Reading Bappi Lahiri as a queer icon: From all the gold jewellery to the defiant lyrics of his hits-Entertainment News , Firstpost

Who were the queer icons that you grew up watching, hearing, and reading about? 

Growing up in a home where everyone spoke Hindi rather than English meant that the popular culture I was exposed to until I went to college was mostly restricted to Bollywood films, television, and the few books that we were allowed to borrow from the school library. Until a few years after I completed my university education, I had little understanding of what it meant to be queer. We did not even have courses in queer literature back then. 

When others tell me about the queer icons that they have been following since childhood, I find myself transported to a time when I listened attentively to singer-composer Bappi Lahiri. He was different from the rest. He came across as a fun-loving man who seemed at ease with the way he carried himself even though others were curious or uncomfortable about his fondness for jewellery. When they teased him, he did not seem to mind. He knew how to take things lightly, even laugh at himself. I used to wish that I could imbibe those qualities.

It was a time of innocence before I discovered that I was drawn to people of all genders. I had no idea that there was something called a pride march or a rainbow flag or a queer support group. But I knew, from watching and listening to Bappi Lahiri, that it was alright to be different even if people made fun of me for being too soft, too gentle, too emotional, too much in every way. Bappi Lahiri turned excess into celebration. He gave me permission to find joy. 

I wish I could say Bappi Lahiri made it cool for men to wear jewellery, without having to explain why. But I am not sure if this is true. Those who appreciate him for reveling in his uniqueness may not be audacious enough to try the same. It takes courage to be the odd one out in showbiz, among the immaculately attired who dare not repeat clothes and accessories.

I was born in 1985. One of Bappi Lahiri’s enduring hits ‘Tamma tamma Loge’ released when I was five. This song from Raj N Sippy’s film Thanedaar [1990] fills me up with delight even today when I shut the door to my room, play it on full volume, and dance for myself. Anuradha Paudwal sang for Madhuri Dixit, who looks stunning here, and Bappi Lahiri sang for Sanjay Dutt, who has a vacant look on his face. Bappi Lahiri was also the music director.

The lyrics that Indeevar wrote were not specifically meant for a queer couple but they do a great job of honouring the bond between lovers who are transgressing parental expectations. The song proclaims: “Tu premi aha, main premi aha/ Tu raazi aha, main raazi aha/ Phir kya Daddy, kya Amma/ Ek bas tu hi pyaar ke qaabil/ Saara jahaan hai nikamma.” [You love me, I love/ You are happy with me, I am happy with you/ Who cares what the parents have to say? / You alone are worthy of my love/ The rest of the world can go to hell!]

The lines that follow lend themselves quite well to the urgency of finding a suitable mate in a world that is hostile to queer people: “Tujhe zaroorat mere jaise yaar ki/ Mujhe zaroorat tere jaise yaar ki/ Jale jo usko aur jalaao/ Nacho chhama chham chhamma.” [You need someone like me/ I need someone like you/ Let the jealous ones burn/ Let’s dance, baby, dance!]

Deepak Balraj Vij’s Sailaab – another film featuring Dixit – released in 1990. Bappi Lahiri composed the music for a remarkable song called ‘Humko Aajkal Hai Intezaar,’ which was written by Javed Akhtar, and sung by Anupama Deshpande. Dixit happens to be a favourite of many queer men, who imitate the graceful thumkas that she has perfected with the help of choreographer Saroj Khan. Part-fisherwoman, part-mermaid, the actor is in great form here.

“Humko Aajkal Hai Intezaar/ Koi Aaye Leke Pyaar” [These days, I am waiting/ For someone to come knocking] is perhaps the mantra being chanted by every queer person who is glued to a myriad digital apps hoping for their beloved to show up. Many of them have met one disappointment after another but they choose to linger, hoping that someday they will get lucky. And hopefully, this person will be different from all the ones they have met before.

Fifteen years before Thanedaar and Sailaab, Bappi Lahiri worked as the music director on Raja Thakur’s film Zakhmee [1975]. One of the most memorable songs from this film is “Jalta Hai Jiya Mera.’ Gauhar Kanpuri wrote the lyrics. Kishore Kumar, who was Bappi Lahiri’s maternal uncle, sang it along with Asha Bhonsle. This rain-drenched romantic number has been picturised on Rakesh Roshan and Reena Roy.

