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Bappi Lahiri, the king of Bollywood disco, dies at 69

SUJIT JAISWAL/AFP via Getty Images
Bollywood singer and music composer Bappi Lahiri speaks to the media before planting a tree during an environmental awareness campaign in Mumbai on June 19, 2021.

Updated February 16, 2022 at 12:50 PM ET

The king is dead. The king of Bollywood disco, that is.

Singer-composer Bappi Lahiri died in India late Tuesday night. He was 69.

Lahiri famously brought a disco vibe to India's biggest film industry. He composed dozens of hits in the 1970s and '80s — which appeared in many top Bollywood movies.

He was also known for flashy fashion. Lahiri, a huge fan of Elvis, was rarely photographed without his signature gold chains and sunglasses.

The star died overnight in a Mumbai hospital. He had survived COVID-19 last year but had several other health problems.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his condolences, saying Lahiri's "lively nature will be missed by everyone."


This story originally appeared in the Morning Edition live blog.

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