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Javed Akhtar once said, "Have you ever heard a Bappi Lahiri song that is dull? His songs are so bright." That sums up the Bappi style. Even the pathos-laden melodies ('Nanha Sa Panchhi Re Tu..', 'Naina Yeh Barse..') always have a certain spark in them. Bappi Lahiri is one composer who had the basic credentials but chose to go commercial in most of the assignments (400 films in approximately 28 years) that he took up. He sidelined old favourites like Gauhar Kanpuri, Farukh Kaiser and Shaily Shailendra once he hit big time, but today he is reduced to working with small or unknown names like Sunil Jha.
Known as the Disco King at his peak, the poor man is generally considered the master plagiarist even though as he says, "Everyone has plagiarized right from the veterans. But I have done it from famous sources, there is no pretence'. The composer is always bedecked with jewellery, which includes pendants of religious or astrological value. His worst critics concede that he was always a trendsetter and that he has his own identifiable compositional and orchestral style, which Bappi says is only possible when you have a strong musical base. Considered a poor clone of R.D.Burman, he denies it and says that S.D.Burman and Madan Mohan are his inspirations. His favourite singers have always been Kishore Kumar and the Mangeshkar sisters and he has always sung a lot.
Bappi Lahiri is the son of veteran classical singer Bansari and musician and singer Aparesh Lahiri. A child prodigy, he began to play the tabla from the age of three and developed his liking for rhythm. He learnt classical music from his parents and made his debut as a music director at the age of 14 with Daadu, a Bengali film released in 1972. His relatives from his mother's side include singer Kishore Kumar and the S. Mukerji clan. Shomu Mukherji, S. Mukherji' son, gave him his Hindi break in Naha Shikari (1973). In the same year, he composed the background score for the songless B. R. Ishara film Charitra. Followed Bazar Band Karo, a B. R. Ishara non-starter in 1974. In 1975, Bappi Lahiri got his first brush with fame as the music director of the Tahir Husain multi-star hit Zakhmee, in which he sang his first song, 'Nothing Is Impossible..' with Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar. In the same year, his songs from Chalte Chalte, whose audio was released almost simultaneously, became a rage, especially the title song, 'Kabhi Alwida Na Kehna..' sung by Kishore Kumar, 'Jaana Kahaan Hai..' sung by Bappi himself with Sulakshana Pandit and 'Pyar Mein Kabhi Kabhi..' by Lata Mangeshkar and Shailendra Singh.
Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin
