Sajid Khan revealed, “I don’t know how to tell you how close we were to Bappi da. 90 percent of his songs would have been done by my father. Bappi da’s shows were arranged by my father. My father was like a right hand musician for him. My brother, Wajid used to assist him.”
The music composer also revealed that their first salary came from Bappi Lahiri. It was Rs 750 which he had paid to his brother Wajid Khan. “Wajid was very close to him. When he got to know Wajid passed away, he was in tears on the phone. He was like a father to us. And his son, Bappa was a brother to my brother Wajid,” he shared.
Sajid also recollected Bappi da’s contribution to the music industry. He said, “He was a tabla player himself. He was one of those music composers who made a difference as he introduced electronic music to India.”
Sajid also revealed how Bappi da would chase him so that he goes to him to learn music. Remembering about an incident, Sajid said, “He was like a family to us. Wajid ke jaise mera zyada saath nahi tha unke saath, but he told Wajid, ‘Tera bhai mere paas nahi aata hai.’ I told him that if I come, I will take money from you. So he said, ‘Aye! Tumhara baap hum se paise nahi liya aur tum humko paise maangta hai.’”
The music composer also said that their first song was recorded at Bappi Lahiri’s music studio. “When he started his new music studio, our life’s first recording ‘Teri Jawaani’ was recorded over there. He also told my dad that our rhythm was very powerful. He gave us shagun money and that’s something very special. Bappi da was a legend and he changed the music scenario of India. He had a different aura, he was an Indian rockstar.”
Recollecting a funny memory, Sajid said, “I’ve never assisted anyone so when I met him, it felt like he’s a different man altogether. He’s an ‘English Man’. People don’t know that he didn’t let people touch his body. There was a show in Delhi long back when we were kids, and a famous singer Aslam Sabri had come. That’s when my father told him that some people have come to click pictures with you so he said, ‘Yes, please call them.’ So Aslam Sabri called his son for the picture and the moment photographer said ‘1,2,3 click’, the kid exclaimed with joy and kissed him on his cheeks. So that shocked him and he started yelling, ‘Aye saala, tum aisa kya karte hai’.”
Sajid also shared one of the incidents when he shocked Bappi Lahiri as he wore fake gold chains (while trying to copy him). Talking about it, Sajid said, “We had gone to some mela as kids with our father, and I took some fake chains from there. During one of our recordings, I wore those fake chains and kept my shirt open, so he called me inside and started checking my chains. He was like, ‘Yeh kahan se itna ameer ban gaya.’ It was all fake but he was wondering that kahan se leke aaya ye sab. He asked me real or fake, so I said, ‘Arey aise hi leke aaya main.’ So he asked me to remove it, he said, ‘Aye utaar!’”
Sajid Khan revealed to us that Wajid Khan shared a close bond with Bappi Lahiri. Their equation was so strong that Wajid would go on time for the studio but would not come at home on time because of working with him. He would also tease Wajid that there is something going on between the two, and Wajid would always say that there is so much to learn from him that he couldn’t help but stay around him.
Sajid Khan’s special memories with Bappi da are indeed overwhelming and we pray for the legend’s soul to rest in peace.
