Bhupinder began his career as a musician and singer for All India Radio, Delhi. Around the same time, he also also came to be associated with the Delhi Doordarshan. In 1964, he recorded a Bahadur Shah Zafar ghazal, "Lagta Nahin Hai Ji Mera", for an AIR program celebrating Bahadur Shah's birth anniversary. Music director, Madan Mohan, heard his song on the radio and was impressed enough to offer him the song "Hoke Majboor Mujhe" with Mohammad Rafi in Chetan Anand’s "Haqeeqat" (1964). The song became popular but did not get him much recognition. Meanwhile he sang songs in low-budget productions and Nepali films like Prempinda and Anyaya. It was when he joined R.D. Burman’s team of musicians that his fate finally turned. It was his friendship with R.D. Burman that got him the chance to sing in Gulzar’s “Parichay” (1972). This movie, specially the song "Beeti Na Bitaayi Raina", brought him popularity as a singer and he went on to sing many more popular songs in Gulzar’s movies. Some of his popular songs include "Dil Dhoondta Hai" (“Mausam”, 1975), "Naam Gum Jayega" (“Kinara”, 1977)  and "Ek Akela Is Shaher Mein" (“Gharonda”, 1977).

Lesser known, is his skill with the guitar. He played the guitar for many R.D Burman song. His guitar playing is specially noteworthy in "Ek Hi Khwab Kai Baar Dekha" ("Kinara", 1977) for which he also sang.

Bhupinder married Mitali, a Bangladeshi singer in the mid-1980s. This period also saw him moving away from Bollywood and focussing on his passion for ghazals. He had recorded his debut non-film album in 1968 and his second album, in which he fused Spanish guitar, bass and drums with ghazal vocals, in 1978. His third album, “Woh Jo Shaayar Tha”, released in 1980, had Gulzar as its lyricist. Bhupinder has over 30 albums to his credit.

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