Bappi Lahiri in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020) | T-Series/Colour Yellow Productions/The Viral Fever
His songs have been sampled by music bands abroad and reprised in latter-day Hindi films. His composition
Jimmy Jimmy Aaja Aaja became a rage in many countries. His name appears in the Guinness Book of World Records for composing 180 songs in a single year (1986). He has trademarked his look and unfailingly maintains it in every public appearance. His gold ornaments and pendants make him a walking jewellery store. He is the big daddy of disco in Hindi films.
Bappi Lahiri’s flashy, unabashed public persona has been fodder for the media. That, and the fact that he single-handedly set off the decline of melody in Hindi films in the 1980s, have overshadowed the fact that he also created a long string of memorable songs, several of which are timeless classics.