B Subhash: Never saw Bappi da lose his temper even once

Director B Subhash’s association with late music icon Bappi Lahiri dates back to 1982. The duo delivered their first hit together with Disco Dancer (1982).

For the director, Lahiri was someone he could count on as he had a solution for everyone and everything. Narrating an episode during a recording session from the early 1980s, Subhash says, “We were at Mehboob Studio (Mumbai), and Bappi da had five other recordings that day. A producer came to him and requested him to finish a song because the film was going on floors the next day onwards. He smilingly obliged. The recording of a single song needs three-four hours. That day, Bappi da recorded for 24-hours at a stretch.”

Recalling another instance, he says, “Parvati Khan, who recorded Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Aaja, was very new at that time. After the song was recorded, I felt that the right emotion wasn’t coming through. So, Bappi da sat with a recording machine in Mehboob Studio and incorporated a double voice.” He adds, “When the song released, it became a worldwide phenomenon. It had become a rage even in China, Israel and UK. Bappi da knew everything about music. He could play many instruments including the guitar and the piano.”

However, he rues not being able to meet him in the past two years: “Artistes don’t like going all out about their sickness because it affects their profession. So, I didn’t visit him because I presumed that he wouldn’t like people coming to meet him due to his ill-health.”

Quiz him about how he would want to remember the music icon and Subhash shares, “He was a lovely person. In the past 40 years, I’ve never for once seen him losing his temper. He, along with his family, was down-to-earth, sweet, war and loving. His parents always prayed that I become a big director someday.”

The duo, who first worked together in Taqdeer Ka Badshah (1982), came together a few years back when Lahiri composed the music for Subhash’s daughter’s yet-to released directorial, Jhoom. On a parting note, he says, “He will rest in peace because he has been a good person. What you do for yourself goes away with you. But he did a lot for others and that will stay back and become a part of his rich legacy.”