Bappi Lahiri’s grandson Rego B on Jimmy Jimmy’s pop reach

Swastikk Bansall, performing as Rego B, turned 17 on 21 September and marked the day with his first independent single, Chand. In a conversation with SCREEN, he made it clear that while the track moves toward his own musical identity, the shadow and shine of his grandfather Bappi Lahiri are never far away.

“Granddad’s songs are universal,” Rego B said, adding that the disco-era tracks still connect with younger listeners: Auva Auva Koi Yahan Nache, Ramba Ho Ho and Jimmy Jimmy.

Bappi’s disco returns to new films

The composer’s catalogue is suddenly part of two high-profile projects. Here is where the songs have landed:

• Ramba Ho has been recreated by Shashwat Sachdev with Usha Uthup for Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar, which stars Ranveer Singh.
• Koi Yahan Nache Nache appears in Prabhas’ The Raja Saab.

Rego B told SCREEN he was surprised to see the tracks in major contemporary films, and sees it as proof that the melodies still work for a mass audience. It also gives a second generation a reason to discover the wider Bappi Lahiri catalogue.

The Michael Jackson story

Rego B shared a family anecdote about Bappi Lahiri’s meeting with Michael Jackson in Bombay in 1996. His mother was young at the time and began crying when she saw the pop star. Rego B said Jackson told his grandfather, “I love your song ‘Jimmy Jimmy’. It’s a beautiful song.”

For Rego B, it is a reminder of how far the music travelled before social media made global reach easy. He also recalled that Jimmy Jimmy remains a ceremonial favourite in Russia, where marching bands still play it when the President and Prime Minister arrive.

Why the legacy matters

Rego B also framed his grandfather’s international collaborations as part of the same story. Bappi Lahiri worked with names such as Snoop Dogg, Lady Gaga, Elton John and Akon at a time when Indian artists could not turn to social media for global reach. For a composer from a small West Bengal village to be approached by global superstars, Rego B said, shows how far the music had travelled.

For Hindi film fans, the new placements are not just nostalgia; they are a signal that a hook can outlive its era. Rego B’s own first single, Chand, leans into that memory with a nostalgic sound, while he works on his own identity.

Source: The Times of India