RDB:A music composer of unparallel talent

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Bob Chowdhury

@Qwest

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Posted: 18 years ago

RD Burman :A music composer of unparalleled talent!

By: RK Filed Under Bollywood, Music

Posted on June 27, 2007

On 68th birth anniversary of RD Burman

Dada Moni, Ashok Kumar or SD Burman himself made a historical mistake when either of them gave a nickname "Pancham" to RD Burman. RD was master of Saat Sur and he should have been given name "Saptam". There is no second RD Burman. He was a master piece a gem in the field of music.

He was generationless music composer. Audience belonging to any age and era can enjoy his music. On one hand he created the music which could represent the those days generation and on other hand he carried whole generation to the height of music. He defeated everyone in terms of versatility. He was Kishor Kumar in that sense. RD's predecessors took care of purity and many remained devoted to Indian classical music and instruments only. RD did not feel any hitch in using his knowledge of western classical and Jazz.
Gulzar and RD met during the recording of Gulzar's first song " Mera Gora ang lai le" in Bandini and they became life long friend and except Mausam where Madan Mohan gave music, Gulzar remained in company of RD and duo always created magic. We all know that famous anecdote where RD famously had asked Gulzar to bring newspaper so that he can compose music for news headlines published there because Gulzar had asked him to compose music for the song "Mera Kuch Saman tumhare pass parha hai" for his film Ijaazat.

Music was very good and quality was super class in the hands of music maestros like Naushad, Shankar Jaikishan, O.P Naiyar, SD Burman, Anil Biswas, Madan Mohan, C.Ramchandra, Ramlal, Sardar Malik, Ghulam Mohammad, khaiyam, Hemant Kumar, Kalyan Ji Anand ji, Laxmikant Pyarelal, Salil Chaudhary , Vanraj Bhatia etc but youth was not properly represented by their music. Advent of RD made this distinction. He created musical language of youth and he together with Kishor Kumar's youth ful voice paved ground for romantic and energetic songs for Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna, Randhir Kapoor , AB, Vinod Khanna but he created a wonderful musical aura around Hindi Cinema's most youthful face Rishi Kapoor.

Audience had not listened before a song like "O Hansini" For Rishi Kapoor he created many immortal songs and every song is able to change the mood of a depressive person. They are mood changer, mood lifter. RD got full support in the voice of Kishor Kumar that's why he used to say that there is none like Kishor Kumar as far as versatility is concerned. Though he is not trained singer but KK can sing any song of any type, be it classical, semi classical or a disco song.

If RD was instruments he used in his composition then Kishor Kumar was his voice. RD shined in his capability to know exactly which song should be given to which singer. Often musicians prefer their favourite singers and RD often relied on Kishor Kumar but he knew very well who could sing which song.
How RD's magic left magical impression on people can be understood with the example of Kishor Kumar and Mohd Rafi. Inspite of giving many good songs Kishor Kumar never got lime light and it was all Rafi's show. Except SD Burman most of the old music directors preferred Rafi.

When Burman Dada felt sick during recording of songs of Shakti Samanta's Aradhana. RD got the responsibility and he did not shy to use Kishor Kumar in the film. Film has two songs in the voice of Kishor Kumar and two songs in the voice of Rafi but nation got crazy when Mere sapnon kee rani was released. With this film, super hit phase started for Rajesh Khanna in acting, RD's in musiccomposer and Kishor Kumar's in play back singing.

This sudden explosion of performances of team of RD + KK, created tough phase for Rafi and as hindi cine industry only salutes rising star, film makers avoided a great singer Rafi.

But same RD when got opportunity to compose music for Nasir Hussain's Hum Kisi se kam nahin, then he gave Rafi the song, Kya Hua tera vada, This song resurrected the play back singing life of Rafi.
RD and Gulzar team's stories are so famous and they brought honey to the ears of audience. While Gulzar brought above human words, RD decorated those words in to his wonderfully pleasant music.

RD was married to Asha Bhonsle and their team gave us many beautiful songs including wonderful non filmi album "Dil Parosi hai" but he has left a rich legacy of songs where he has created music for Lata Mangeshkar's voice also.

As he knew very well which song would suit whom so he used suitable singer only.

If during last 15 years more than 80% remix songs have been based on the songs composed by RD, then it suggests his impact on the audience.

