Talktime | Bappi lahiri
The disco king known for his corpulent build, flamboyant dressing and penchant for gold jewellery is all set to rock and roll in a big big way in 2015. Bappida, as he is fondly called in the industry, has already signed up for plumb Bollywood projects and is also composing Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s poetry. A man who likes to keep busy, will also be seen on TV promoting Max 2 Ka 4 on Sony Max 2. He tells Deebashree Mohanty that while he likes to experiment with various things in life, his first love will always be music
What has kept you away from the music sceneIJ
It’s in my nature to experiment with things, so I have been busy trying out different forms of arts. It feels good to be in the thick of things. But my first love is music and I will keep coming back to it. I have been busy with Atal Bihari Bajpayee’s poetry which we are composing into an album. I am very thrilled about this project and I hope the audience will love it.
What is your association with Sony Max 2 all aboutIJ
The channel is coming up with a unique film festival from January 18 to February 7 in which they will showcase movies with great sound tracks. From Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak to Disco Dancer and Amar Akbar Anthony, viewers are in for a musical extravaganza and I am happy to be promoting the same on this channel.
The 70s and 80s were known as the golden era of music. What has changed nowIJ
It will be wrong to say that we do not produce great music now. We have some very talented composers and lyricists who come up with soulful renditions and peppy numbers. But those days, the songs used to strike a chord in our hearts. Some evergreen numbers will forever be with the audience. Also, during those days, fewer movies were released but today thanks to the multiplexes there are movies by the dozen and the good songs go unnoticed.
You have spent 43 years in the industry, what are your most cherished memoriesIJ
I have some very fond memories about Mumbai and some not very good. I still remember how lata Mangeshkarji saw me perform to a song at the Durga puja pandal in Kolkata when I was 11 years old and she called my father and said ‘tumhara ladka to gooni hai’. That is where my musical journey began. I had the opportunity to visit Kishore mama’s samadhi in Khandwa and on it was inscribed ‘Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna’ (the popular song from the movie Chalte Chalte). Kishore Kumar was a legendary singer and composer and yet on his samadhi was my composition. This is my best award!
Your personal favourite songIJ
Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy... ajja ajja ajja, of course. The song was used in an Adam Sandler movie and Michael Jackson loved it too. He told me in 1996 that he loved my song.
What’s with this blingIJ
At first, I didn’t wear so many gold chains. I just wore one gold chain with the taweez. After Zakhmee’s musical scores became a hit, I felt gold was lucky for me. I am an astrologer. I get good vibes. But the chains around my neck have significance — the first was given to me by my mother, it is of Hare Krishna. The Ganpati murti is my guru’s taweez on a gold chain, then there is Tirupati Balaji and a big chain which was given to me by Mrs lahiri has B written on it. I also wear the Sikh kadha from a Gurudwara. I also have a bracelet from the Vatican City in Rome, I have a gold bracelet with Bappi written on it which is too heavy to wear but I put it on occasions.
