King of Bollywood disco dies at 69
Indian music composer Bappi Lahiri, who was known for his groovy disco tunes and eye-catching fashion style, has died at the age of 69.
Details of his death were still unclear – he had recovered from Covid in April last year.
In September, he said he was “doing well” and that it was “disheartening” to learn that there were rumours circulating about his health.
He died in a hospital in Mumbai city on Wednesday.
Fondly known as “Bappi Da”, Lahiri composed songs for several hit movies such as Disco Dancer, Himmatwala, Sharaabi, Adventures of Tarzan, Dance Dance, Satyamev Jayate, Shola Aur Shabnam, among others.
But often, the most striking characteristic about Lahiri was his ornamental bling.
Always seen sporting gleaming gold chains and bracelets, he was a style icon for many. His flashy velvet jackets and sequinned robes were also a trademark style.
In 2016, the musician explained that his love for gold was connected to his fondness for American rockstar Elvis Presley.
“In Hollywood, famous singer Elvis Presley used to wear gold chains. I was a huge follower of Presley. I used to think, if I become successful someday, then I will build a different image of mine. By the grace of God, I could do it with gold,” he told ANI news agency.
