Music is the language of the spirit. And if it’s about imbibing an exhilarating romanticism in that language, Bappi Lahiri’s musical cosmos remains unrivalled. Bappi Lahiri’s style of music will always be cherished as the ultimate fusion of the intensity of beat and lyricism of nuances of life.
The celebrated musical journey for the India pop sensation which began after being spotted by his school principal while he was drumming the school bench, realized its moment of triumph in the very first musical adventure. The overnight blockbuster success of the film ‘Disco Dancer’ and its soundtrack tripped the Indian crowd, cemented the debutant music director Lahiri’s image as a ‘disco king’. In the following decades the musical phenomenon rocked the Indian consciousness with compositions which characterized a unique spirit of the age, inspired by the distinct musical style which Lahiri commanded. The style was best lived whenever Lahiri collaborated with the legendary singer Usha Uthup.
Lahiri’s strong hold on jazzy pops and Uthup’s distinct heavier voice, ornamented Indian film industry with many super hit groovy and foot-tapping disco numbers like ‘Ramba Ho’, ‘Auva Auva’, ‘uri uri Baba’, ‘Hari om Hari’ and many more. Journalist Lakshmi G Javeri writes, “Together, the magic that Usha Uthup and Bappi Lahiri created was an extension of their personas, and the coming together of two strong voices that refused to be typecast.”
The synthesis of the Disco king and Pop queen of Indian music not only cavorted the Indian audience from eight to eighty but also flicked the hearts of millions around the globe. “The power of the feisty tempo of this duo created magic in many events around the globe”, says Lata Krishnan Srivastava, a Mumbai based event manager.
Rare are the moments when musical chemistry of musicians with unconventional artistry outlives the musical history with an indelible imprint. Bappi Lahiri and Usha Uthup’s was one such pair which raged the storm amongst the audience for decades. The indispensability is evident when Usha Uthup reportedly says, “I am saying every show that I did for the past 30 years, he has featured in it, I have not done one show without him, saying this without any exaggeration. There was no show that I could do without his music; every show of mine could not happen without Hari Om Hari, one two cha cha cha, koi Yahan Aha Nache Nache, or without Naka Bandi, or Locket or Main Aa Gayi, or Superstar, you name it every song in our show, there is no show without him, no Usha Uthup show.”
The attachment resonated beyond the professional space. The tales of their personal bonding born out of the brilliance of Bappi Lahiri as a soul still resonates within the fraternity. “We saw Lahiri Babu used to share his lunch with Usha Ji. If someone was not carrying food, Lahiri Babu used to offer them food”, tells Nitish Kumar, a Kolkata based music recording studio person. “Usha Ji and Lahiri Babu always used to be on time, they used to exchange jokes. Now those days will never be back”, added Nitish Kumar.
Lahiri and Usha Uthup shared the cultural vibes too. The typical Mumbai lifestyle wasn’t the Lahiri’s cup of tea. He was a fish lover Bengali till his last breath. For Usha Uthup, Bengali culture and tradition was an emotion she absorbed during her long stay in the city.
Past Tuesday, veteran composer died at Criti-care hospital in Mumbai at the age of 69. He was suffering from obstructive sleep apnea. The charisma of this pop duo and the inherent mettle of Indian pop will continue to thrive in the consciousness of generations to come. The partnership of this ‘unbreakable pop duo’ would continue to be the wine to fill the cup of one’s permanent silence.
Edited by NK Jha