Bappi Lahiri, veteran music composer and singer, died on Tuesday night in Mumbai at the age of 69.

In a career spanning more than five decades, Lahir composed over 5,000 songs in over 500 films, according to IMDB. Fondly known as the ‘Disco King of Bollywood’, he gave some of the most iconic disco numbers, especially featuring actor Mithun Chakroborty. 

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While responding to accusations of ‘copying’ music from the West, the music icon had said in an interview with Aaj Tak, “If we talk about copying, it is a tradition. Salil Chowdhury also copied Mozart. SD Burman also copied, RD Burman copied a lot. What they did was, they’d be inspired by a small piece. Now what do I do in modern environment? Mithun Chakravorty was dancing like John Travolta, Michael Jackson. So I had to take that beat.”

“But even in that (modern, disco style music), when Anil Kapoor did a disco dance in Saheb, Yaar Bina Chain Kaha Re. That was total folk. I did a few song based on western music. But I prefer…De De Pyaar De is folk-based,” he added.

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The singer further shared that he had won a copyright case in 2003 against the western rapper and music producer Dr Dre for copying Lahiri’s ‘Kaliyon Ka Chaman’ in his album ‘Addictive’. 

On September 12, 2002, Saregama filed a $500 million lawsuit against Aftermath and parent company Universal Music Group, and asked to stop further performances or broadcasts of the song.  

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“Even in Hollywood, everyone knows me. I have offers from Whitney Houston, and Jackson Five. All this happened because Bappi Lahiri’s Disco Dancer was a phenomenal hit. And (sings) Jimmy, jimmy, aaja, aaja, was sung by the famous singer M.I.A., who has been nominated for Oscar,” he told The Hindustan Times in an interview in 2009.

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“Even in the Adam Sandler movie, You Don’t Mess With the Zohan, they used the tune of the song in the background and then gave my name in the credits along with other famous superstars like Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson. Dr Dre used my song Kaliyon ka Chaman in his album Addictive, for which I sued him. But he gave credits afterwards, so it’s okay and I am happy,” he said.