Veteran Singer, Composer Bappi Lahiri Passes Away Aged 69

Veteran singer and music composer Bappi Lahiri passed away on Tuesday night in a Mumbai Hospital.

Lahiri, aged 69, was admitted in Mumbai's Criti Care Hospital where he breathed his last, reported PTI.

He had reportedly tested positive for Covid-19 and was hospitalised since. He had tested positive for the virus last year as well.

A spokesperson had then issued the statement, “Despite utmost precautions, unfortunately, Mr Bappi Lahiri has tested positive for Covid 19. He is under very good and expert care at the Breach Candy Hospital. Bappi dada’s family requests all those who came in contact with him in the recent past to get themselves tested as a precautionary measure.”

Bappi Lahiri who was lovingly referred to as Bappi Da in the industry was known for delivering iconic songs in several films of the late 1970s-80s like Chalte Chalte, Disco Dancer, and Sharaabi.

Born as Alokesh Lahiri on November 27, 1952, to a Bengali Brahmin family in Jalpaiguri, he was popularly known as Bappi Lahiri. He was the only child to Aparesh Lahiri and Bansuri Lahiri, both Bengali singers and musicians in classical music and Shyama Sangeet.

Known for popularising the use of synthesised disco music in Indian cinema, he had delivered major box office hits in Bengali films like Amar Sangee, Asha O Bhalobasha, Amar Prem, etc.

Apart from a singing, he was a composer and record producer and even sang some of his own compositions.

Lahiri was very popular in the 1980s and 1990s with soundtracks like Wardat, Disco Dancer, Namak Halaal, Sharaabi, Dance Dance and the likes.

Though favoured for his disco-style songs, Lahiri had given melodious songs in Chalte Chalte and Zakhmee.

He sang several hit songs including Chalte Chalte, Disco Dancer, Tune Maari Entriyaan, Asalaam-e-Ishqum and Sharaabi among others. Lahiri's last Bollywood song was titled Bhankas which was a part of Tiger Shroff and Shraddha Kapoor’s 2020 movie Baaghi 3.

He had joined the BJP in 2014 and was a candidate from Srerampur Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal for the 2014 Indian general elections which he lost.