Sadly he did not get filmfare award before 1983 when he got for his mediocre work Sanam Teri Kasam. RD came on surface again and again. He had given Shabbir Kumar a good chance in Betaab and Shabbir kumar had got chance to sing for Amitabh Bachchan in Colie and Mard. But came Saagar and whole nation was swinging under the intoxication of "Chehra hai ya chand khila hai" in the voice of Kishor Kumar.

RD's another specificity was to give always wonderful music. No matter which kind of film he has got he created music from his heart and gave his soul to the music. Jeeva is not a film which deserves songs like "Roz Roz ankhon tale" but RD boss created this song with the support of voices of Asha Bhonsle and Amit Kumar.

Many such crap films are there where one can go to see them if has listened music before under the impression that when music is so good then film also should be good. Many shelved films have eaten his wonderful creations.

He did not shy to accept that he took inspiration from ABBA's Mama mia. Whenever he did this he said but with clear understanding that he took one or two note, improvised them and then used in Indian context. He loved Jazz.

He had international appeal. His song In every city was included in New York Parade in Mid 80s.

He was a child when he composed a song and when he visited sets of Fantoosh film he was astonished to find that his father SD Burman had stolen his tune. Song was "Aye meri Topi palat ke aa".

What his songs can create?. It was a gathering of around 100 young people belonging to different nations, different languages. Gathering was happening in a big hall of a hotel and there was a girl who was hosting cultural program for the guests. DJ was there and he was playing songs whichever she was demanding. Then she asked that all people have to give 1-2 songs from their country and DJ will collect those songs within the night and full next day and next evening they will be played. Next evening songs of many countries were collected. People had gathered dancing numbers and they were in full mood to make a dhamal. Songs in different languages were played and people were mad in dance and then suddenly a song from India was played and everybody stopped immediately and once song got rhythm crowd went wild on a song whose words they were unable to understand. It was due to sheer music of the song.

Song was "Dum Maro Dum" from Dev saab's Hare Krishna Hare Ram.

Atleast in that gathering of people of multi ethinicity this song scored parallel with Shakira, Bon Jovi, Madonaa, Michale Jackson, Ricky Martin, Robbie Williams etc's hit dance numbers.

Hindi cine industry should feel shame as they did same with RD what they did with Rafi. Gulzar does not make many films. After some gap he had got 1942- A love story. And its always a fight with songs of this film especially ek ladki ko dekha to.

RD's music provides a height to this song and Kumar Shanu's average singing does not allow to hear it again and again.

Would that Kishor Kumar was alive then this song could have been an immortal song.

RD Burman had a typical face and personality and that's why Mehmood who gave him first break in Chhote Nawab, made him actor also in his film Bhoot Bangla and vow it's a treat to watch RD in that role with his thick glasses on his innocent eyes.

He did not disappoint in any role he took. When he sang he sang it with so much lan that songs and his singing became inseparable.

Be it Mehbuba Mehbuba of Sholay or Humko tumse pyara kaun in zamane ko dikhana hai or many other songs.

There are many known stories about his method of working. His likings and dislikings. He was for music and his life was for music only. And such devotion is not seen easily.

Though we like that RD or some one of his calibre comes in to hindi films but it does not seem possible. But he remains alive through his songs and music of present day's music directors, who very often take inspiration from his old creations.

Its useless to try to mention his good songs as he has a very long list.

We are fortunate that RD created music in our times.

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Minali The Great

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Posted: 18 years ago

Thank you for the nice article.

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Bob Chowdhury

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Posted: 18 years ago

Jaago sonewaalon!

Rahul Dev Burman was great. But was supreme greatness thrust upon him? By P. Bhaskar Rao

It was during the making of Guide (1964) that its music director Sachin Dev Burman fell ill and was advised rest for four months. Several producers who had signed Dada had to switch over to other composers. But Dev Anand, who was producing Guide, refused to do so though only one song was recorded till then. Dada asked Dev to let R. D. Burman take over; Dev agreed that Pancham was good, but said that Guide would go with S.D. Burman only and will be released with just one song if SD could not complete it.

Comedian Mehmood was producing his film in 1961 and went to Dada with a handsome signing amount. But the latter told him that he didn't work with any and everyone. It was only then that Mehmood could succeed in signing on son RD for Chhote Nawab.

