Music composer and singer Bappi Lahiri passed away at a Mumbai hospital this morning. He was 69. Bappi Lahiri is known for delivering popular songs in several films of the late 1970s-80s like Chalte Chalte, Disco Dancer, and Sharaabi. His last Bollywood song titled Bhankas was for the 2020 film Baaghi 3.
He had been in hospital for a month being treated for multiple health issues. “Bappi Lahiri had been admitted to the hospital for a month and was discharged on Monday. But his health deteriorated on Tuesday and his family called for a doctor to visit their home. He was brought to the hospital. He had multiple health issues. He died due to OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) shortly before midnight,” Dr Deepak Namjoshi, director of CritiCare hospital, told the press.
Bappi Lahiri, one of the most influential figures in Indian film music, was a pioneer of disco in the Bollywood of the 80s and 90s, composing superhit soundtracks for films such as Disco Dancer, DanceDance, Chalte Chalte and Namak Halaal. He also had extensive music credits in the world of Bengali cinema. He sang several of his own compositions, among them Koi Yaha Naache Naache from Disco Dancer and Pyar Bina Chain Kaha from Saheb. Bappi da, as he was known fondly, cut a dashing figure with his trademark gold chains and sunglasses.
Bappi Lahiri, real name Alokesh, had a brief career as a politician as well, joining the BJP in 2014. He lost the Lok Sabha election that year to a Trinamool candidate.