India mourns Bollywood singer-composer Bappi Lahiri's death

Renowned Bollywood singer-composer Bappi Lahiri, who is credited with making disco-style music popular in the Hindi film industry, has died aged 69.

He had multiple health problems and died due to obstructive sleep apnea at a hospital in the city of Mumbai on Tuesday night, Indian media reports quoted a doctor as saying.

In a statement, his family sought "love and blessings for his soul" and announced that his last rites will take place on Wednesday after the arrival his son from the US, according to the media reports.

Bappi da, as he was popularly known in film circles, was a cult of sorts in Bollywood, having composed numerous hit songs that made the audience dance to their beats. 

His disco-style music struck a chord in the 1980s and 1990s, with admirers affectionately calling him the "Disco King" and a "rockstar".

He composed chartbuster soundtracks for films such as "Disco Dancer", "Dance Dance", "Chalte Chalte" and "Namak Halaal" — and had extensive music credits in the world of Bengali cinema, according to the NDTV news website.

It reported that Lahiri, whose real name is Alokesh, sang several of his own compositions.

He last composed the song Bhankas for the 2020 movie Baaghi 3, a report on the Hindustan Times website said.

Lahiri was equally famous for his flashy gold jewellery and colourful attire that would become his signature.  

His death came as a fresh blow to Bollywood, which is still mourning the passing away of superstar singer Lata Mangeshkar.

Politicians and celebrities paid their tributes to Lahiri.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that his "music was all encompassing, beautifully expressing diverse emotions..."

Indian movie stars such as Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn, and playback singer Shreya Ghoshal, among others, mourned his death.