The above instances do give us an idea of the character and respect the senior Burman commanded, but also show the initial travels of the junior to gain a foothold in the industry. Thus began the career of a trendsetter-to-be that is Rahul Dev Burman. It was 12 years back in the month of January that Hindi cinema music lost him, but the younger generation of today still adores him.

It is an undeniable fact that Pancham (Ashok Kumar nicknamed RD thus) was highly talented and gave excellent tunes in the pre-Aradhana (1969) era. Tunes like Ghar aaja ghir aayee (Chhote Nawab), Jaago sonewaalon (Bhoot Bangla), Sharabi mera naam ho gaya (Chandan Ka Palna) hit the pop charts, but films were hard to come by. Mainly depending on Rafi and Lata, it was not until 1967 that he brought in Asha in Teesra Kaun (Achcha sanam) and continued with her in a big way and in later years also married her. It was Teesri Manzil (1967) which established him as a new wave composer who brought about a certain freshness in Hindi cinema music. But what we intend to point out here is how this multi-talented, master experimentor lost touch with quality and melody in later years.

Having helped out his father along with veteran Jaidev in the 60s, including Guide, he had a large treasure of classical music tunes to his credit. But a decision to woo a later generation by getting trendy and using his beat-based, West-inspired jazzy fusion music seemed to cut short his creativity.

It was SD who patronised Kishore Kumar's voice since the 50s when he got him to playback for Dev Anand (Jaal, 1954) and Dada's use of Kishore perhaps stands a class above most of the RD presentations, contrary to belief! Starting from De bhi chuke hum dil nazrana (with Geeta Dutt) in Jaal there are scores of unforgettable Kishore melodies from the Senior Burman stable. Even the other composers who scored in Kishore-acted films, like C. Ramchandra (Ina meena deeka, Asha Bhosle, 1957), Shankar Jaikishan in Shararat (1957), .P. Nayyar in Naya Andaz, Ragini, Kabhi Andhera Kabhi Ujala, Madan Mohan in Bhai Bhai, Ladki, Chacha Zindabad, Lakshmikant Pyarelal in Mr X in Bombay and many more seem to have actually got better results from Kishore going by the number of films in which they used Kishore's voice. It may be mentioned here that RD scored in about 340 movies and the number of songs he has given to Rafi, Manna Dey, Mukesh and other male singers put together may amount to hardly a hundred. The rest of the songs in male voice are those of Kishore. Given this fact, can any fan of RD pick a hundred Kishore songs of either quality or popularity from their Guru's stables?

The millions of fans of RD had only gone overboard in glorifying their hero and have little realised that he could have done a far better job. There wasn't a single instrument he couldn't play. He played the mouth organ in his father's Solva Saal (Hemant Kumar hit Hai apna dil to awaara) and in later years introduced the electric organ in haseena zulfonwaali (Teesri Manzil). A singer in his own right he provided different tunes for his own self. His association with Naseer Husain (Teesri Manzil, Baharon Ke Sapne, Pyar Ka Mausam, Caravan, Yadon Ki Baraat, Hum Kisise Kam Nahin, Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai), Shakti Samanta (Kati Patang, Amar Prem, Ajnabee) and Dev Anand (Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Heera Panna, etc) have opened the floodgates of his inherent talent to the other producers and didn't look back right through the 70s. Yet, there is something we find missing from the Junior Burman. He held centrestage in the musical arena of that era, but the big question — did we have the best of songs then? Why is it widely believed that the decay in musical standards in Hindi cinema began from the 70s? The Hindustani classical music support to cinema music was on the wane and copying the West had become commonplace. RD had his own khazsana of classical talent and why did he have to copy or be lured by the tunes which would have a momentary phase? Numerous tunes have been lifted straight from the Western originals like his Aao twist karein (Chubby checker), Mil gaya hum ko saathi mil gaya (Mama mia, Abba). Many of SD's tunes too have been reproduced straight or rehashed in several of his films.

Coincidentally, and perhaps unfortunately, the 70s saw a number of senior composers and melody makers retiring or quitting the scene and lyricists not finding favour with the listening public thanks to the rot that had set in. Good lyrics gave way to foot-tapping and over instrumentation. Composers like Shankar- Jaikishan, Naushad, Roshan, C. Ramchandra, Madan Mohan, Jaidev, Ravi and .P. Nayyar had seen and given their best by then. It was only Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Kalyanji-Anandji who could just manage to walk that extra mile.

