Singer-composer Bappi Lahiri, who enthralled Hindi cinema lovers with his disco-infused tunes in the ’80s and ’90s, was cremated here in the presence of family, friends and industry colleagues on Thursday.
Lahiri, 69, died following multiple health issues on Tuesday night at the CritiCare Hospital in Juhu.Police had barricaded the lane of the singer’s Juhu residence, Lahiri House, with nearly 15 cops present on the ground to manage the crowd.Lahiri’s mortal remains—with the singer’s trademark black sunglasses still intact—were placed in an open truck, which was decorated with marigold and chrysanthemums flowers.The singer-composer’s pictures were placed in the front and the side of the truck with ‘Bhavpurna Shradhanjali’ written on it.Lahiri’s family, including wife Chitrani, son Bappa and daughter Reema boarded the open truck along with other relatives. The truck was followed by a convoy of cars, including police vans and two ambulances.The distance of 10 minutes from his residence to the Vile Parle’s Pawan Hans Crematorium was covered in nearly an hour, as the lorry made its way amidst fans and family members.Bappa, who reached Mumbai from the US with his family around 3 am on Thursday, performed the last rites, often breaking down during the rituals.At the cremation, daughter Reema seemed inconsolable.From the film industry, actors Vidya Balan, Shakti Kapoor, Roopali Ganguly, Deb Mukherjee, singers Udit Narayan, Shaan, Abhijeet Bhattacharya, Mika Singh, producer Bhushan Kumar, filmmaker KC Bokadia, who had worked with the composer in his 1990 Amitabh Bachchan starrer ‘Aaj Ka Arjun’, attended the cremation.
