Bappi Lahiri remembers Mohammed Aziz: He was like a younger brother

Bappi Lahiri and Mohammed Aziz

Singer Mohammed Aziz, who did playback for artistes including Amitabh Bachchan, Govinda and Rishi Kapoor, passed away yesterday at the age of 64. "He was brought dead to the hospital at 3.17 pm. The body has left from Nanavati for post-mortem," hospital officials stated. The cause of death will be known following the post-mortem, hospital sources said. But, media reports claimed that he died of cardiac arrest.

Aziz, who had over 20,000 songs to his credit, had sung in the Bollywood, Bengali and Odia film industries. He had recorded several devotional Bhajans and Sufi songs as well. A frequent collaborator with Bappi Lahiri, Aziz had rendered several of his chart-busters.

Referring to Aziz as his younger brother, Lahiri tells mid-day, "This is a big loss for the industry. He was like my younger brother. I made him sing his first song in Geraftaar, with Amitabh Bachchan. Then, he also sang in Mard. He was a wonderful singer, who sang many of my hits, including Main Pyar Ka Pujari, Farishtey [Tere Bina Jag], and Pyar Hamara Amar Rahega, which was my favourite rendition."

Recalling his last interaction with Aziz, he adds, "He came home with his daughter Sana. I made her sing the first song in Disco Dancing Star. She sang like a pop singer. He told me, 'Aap humari beti ko dekhiye'. I hope she becomes a big singer. Of late, he hadn't been singing too much for me, but we shared a [great] relationship."

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