It may be recalled that this sub-standardism that crept in had given rise to the Ghazal craze in the 80s and we saw the likes of Mehndi Hasan, Ghulam Ali from Pakistan suddenly growing popular especially in the Hindi heartland, followed by a host of their desi counterparts.

As a result the 80s drew almost a blank with hardly any mentionable film songs. So can we conclude that the post-Aradhana scenario in Hindi cinema music had gone from bad to worse? And thanks to the likes of RD and Bappi Lahiri? And when some semblance of quality began to be restored by the 90s, composers like Nadeem-Shravan and Ismail Durbar, we find a miserable dearth of singers. When RD himself resurrected Kishore, the giant of a Rafi was overshadowed, and names and songs of Talat Mehmood, Manna Dey, Mukesh, Mahendra Kapoor and Suman Kalyanpur were lost in the R.D. Burman-led 70s musical din.

Edited by Qwest - 18 years ago

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Barnali

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Posted: 18 years ago

Originally posted by: Qwest

Dada Moni, Ashok Kumar or SD Burman himself made a historical mistake when either of them gave a nickname "Pancham" to RD Burman. RD was master of Saat Sur and he should have been given name "Saptam".

Who so ever wrote this is so correct.👏 he was known to be the trendsetter among the composers in bollywood. Whatever diminishing we see in his composing stature is after Kishore Kumar passed away in '87. But in the 70's he simply ruled bollywood with his non stop hit melodies.

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Bob Chowdhury

@Qwest

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Posted: 18 years ago

R. D. Burman

Born on 27th June, 1939 in Calcutta, Rahul Deb Burman (RD) was the only child of Sachin Deb Burman and Mira Deb Burman. He was brought up in Calcutta. S D Burman was used to live in Ballygunge area in south Calcutta and was a popular Bengali singer and musician.

His family moved to Mumbai and RD started learning sitar under legendary sitar player Ali Akbar Khan.

[ The very first film that came Pancham's way was Raaz, offered to him by Guru Dutt, in 1958. Pancham was only 19. The film was shelved midway. He got his real break three years later, when Mehmood offered him Chote Nawab(1961). Pancham's first song was sung by Lata Mangeshkar(Ghar aaja Ghir aayee).

Pancham's career spanned 331 films, 5 TV serials, 164 non film songs(134 Bengali, 30 Hindi) and 5 languages. ]

Rahul Deb Burman's first film at the age of 22, Chhote Nawab, was a Mahmood production. In those days, the bespectacled young Burman was known more as S.D. Burman's son than as himself, a tag that was to last another ten years. After Chhote Nawab, R.D. drew a blank in 1962, '63 and '64. Chhote Nawab had some excellent songs, like: matvali ankhon vale (Lata, Rafi), llahi too sun le (Rafi), aam chhum laam chhum (Rafi and chorus), yet R.D. Burman's talent went unnoticed. For the next few years, he continued to assist his father. Nicknamed Pancham after his rhythm-oriented musical inclinations, RD surfaced again in 1965 with Mahmood's next, Bhoot Bungla and another film, Teesra Kaun. Manna Dey and chorus sang the former and Lata rendered the latter for Bhoot Bungla. Singing achha sanam(Teesra Kaun), Asha Bhosle typified what was to emerge as Pancham's swinging, up-beat style. Mukesh and Lata sang an innocent, romantic duet that went pyar ka fasaanaa banaa le dil deevaanaa. Suddenly, the world sat back and took notice.

[ He is a master composer. Nobody, nobody in Indian cinema has used music in all its form and range quite like him. If SD Burman was the purist, then his son Rahul Deb Burman was the maverick - the risk taker, the dare devil, who knew how to make symphony even out of a sock! ]

