The Disco Revolution in Bengali Music: Rupa Biswas Reimagined - GetBengal Story

Maybe it’s because of the traditional mindset about music that most Bengalis still don’t know Rupa Biswas. Many couldn’t imagine that boogie style music could exist in Bengali — especially in the 1980s. But back then, Rupa did something extraordinary. Had she not disappeared from the spotlight, she could have become Bengal’s Pop Queen in the ’80s. Her album was the first Bengali disco record.

If you search “Rupa Disco Jazz” on Google or YouTube, you’ll see a bright red LP with Rupa smiling in a red dress. That image later went viral online. Whether or not Bengalis recognize her, it is thanks to her son Debayan Sen that her music is now available online.

A few years ago, while cleaning their Salt Lake house, Debayan discovered this hidden treasure. Before that, he didn’t even know about this album, just like everyone else. It was his encouragement that led to the 1982 “Disco Jazz” album, recorded in Canada, being re-released worldwide in 2019.

The German company Ovular first released three of the songs on YouTube. Later, the prestigious American label The Numero Group officially released it. Within two hours, all 1,000 LPs sold out, and millions listened online. Her interview is also in the BBC podcast archive. Now, the album is available on all streaming platforms.

Although Rupa mostly sang modern songs, her voice was originally trained in ghazal and classical music. In 1981, while visiting Canada, she performed at Boris Roubakine Hall, Calgary — a light classical and ghazal program — which gave her the first recording opportunity. This became the first Bengali disco record, even though Bengalis were then fascinated by Pakistan’s Nazia Hassan and her Disco Deewane.

Her brother Tilak Biswas worked in Calgary. During a short visit, Rupa was invited by the Pakistani Students’ Association at Calgary University to perform. She performed alongside Ashish Khan (Grammy-winning sarod player and son of Ali Akbar Khan) and tabla player Pranesh Khan. Ashish Khan liked her voice.

In 1982, during Durga Puja, Megaphone Company released a long-playing record with three songs, composed by Ashish Khan and written by his wife Saroj:

1. Ei Morsume Tumi Aar Ami (This Season, You and I)

2. Maja Bhari Maja

3. Aaj Shonibar, Nachbe Cholo Aaj (It’s Saturday, Let’s Dance Today) — later used in Loewe Paula’s Ibiza 2020 fashion campaign.

The album mixed Eastern and Western instruments — sarod, tambourine, tabla, guitar, synthesizer, and dhol — creating a surprising fusion that today is enjoyed worldwide. Back then, Nazia’s popularity overshadowed it.

Rupa had been singing since childhood. She originally wanted to become a doctor, studying at Sarada Mission School and later Krishnath College, Berhampore for a B.Sc. in Bioscience. But she realized music attracted her more and joined Rabindra Bharati University for a Master’s in Music.

Her father’s transferable government job meant she moved often, so she trained under many teachers — Prahlad Rishi in Medinipur, Ali Mirza in Murshidabad for classical and ghazal music, and later Sudhin Dasgupta and Sukumar Mitra in Kolkata. Her voice worked well for modern and catchy songs too.

In the Disco Jazz album, Rupa added some stylized flair to capture the nightclub vibe. Some may not like it, but it was an experimental effort to bring a Western genre into an Indian language. She once said,

“I want to sing all kinds of songs. I don’t want to be trapped in one image — even if I sing disco.”

But she didn’t continue her singing career fully. After her mentor Sudhin Dasgupta passed away, another opportunity was lost. Guitarist Don Pope and John Johnston, who recorded with Ashish Khan, stayed at her Kolkata home. She had connections with many artists, including Parveen Sultana, but marriage, family, and children took her into another world. She became Rupa Biswas Sen.

Her son Debayan revived her musical memory. She also taught briefly at a school in Baguihati. Her husband Udayan Sen passed away from lung cancer. Now, she lives well with her son, relatives, and friends. Her brother Chandan Biswas’s daughters, Aneka Rimi Biswas and Sanchia Rima Biswas, help manage her social media.

Now, she finally gets to see the smiling girl in a red dress from the Disco Jazz album. She marvels at how a “losing horse suddenly won the race.” Popularity wasn’t her concern then, and it isn’t now. She says:

“What I’ve received is more than enough! Life has truly filled me with joy.”

Note: 
Translated by Krishnendu Mitra

To read the original Bengali article, click here.