Bappi Lahiri was born in Calcutta, West Bengal in 1952 into a family with a rich tradition in classical music. He began his career as a music director at the young age of 19, providing his first Bollywood film score for the film Nanha Shikari in 1973. The film which established him on the map was Tahir Husain's blockbuster film, Zakhmee (1975), for which he composed music and doubled as a playback singer. The music for his subsequent films Chalte Chalte and Surakshaa were, and remain, tremendously popular,

Bappi Lahiri was the pioneer of disco beats in India and his refreshing, vibrant and rhythmic music had the entire nation dancing for decades. Widely known as the 'Disco King' of India his most famous composition was for the film 'Disco Dancer'. It is the iconic track from this film - “Jimmy” - which has been reworked by M.I.A., to international acclaim.