The veteran musician turns 60 tomorrow but won't have a bash in respect of the late Bal Thackeray

It's celebration time for Bappi Lahiri. The composer turns 60 on November 27 as well as completes 40 years in the film industry shortly. However, Bappida is not throwing a birthday party - like he does every year - to celebrate his landmark year.

The veteran musician says, `As a mark of respect to the late Bal Thackeray, I am not having any bash. The Sena supremo had attended my birthday celebrations in 1992.`

He is also being awarded the Legend Award at the annual Big Apple Music Awards being held at the Millennium Theatre in New York on December 2. The composer will be leaving for the US to receive the honour that recognises excellence of Central Asian, Caucasian and Middle Eastern musicians.

Bappida adds, `After I am back from the US, I will decide to have a celebration, may be sometime in January, to celebrate my four decades in the industry.` The composer's first Hindi film outing was for Shomu Mukherjee's Nanha Shikari starring Tanuja and Deb Mukherjee which released on January 1, 1973.

Getting nostalgic, the composer says, `It has been an eventful ride from my Disco Dancer days to going Ooh La La. I recently recorded an item song for Sajid Khan's remake of Himmatwala as well for Himesh Reshammiya and Sajid Wajid.`

The last year has been hectic for Bappida because of his song Ooh La La. `I have been travelling for my shows from the US to New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand.` His birthday wish is to make more and more music that will make everyone play on loop or get up and shake a leg.