Mahmood nurtured him further, with Pati Patni (1966). Two songs distinguished the film's score. In one of them, actor-singer Surendra returned to the microphone after a long absence to give playback to Om Prakash. The other song, Kajre badarvaa re (Lata) was a gem of a tune. But the film that catapulted RD into big time was Nasir Husain's Teesri Manzil. Nasir had already acquired fame as the maker of a string of musical hits, from Tumsa Nahin Dekha (1957) to Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1963). Having worked with such giants as O.P. Nayyar and Shankar Jaikishan (the latter gave music in Nasir's Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai (1961), Nasir Husain reposed great faith in the little known 'Burman Junior' by signing him for not one but two films. Baharon Ke Sapne(1967) was to follow Teesri Manzil. It was as if RD had made a five-year plan and at the end of his gestation, he would reap his rewards. After 1961, 1966 became the most important year for him. Teesri Manzil was the talk of the (music) town. o haseena zulfon vali(Rafi, Asha), o mere sona(Rafi,Asha) Tumne mujhe dekha(Rafi) and Deevana mujhsa naheen(Rafi) were heard in every street and occupied a lot of airtime over Radio Ceylon. Baharon Ke Sapne did not emulate the success of Teesri Manzil. Its box-office failure affected its music too, though many felt that at least musically, Baharon Ke Sapne was outstanding. RD showed remarkable range while composing Chunri sambhaal gori (Manna, Lata and chorus), Kya jaanoon sajan(Lata) and Zamaane ne maare javaan kaise kaise(Rafi). Aajaa piya tohe pyar doon(Lata) was a unique blend of simple tune and measured orchestration. With Padosan and Abhilasha (both made in 1968), RD emerged from the shadow of his illustrious father. As his second five-year plan progressed, RD bagged films like Pyar Ka Mausam, Waris (both 1969) and Kati Patang and Raaton Ka Raja (both 1970). And then came 1971 - the year of Rahul Deb Burman. Adhikar, Buddha Mil Gaya, Caravan, Ehsan, Lakhon Mein Ek, Lagan, Mela, Pyar Ki Kahani and The Train - all had RD's name as music director. His tenth film in that one eventful year was Hare Rama Hare Krishna, which made it to the top in Binaca Geetmala through Dum maro dum. The son had carved out a place for himself in the sun. Rahul Deb Burman emerged from the daunting shadow of Sachinda to become one of the topmost composers in Hindustani films. Looking at 1972, we find his name associated with Apna Desh, Bombay To Goa, Dil Ka Raja, Do Chor, Garam Masala, Gomti Ke Kinare, Jawani Diwani, Mere Jeevan Saathi, Parchhaiyan, Parichay, Rakhi Aur Hathkadi, Rampur Ka Lakshman, Rani Mera Naam, Samadhi, Sanjog, Savera, and Shehzada. That makes sixteen films in one year !

Lasting associations is RD's forte. From Teesri Manzil to Zabardast (1985), every film of director Nasir Husain had his music. With Ramesh Behl (Apne Apne 1986), the team dates back to Jawani Diwani. After Hare Rama Hare Krishna, all but two or three films of Dev Anand were adorned with Pancham's tunes. Dubbed 'strange' in the early seventies, the RD - Gulzar combine has consistently yielded musical hits in the Parichay tradition. Majrooh and Anand Bakshi were his favorite poets for over twenty years. Every film of actor - director - producer Mahmood just had to have Pancham's music. All four of Ramesh Sippy's films, beginning, with Sholay (1975), have had their score composed by him. Saagar (1985) was among the top twenty-five musical films six months after its release. Earlier, for many weeks, it was among the top three. Sholay earned the country's first platinum disc and Sippy's Shaan, a commercial disaster, had some catchy songs, thanks to RD.

Quite obviously, RD has shown a marked preference for Kishore Kumar among male singers and Asha Bhosle among the female voices. Kishore probably suited his boisterous antic-gimmick-calisthenic style more than any other singer. Kishore is at his 'best' singing Naheen naheen abhi naheen (Jawani Diwani -1972), Jaise ko taisa mila (Jaise Ko Taisa - 1973), 0 hansini -(Zehreela Insaan - 1974), Main shair badnaam (Namak Haram - 1973), Cham cheekee chiki bam cheeki chiki (Kahtey Hain Mujhko Raja - 1975), Mere naina (Mehbooba - 1976) and 0 manjhi re (Kinara -1977). But that does not negate the RD-Rafi masterpieces, like Sunder ho aisee (Dil Ka Raja - 1972), Chura liya hai (Yaadon Ki Baaraat - 1973) , Aa raat jaatee hai (Benaam - 1974 - both duets with Lata), Naghma hamaara (Bundalbaaz - 1975), Kya hua tera vada and Chand mera dil (both from Hum Kisise Kum Naheen - 1977), (the first with a few lines by Sushama Shrestha) and dozens of songs from his sixties's films.