The suggestive lyrics are hard to translate but there is no harm in trying. “Pilaayi hai tumne jo pyaase ko shabnam/ Dil ke shole bhala kaise ho kam/ Ban ke baadal karo barsaat.” [You have got this thirsty one drunk on dew / The flames of the heart refuse to die out/ Turn into a cloud, and soak me in a downpour.] Bappi Lahiri’s music heightens the ecstasy in these words.

One of the many blockbusters that he composed was for Prakash Mehra’s film Namak Halaal [1982]. The song ‘Raat Baaki,‘ with Asha Bhonsle lending her vocals to the character played by the mesmerizing Parveen Babi, has become a classic. The lyrics written by Anjaan invite the listener to stop thinking and just go with the flow of the moment. This could be the background music for an intimate evening where two people on a successful date have decided to take things forward but are not sure if it is a good idea to be vulnerable.

The words that get to the heart of this matter are: “Kashti jawaan dil ki toofan se takra gayi/ Manzil mohabbat ki ab toh kareeb aa gayi/ Aa dekh le/ Hai kya mazaa/ Dil haar ke.” [The ship of the heart has collided with a storm/ the destination of love is close at hand/ Come, see for yourself/ How pleasing it is/ To lose your heart to the one you love.] This song is a tribute to the transformative power of love in a world where people prefer no strings attached.

Bappi Lahiri also has a song for people who have been stood up on a date or ghosted after some dates. ‘Inteha Ho Gayi Intezar Ki’ from Prakash Mehra’s film Sharaabi [1984] is the one. In this song written by Anjaan, and picturised on Amitabh Bachchan, Kishore Kumar sings, “Inteha ho gayi intezaar ki/ Aayi na kuchh khabar mere yaar ki/ Yeh humein hai yakeen/ Bewafa woh nahin/ Phir vajah kya hui intezaar ki?” [I am running out of patience/ My beloved is a no-show/ I’m sure / that I’m not being cheated on/ What could be the reason?]

In recent times, Bappi Lahiri has sung a raunchy song called ‘Ooh La La’ for Milan Luthria’s film The Dirty Picture [2011]. It is a duet with Shreya Ghoshal. The music was composed by Vishal-Sekhar, and the lyrics were written by Rajat Arora. It had a warm reception, thanks partly to Vidya Balan’s screen presence and acting skills, and the sounds of heaving and moaning that have been cleverly integrated into the body of the song.

Bappi Lahiri also sang the Hindi and Bengali versions of ‘Tune Maari Entriyaan’ in Ali Abbas Zafar’s film Gunday [2014], which is about two outlaws attracted to the same cabaret dancer. For the Hindi one, he was joined by KK, Neeti Mohan, and Vishal Dadlani. The Bengali one was a duet with Monali Thakur. Sohail Sen composed the music for both. Irshad Kamil wrote the Hindi lyrics. Bappi Lahiri and Gautam Susmit wrote the Bengali lyrics.

This spirited song, picturised on Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Ranveer Singh, and Arjun Kapoor has Bappi Lahiri written all over it. It is loud, energetic, and lighthearted. “Tune maari entriyaan re/ dil mein baji ghantiyaan re/ Tang tang tang” [You made a grand entry/ There is a buzz in my heart/ Tang tang tang] reminds me of a protest that I once attended in Delhi. I overheard two queer people talking about the protest site being “a prime catchment area” for hook-ups. Their face lit up every time there was a “tang tang tang” of notifications on their Grindr app. 

For those who do not use apps to find sex and/or love, this could be the gaydar song. Many gay men like to claim that they can tell just by looking at someone whether the person is gay or not. Their gay radar – gaydar – goes “tang tang tang.” No wonder then that it is quite easy to be alert to the homoerotic undertones between the two outlaws that are difficult to miss. 

When Bappi Lahiri appeared on The Kapil Sharma Show, cricketer-turned-comedian-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu introduced him with these moving lines: “Sailaab hai suron ka, awaaz unki highlight hai; Sangeet ke jagat mein unki chamak, chandrama jaisi bright hai!” It is hard to translate the poetic turn of phrase from Hinglish to English but it might be the perfect eulogy for Bappi Lahiri, whose music brings joy to numerous people like myself.

Chintan Girish Modi is a writer, journalist, commentator, and book reviewer.

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