Disco King Bappi Lahiri's funeral to be held tomorrow

Mumbai: The funeral of Disco King Bappi Lahiri, who passed away in Mumbai, will be held on February 17, the family said on Wednesday.

In a statement, they said, "It is a deeply sad moment for us. Our beloved Bappi Da has left for heavenly abode last midnight. The cremation will take place on arrival of Bappa (his son) from LA tomorrow mid-morning. We are seeking love and blessings for his soul. We will keep you updated."

Lahiri, who was suffering from Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) for past one year and recurrent chest infection, was hospitalised in Criticare Hospital, Juhu, for 29 days, the hospital said in a statement.

He was discharged on February 15 but later his health deteriorated and was re-admitted in a critical state. At 11:45 pm on Tuesday, the 69-year-old singer-composer succumbed to his illness, the hospital added.

He was also hospitalised last year after he tested positive for coronavirus.

Fondly known as Bappi Da, real name Alokesh Lahiri, was born in 1952 in a family of singers Aparesh Lahiri and Bansuri Lahiri in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal.

He was awarded the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award at 63rd Filmfare Awards in 2018.

In 1974, the singer started his career with his composition for the Bengali film 'Daadu'.

Bappi Lahiri was known for popularising the disco music in Bollywood as he delivered popular songs in several films of the late 1970s-80s like 'Chalte Chalte', 'Disco Dancer', 'Namak Halal', 'Dance Dance' and 'Sharaabi'.

His last Bollywood song titled 'Bhankas' was for the film 'Baaghi 3', released in 2020. (UNI)