Hammer & songs

by Amrit Das and directed by Charles,an American director. I have also recorded along with him in this song,which has my alaaps and hook-line,while the rap portions are obviously his,where he also has written the words.

Since it is an English film,is this the only song you have composed?

No,there are about five more. As a novelty,the English title-song is sung by Asha Bhosle with Sharon Prabhakar and they have done a fantastic job of it. The Hindi version is by Sunidhi Chauhan who has also sung a song with Kumar Sanu and my daughter Rema Lahiri. Sharon Prabhakar has also sung a solo.

Which other films are you doing now?

I am acting as the owner of three pubs in It’s Rocking Dard-E-Disco directed by Ashok Tyagi and also composing its music. My Tera Deewana starring Govinda and Priyanka Chopra will release this year. There is Spaghetti,a film that stars Mithun Chakraborty and his son Mahakshay. Now Mithunda and Bappi Lahiri are a brand together—even last year’s Golmaal 3 had two of our songs from Disco Dancer and became a major hit! In Spaghetti,which is directed by Gaurav Pandey,I have made Vishal Dadlani render a song – Vishal-Shekhar were the first outside music directors to compose a song for me in Taxi No. 9-2-1-1 five years ago. And I have done an album called Rina in Bengali on Times Music.

Is acting something you are serious about,or do you do it for a lark?

After my musician father Aparesh Lahiri,my guru is Kishore Kumar,who composed music,sang,acted and even made films. So I try and emulate him! And I cannot refuse when Salman (Khan)bhai tells me to do a small role in Main Aur Mrs Khanna,or when Farah Khan requested me to appear just for a minute in Om Shanti Om. Whatever I have done till now are cameos. But I have a major role in It’s Rocking Dard-E-Disco.

It’s been 40 years since your first film,the Bengali movie Daadu. How do you look back at your career?

I am very happy that Bappi Lahiri is a brand all over the world. I pioneered the disco number in India with Mausam hai gaane ka in Suraksha and I am called the ‘Disco King’. My biggest success is that my popularity is not restricted to India and that even today’s young generation and children appreciate my music and love me.

My Hindi innings was to begin with a film called Hari Hari Chhaya for which I had recorded a beautiful song with Mohammed Rafisaab. Nanha Shikari was my first release and Zakhmee,the turnaround in my career. I have also set many trends and introduced so many new talents,like Sharon Prabhakar and Alisha Chinoy. When I visited Russia recently,one of my musicians was asked by his cabbie ––“You come from Jimmy Jimmy country?” This hit song from Disco Dancer is still remembered even there!

Which would be some of the more unusual highlights of your career?

I have sung 10 songs based on Rabindra Sangeet for the first time this year to coincide with the 150th birthday celebrations of Rabindranath Tagore. That was my dream. Not many know that the first song I ever recorded was Hazaar bachar pore pore,which was recorded with Hindustan Records in Kolkata when I was 18. This is one of the most popular songs ever in Bangla- desh even today. Another non-film Bengali song that is a rage is Chiro dini. I also composed the super-hit album Superuna with Runa Laila.

You spoke about Rafisaab recording your first song. Rafisaab always got special songs from you,and you used singers like Shabbir Kumar and Mohammed Aziz who sang in his mould extensively after him.

Rafisaab is a legend and above all he was a great human being. All my songs with him –– like Saathi re gham nahin karna from Ikraar –– were hits,and my own first song as a singer,Nothing is impossible from Zakhmee was with Kishore Kumar and him. With Kishoreda,all my early songs became hits and so I ended up recording much more with him even before Rafisaab passed away. And yes,Rafi remained in my mind,and later Shabbir was very lucky for me,all the way from Ilzaam to Aaj Ka Arjun and Ghayal. Anwar’s Kahaan jaate ho from Dulha Bikta Hai,was also composed with Rafisaab in mind.

Yet you were never ever taken seriously as a musician of substance.

The music of Sheeshay Ka Ghar was highly appreciated. I also did semi-classical songs in some films of mine. But you are right. I am now doing a festival kind of film and my album World Peace,Love And Harmony will change this perception. I am composing the music and also playing my basic instrument,the tabla. Pandit Vishwamohan Bhatt is on the Veena and India’s leading mridangam player Pt. Gopalakrishnan is also playing on the album. After this,India will finally take me seriously.

rajiv.vijayakar@expressindia.com