Bappi da

While watching a retro song show today on TV, I suddenly rediscovered my love for some of Bappi Lahiri's songs. He was famous as a disco music director, but many of his tunes were very melodious, including the College Girl songs (Pyaar Maanga hai tumhi se), the Chalte Chalte tracks, and many more.

The one I was watching was a Namak Halaal song- Raat Baki, Baat Baki, Hona hai jo, ho jane do. He sings for Shashi Kapoor in this one. His peculiar accent in Hindi reminds me of another song in one of Mithun Chakraborty's 'desi Bond' movies. There is a song picturised on him and Kalpana Iyer, the femme fatale. Usha Uthup and Bappida sang the duet, and it's difficult to say who is the male singer and who is the female.

For some reason, whenever I heard Bob Marley, I was always reminded of Bappi Lahiri. I think Mithun owes a lot of his success to the disco beats of Bappida too.