘Disco King’ is one such artist. The music composer, with more than 5,000 songs in 500 films to his credit has earned the title over the years, and here are five reasons why he is the ultimate ‘Disco King’.
Popularised disco music
Bappi Lahiri popularised disco music in India with the help of England-based music producer Biddu. He gave disco an Indian flavour to suit the taste of Indian listeners, making his music a hit among the masses. His compositions are included in films like ‘Wardat’, ‘Sahhas’, ‘Laparwah’, Pyara Dushman, and many others, all of which offered an element of Disco.
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Disco Dancer
Although the 1980s recognised Lahiri for his love for disco music, it was only after the release of the 1982 film ‘Disco Dancer’ that he was titled the country’s ‘Disco King’. The film and its music were appreciated in several countries apart from India, and his ‘Yaad Aa Raha Hai’ from the film is considered one of his best compositions. The song was a synthesized, minimalist, high-tempo, electronic disco track that got everyone dancing.
Lahiri’s Disco became famous in other countries
Lahiri is the first Indian music director to have won the China Award in Beijing for his music in ‘Disco Dancer’. Apart from that, another track by him titled- ‘Jimmy Jimmy’ from the same film, became popular in Russia.
Passing on his disco genes
The Disco King’s daughter Reema Lahiri sang a disco version of the rhyme ‘Little Star’ in 1987. Reema was just nine years old then, and ‘Little Star’ holds the record for best sales among children’s songs.
His attire screams disco
Lahiri lives the genre, right down to his clothes. The disco era – famous for jazzy clothes and bold styles – is well depicted through the singer’s everyday appearance. Lahiri is known for his flashy attire, bright colours and his trademark chunky gold chains that adorn his neck wherever he goes.
