Iconic Bollywood singer-composer Bappi Lahiri, who passed away due to OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) on Tuesday night, was a name best known for popularising disco music to the Indian mainstream. He was 69 when he breathed his last.
The last rites will be held today given that his son Bappa returned from Los Angeles, US. He was spotted at the Mumbai airport with his wife and son.
Check out the pictures below.
Photos by Viral Bhayani
Bappi Da tied the knot with Chitrani Lahiri on January 24, 1977. The couple gave birth to two children, Bappa Lahiri and Rema Lahiri. His wife Chitrani comes from a family of singers, his daughter Rema is also an excellent singer, and his son Bappa Lahiri has inherited his father's keen sense of music and joined the Hindi film industry as a music director.
Bappi Da's son-in-law Gobind Bansal told ANI that the cremation will be held at 10 am on Thursday morning at Pawan Hans crematorium in Juhu.
Bappi Da's grandson Swastik Bansal broke down while expressing his sadness.
Talking about his grandfather, he said, "He started my music career and he is my idol. It is because of him that I am a singer today. I love him and will always love him. I still can't believe that my dadu is no more." For the unversed, Bappi Lahiri's last on-screen appearance was at 'Bigg Boss 15', where he went along with his grandson to promote the latter's song 'Bachcha Party'.
Born as Alokesh Lahiri on November 27, 1952, in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, he was part of a family with a rich tradition in classical music. His father, Aparesh Lahiri was a famous Bengali singer and his mother, Banshori Lahiri, was a musician-singer who was well-versed in classical music and Shyama Sangeet. He was their only child.
At the mere age of three, Bappi Da had started to play the table and went on to keep learning different instruments like saxophone and guitar. His maternal uncle, legendary Indian singer Kishore Kumar, along with his parents were a huge part in making music such an indispensable part of Bappi Da's life.
Fondly known as Bappi Da, the musician experienced massive success in the 1980s and 90s due to his work on films such as 'Disco Dancer', 'Namak Halaal', 'Dance Dance' and 'Commando'. He earned the title of 'Disco King' for popularising the use of synthesized disco music in Indian cinema.
Apart from his popular disco-electronic music, Bappi Da was also known for his signature look that consisted of gold chains, golden embellishments, velvety cardigans and sunglasses.
