Bhupinder Singh nee Bhupi was an Indian guitarist, who sang ghazals, bhajans and Bollywood songs.
Guitar in hand, a cigarette on his lips, this 5’8” handsome, jovial man was happy-go-lucky, but if something got on his wrong side, he would swear in earthy Punjabi.
A limited-edition he was a master of soulful singing in a brooding voice, creating magic. Gifted with an original, rich voice, his oeuvre was eclectic, drawing inspiration from Western music and Indian classical idioms.
A multi-faceted composer, he understood lyrics and never took liberties with poetic sentiment. The mainstay of his film music output was the languorous, romantic or sad melody, which gave him the space to play with words and the rhythm of the poetry.
Getting his early musical training from his father Nathu Singh, a trained vocalist, he worked with All India Radio and Doordarshan in Delhi. Music director Madan Mohan heard him at a dinner party in 1962 and invited him to Mumbai. He sang the poignant Ho ke majboor mujhe usne bhulaya hoga, matching his vocals with stalwarts Mohammed Rafi, Talat Mahmood and Manna Dey in Haqeeqat (1964). Then came a solo Rut jawan jawan raat meherbaan in Aakhri Khat (1966) and famous duets like Duniya chhute yaar na chhute and Aane se uske aaye bahar.
Coming into his own during the 1970s and 1980s, apart from Jaidev, Khayyam, R.D Burman and the other mainstream musicians of the previous decade, he sang for specialist or art film music directors.
Bhupinder also took on the odd light and peppy numbers like Jaan-e-jaan meri kasam tujhko, and Dekho hum dono ki yaari kya kehna. Then came Thodi si zameen, Kabhi kisiko mukammal java nahi milta, and Karoge yaad tho har baat yaad ayegi.
Other popular songs include Do diwane shahar mein, Naam gum jayega, Meethe bol bole, Kisi nazar ko tera intezaar aaj bhi, Ek akela iss shehar mein, Beeti na beetai raina, Huzoor iss kadar bhi na itra ke chaliye, Baadalon se kaat kaat ke; Dil doondta has phir wahi; Zindagi zindagi mere ghar. His last film song was for Maharana Pratap in 2012.
A sought-after guitarist for films, his guitar gave each melody its indistinguishable character. Starting out as a Hawaiian guitarist, he learned the Spanish guitar and had an in-born comfort with variants of the guitar.
With Abhilasha (1968), he entered composer R.D Burman’s team. His Bollywood guitar debut began in 1971, with the rebel anthem Dum maaro dum in Hare Ram Hare Krishna. The signature guitar riff ran like a motif throughout the film. In the prelude of Chura liya from Yaadon Ki Baaraat, the clinking of glasses resonated with his strumming that kicked off the Nasir Hussain one-upmanship game between future lovers. He used it to mesmerising effect in the Phoolon ka taaron ka. By late 1960s, Bhupinder was the team’s lead guitarist.
His first private LP in 1968, had three self-composed songs; a second LP in 1978 had ghazals wherein he introduced the Spanish guitar, bass and drums to the ghazal style, and his third LP in 1980, titled Woh jo shair tha: Poetry of Gulzar had lyrics written by Gulzar.
Bhupinder opted for non-film ghazal albums in the mid-1980s. The general standards of Bollywood music had sunk to abysmal depths, leaving him unmotivated. Further despite his exceptional guitaring skills, the end output always belonged to the music director, with his name featuring nowhere in the credits. With his Bangladeshi singer wife Mitali, he blended the ghazal with the guitar. The charismatic duo recorded a number of ghazal albums, with original tunes.
He got the long-due Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2016 and also Mirchi Music Awards for Lifetime Achievement award.
The singer passed away in Mumbai at 82 of a cardiac arrest. He is survived by Mitali and musician son Nihal.