Asha Bhosle was more than a singer to him. Eventually, she became his (second) wife. RD further moulded her vocal nuances, nuances that had been created and shaped by O.P. Nayyar and S.D. Burman. The cabaret-night club-discotheque genre of film music is studded with a number of R.D.-Asha 'floor shows'. Some are listed here: Mera naam hai Shabnam (Kati Patang - 1970), Piya too ab to aa jaa (Caravan - 1971), Aa jaa o mere raja (Apna Desh - 1972), Aaj kee raat (Anamika - 1973), Teri meri yaari badi purani (Charitraheen-1974), Sapna mera toot gayaa (Khel Khel Mein -1975), Do pal kee hai yeh zindaganee (Chala Murari Hero Banne - 1977), Mera pyar, Shalimar (Shalimar - 1978), Kya ghazab karte ho jee (Love Story -1980), Jaan-e-jaan (Sanam Teri Kasam - 1981) and Dharkan pal pal (Arjun - 1985).

Besides doing bit roles in Bhoot Bungla and Pyar Ka Mausam, Pancham has sung a number of songs, self-tuned. Most of them have been hits: Duniya mein (Apna Desh), Dhanno ki aankhon men (Kitaab) and Mehbooba mehbooba (Sholay). Often dubbed a plagiarist, RD has proved his mettle time and again for twenty-five tuneful years from film to film, song to song.

Courtesy: from an article published in 1986 in "Playback"

Edited by Qwest - 18 years ago

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*dolly*

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Posted: 18 years ago

Universal has released this audio album on 27th June 2007 which is a collection of 8 songs released by Gulshan Bawra and its mentioned in the album itself "Rare Recording sessions in the Master's own voice
inside".

The song lists are:
1)Kasme Vaade - Title song
2)Dilbar Mere - Satte Pe Satta
3)Tere Bina Main - Jaane Jaa
4)Tu Rutha - Jawaani
5)Tu Tu Hai Wahi - Yeh Vaada Raha
6)Samundar Main nahake - Pukar
7)Dil Machal Raha Hai - khalifa
8)Jaane E Jaan - Sanam Teri Kasam

So u get to hear the originals as well as the studio recordings.

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*dolly*

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Posted: 18 years ago

Rishi Kapoor wished to have worked with RD again EnlargeToday is RD Burman's 68th birth anniversary.

Kolkata, June 27, 2007
First Published: 20:13 IST(27/6/2007)
Last Updated: 15:38 IST(28/6/2007)

RD Burman and you had a great association, isn't it?
He was an old friend and no doubt one of the greatest music directors of our country. He will always be very close to my heart and I have had such a great musical journey with him. I am told that I have done some 16 films with him.

When did you first meet?
I don't remember that, but the first film I signed after Bobby was Zehreela Insaan that had RD as music director. Let me tell you an anecdote, it is something I feel bad about — it was during the early '90s when I was having this great spell of hits and most of the music of these films was by Nadeem-Shravan.

One day Pancham called me and asked why we could not work together. I told him, 'What to do yaar? Whatever films come to me, the music director is already fixed by the director'. Then, I was working with Rajkumar Santoshi in Damini and Pancham was giving music for his Ghatak. I heard one song and loved it.

After shooting he fell ill and passed away. Just two months before that he had called and asked why we weren't working together. The last film that we did together was Gurudev. It's always weighed on my heart that we could not work again.

Just two months before he died he had called and asked why we weren't working together. It's always weighed on my heart that we could not work again.The secret behind the success of the Rishi Kapoor-RD Burman combination?
I was the only young hero that he had in his time. Sunjay Dutt and Kumar Gaurav were only beginners at that time. I was a musical star in all those truly musical and romantic films. Pancham's youthful music was with Rishi Kapoor. Yes, he had done some great music with Shammi Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor and Randhir Kapoor but I was the new kid on the block.

Some of your favourite films with him…
It's difficult to single out. He gave great music even in some of my flop films like Bade Dil Wala, Yeh Wada Raha, Aan Aur Shaan and Dhan Daulat. In fact, Pancham has made a great contribution to my career and of course there were lyricists Gulshan Bawra and Anand Bakshi.

Kishore Kumar, too, played a big part in the RD-Rishi Kapoor combination, isn't it?
Yes, of course. The best part was that both sang on beat, so it was easier to lip sync.

Have you had your differences with him?
Yes, once I had a great fight with him over one song. He got angry with me and told me, "Tum bhi to kabhi bure shot dete ho." Then I told him to cool down and the differences were sorted out.

Edited by *dolly* - 18 years ago

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*dolly*

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Posted: 18 years ago

Panchamda's unforgettable, says Big B

RD's music lives on foreverJune 30, 2006

Kolkata, June 26, 2007
First Published: 05:19 IST(27/6/2007)
Last Updated: 15:06 IST(27/6/2007)

Today is RD Burman's 68th birth anniversary. Diganta Guha speaks to Amitabh Bachchan who had a great association with him.

When did you first meet RD Burman and what struck you?
I think it was with Mehmood bhai. They were very close. It was Mehmood bhai who gave Panchamda his first break as an independent music director. Later, of course, he became close to Jaya (Bachchan). Many of his teams were from Bengal.

Jaya was in constant touch with them, particularly during the Puja. He was a very chilled out, funny and mischievous person. Extremely warm and endearing. Loved to joke and always had a smiling disposition.

People talk of the Rajesh Khanna-RD Burman or Dev Anand-RD Burman combinations. You did 21 films with him and he had some of his biggest hits with you…
People are right. His compositions in films with Dev saheb and Rajesh Khanna are legendary. They were pure magic.

They contain the subtlety, purity and aesthetic quality of Bengal, yet the exuberance of a modern world enveloped in the fantasised commercial Hindi cinema of Mumbai. I am fortunate to have had some very memorable hits from him, but his works with Dev saheb and Rajesh Khanna were far superior.

He had the great quality of mixing classical, folk and modern music at will. Today his music lives on with even greater gusto — a recognised quality of a genius. What made RD special?
He had the great quality of mixing classical, folk and modern music at will. Today his music lives on with even greater gusto — a recognised quality of a genius. Some during his lifetime perhaps were unable to appreciate or fathom his talent.

Some are of the view that RD Burman surpassed SD Burman. Do you agree?
I disagree. SD Burman was divine. Pancham was more flamboyant and more youthful. I doubt if even Panchamda would have endorsed this.

Five of your favourite RD tracks?
The ones with Hrishida (Hrishikesh Mukherjee), another with Basuda (Basu Chatterjee) and the Kaalia number Jahan teri yeh nazar hai. Very few know that this was a composition that he and I sat together on after I had heard a Persian tune and we worked to imbibe a few notes that we liked on that number.

You are in the Sholay remake and RD is no more. There must be a vacuum...
Yes, of course. The original will always remain a masterpiece.

One film where RD scored the music you would have loved to be part of?
Amar Prem with Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore and directed by Shakti Samanta...the remake of the Bengali film, Nishipadma. Incredible music. Everlasting.

Edited by *dolly* - 18 years ago

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Bob Chowdhury

@Qwest

Inactive

Posted: 18 years ago

Pancham Passion
HMV's Golden Collection - The Genius of R D Burman
by Subhash K Jha

Three years have gone by since R D Burman left us (January 1994). In the years preceding his sudden and irreplaceable demise his longstanding friends and admirers in the film industry had more- or-less dismissed the Burmanesque mystique as out of step with the times. R D Burman didn't live to see the revival of interest in his music. If he had lived to experience the upsurge of laurels in the wake of "1942-A Love Story" he would have been more saddened than gladdened by our tendency to write off artistes of illimitable aptitudes when they hit a dark spot in their careers.

After being in his father's shadow for several years and having ghost composed some of the senior Burman's most successful compositions in the late sixties, junior Burman proved he was 'beta' than the best. RD made an immediate impact with two back-to-back antithetical scores in long-standing friend Mehmood's "Chhote Nawab" and "Bhoot Bangla". While the former contained such effulgent classical nuggets as "Ghar aaja ghir aaye badra sanwariya", the latter found RD doing a tantalising twist that branded him as the most modern composer of our times.

One wonders what the shape of RD's career would have been if early in his career Nasir Husain's "Baharon Ke Sapne" had been the decisive blockbuster instead of Husain's "Teesri Manzil". If Baharon Ke Sapne had clicked RD would have had the chance to compose more compositions closer to his heart like "Aaja piya tohe pyar doon"; "Kya janoon aajan hoti hai kya" and "zaamane ne maarey jawan kaise kaise". Wisely, the anthology released to observe the third year without RD Burman selects "zaamane ne maarey jawan kaise kaise" from "Baharon Ke Sapne". This Burman score was brilliantly collaborated in the inceptive years of his career.

The collection lives up to the promise of delivering a rare largely obfuscated side of the Burmanesque genius. The side that never overcame hurdles imposed on the composer after the success of the rock n roll score in Teesri Manzil. One number out of fifty one selected for the collection alone suffices to lend a tonal multiplicity to RD's enduring image as a versatile composer.

Listen to Lata Mangeshkar sing "O ganga maiyya paar laga de mere sapnon ki naiyya" for the long-forgotten Meena Kumari in April 1967. This precious composition from RD's vast ditty-kitty is as purely Indian as the Ganga. One of Lata's most cherishable songs, "o Ganga maiyya" has seldom been put in any anthology of RD'S or Lata's songs.

The thrill of rediscovering a large number of RD's nuggets that were sidelined by the failure of parent films, is sustained almost to the end of the anthology. There's a telltale Rafi number from a pre-Zanjeer Amitabh Bachchan starrer. "Koi aur duniya mein tumsa" from "Pyar Ki Kahani" not only sounds very similar to RD's "Maine poocha chand se" in Abdullah, the two compositions are similarly worded and sung by the same singer Mohammed Rafi.

This collection stresses the more reflective artistry of Burman than previous collections. In this era when RD's songs are being remixed and restructured to suit the chart's purposes it is a pleasure beyond words to hear the originals. Without the untold benefits of multi-track recording facilities, R D Burman created edifices of enigma like "O hansini" in "Zehreela Insaan"; "Ni sultana re" in "Pyar Ka Mausam" and "Acchi nahin sanam dil lagi dil-e-beqaraar se" in "Rakhi Aur Hathkadi". All these compositions of classic modernism co-exist happily in this sun-kissed anthology.

When the prolonged lean phase set into RD's career circa the early Eighties RD was at the acme of his composing skills. The films that Burman composed for during the decade of doom, flopped. But were his longstanding filmmaker-friends like Mehmood, Rahul Rawail, Ramesh Sippy, Nasir Husain and Raj Sippy impervious to the elevated quality of music that RD composed for these disastrous films? If they missed the point earlier on here's their chance to catch up with the irrefutable convictions that Burman poured into songs from his flop phase. "O meri jaan" in Nasir Hussain's "Manzil Manzil"; "Jeene de yeh duniya chahe maar dale" in Lava. "Kabhi palkon pe aanson hai" in "Harjaee" are among the choicest, most fluent and filigreed compositions of RD Burman's career. They were also the essence of creativity in film music of the Eighties.

Why did RD Burman's career get relegated to the back rows of the charts? It's a pity he was born in an era when the fate of a film and its music scores were inextricably linked to each other. Today his imitators Jatin-Lalit become chart-ka-badshahs by echoing RD's style in "Khamoshi-The Musical" even though the film is a disaster at the box-office.

"The Genius of RD Burman" album doesn't do full justice to the composer. No single anthology can ever do that. What it does is familiarises listeners with some of the crucial career-defining make-or-break songs from RD's repertoire. Back in 1979 when Hema Malini's literary semi-classic Ratna Deep flopped its music too went down the drain. Today when one listens to RD's "Kabhi kabhi sapna lagta hai" from the film one is filled with wonderment and admiration. Was the multi-talented RD Burman a mere dream?

Edited by Qwest - 18 years ago

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Bob Chowdhury

@Qwest

Inactive

Posted: 18 years ago

#10

Music Director & Singer- R.D Burman

Versatile singer and a man of different moods! Kishore Kumar the legend. He Was/Is projected as eccentric, very human, romantic. But what overwhelmed it all was his "Golden Voice" that gave us so many songs that are beyond par excellence

Edited by Qwest - 18 years ago

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RDB:A music composer of unparallel talent

RD Burman :A music composer of unparalleled talent!

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