Rahul Dev Burman was nicknamed Tublu by his maternal grandmother although he later came to be known as Pancham. According to some stories, he was nicknamed so because, as a child, whenever he cried, it sounded in the fifth note (Pa) of the Indian musical scale.
Pancham Da started his career assisting his illustrious father on films such as Jewel Thief and Prem Pujari. The music of his first movie, Teesri Manzil proved to be runaway success. Of RD Burman's 331 released movie scores, 292 were in Hindi, 31 in Bengali, 3 in Telugu, 2 each in Tamil and Oriya, and 1 in Marathi. RD also composed for 5 TV Serials in Hindi and Marathi. Though Burman laid the foundation for the future of music that was vibrant and youthful, bringing in it many international influences, bold experimentation and energy, he was considered 'not classical enough' and 'not Indian enough' initially. Despite his popularity, he was awarded a total of only three Filmfare Awards, one of which was awarded posthumously (for 1942: A Love Story)
It was after his demise that the coming generations truly appreciated what his music was all about. Like a gentle summer breeze that holds within itself promises of unknown expressions, right from rain to thunder to storms to lightening and the sound of misty waves crashing against the shore, R D serenaded us effortlessly in five hues of music, each more beautiful than the other. We know his songs by heart, whether we like it or not! Even today if on any given day, you feel jaded, cynical or too loveless, just put on an R D song and you will be 16 again. Here are my favourite 'Sweet 16' by RD!
Song 2: SUNO KAHO KAHA SUNA
The only heroine who came close to Sharmila's chemistry with Khanna and maybe outdid it was Mumu. Rajesh Khanna and Mumu backed by Kishore and Lata singing to R D Burman's music, scorched the screen automatically. Mumtaz running in this yellow sharara is one of those golden screen moments etched in the memory of Hindi movie fans and Khanna just had to be himself, blinking eyes in his trademark style, creating euphoria amidst college girls and their moms equally, and sans any 6 pack abs! Together they made this Q and A natter of 'sweet-nothings' hugely entertaining. So whether it was aimless speculation about their yet to develop relationship or dancing wildly under the influence of bhaang, their fans lapped it all up. RD's music rocked all through and romance reigned supreme!!:-))
Song 3: O MERE DIL KE CHAYN
The lethal combo of Kishore's voice, R D's music ability and Rajesh's acting wooed one leading lady after the other often to exacting standards. These were songs that every giggly girl wanted to be sung to, every demure debutante dreamt of being caressed with, every mysterious married woman revelled in and smiled to, every lonely person longed to break the ice with and probably every grandma related to with fond memories. The beauty of these songs was the seeming effortlessness with which they wove their magic. Perfect synergies were at work - heartfelt lyrics, gimmick free music, genuine even if a little affected acting, the personal charisma of the stars and a voice with character and cadence.
Song 4: TERA MUJH SE HAI PEHLE KA NATA
Being an army officer's kid meant that mostly dad was stationed in a place in the back of beyond and a good school would always be in the nearest decent sized town 50km or more away. Hitching on to olive green, '3 Ton' fauji trucks with make-shift seats and a stern looking jawan or JCO to mind us on the way, we set out for schools in the wee hours of the morning. In winters it would be almost dark when we left and returned again in the very late afternoon. What made those bumpy rides worthwhile were friends who would keep favourite seats for us, get an extra helping of things in their tiffin we liked(some bookworm type girls even finished their and our HW in the rickety ride yeah!) and bouts of antakshari. It was songs like these that made those loooongish jaunts to school fun and time just flew away. :-)
Song 5: PYAAR DEEWANA HOTA HAI
This one simply for it's gooey freshness. The A B C of loooove and romance, the hope in hopelessness, the wonder in thunder!
Song 6: MERI SONI MERI TAMANNA
It was with R D Burman's music that Asha and Kishore gave some of their most memorable duets. Times were changing, the music was getting more westernised and so were the characterisations. Kishore and Asha paved the way for slightly anglicised phrases or hook lines coming into Hindi songs. Their voices made a carefree college romance more believable(with due respect to Mohd Rafi, hearing him say 'I Love you' would always give a very fatherly love type of feel, I mean have you heard him say 'Happy Burday to You'!!) This was the time when heroines in India too turned more liberated in terms of their attire and mannerisms, spurred by the prevalent International mood of flower power and hippie culture, psychedelic music and social permissiveness.
Song 7: JAANE JAAN DHOONDHTA
At other times Kishore-Asha upped the cool quotient of an insipid lead with brilliant vocals. As far as range and melody goes, I find this duet of theirs wonderful. So even though it starred the podgy non-actor Kapoor-Randhir and Jaya in a saree with a doll( never could figure out this one!), it is simply R D's music and the easy, natural adaptability of these two voices that make this song worth listening to even today.
br />
Song 8: TUM AA GAYE HO NOOR AA GAYA HAI
To say that all R D excelled at was light, effervescent stuff is so wrong. With Gulzar he morphed into something else. Let's hear some beautiful Kishore songs written by Gulzar and composed by R D. Believe me that's a lethal combo!! Gulzar's metaphor-rich poetry often found the ideal vehicle in R D's sublime music and a conveyor and communicator in Kishore's sensitive and gentle rendition. Sampooran Singh Kalra, better known as Gulzar was born in the Jhelum district of Punjab( now in Pakistan) and I am told that he even worked as a car mechanic in Delhi before he made his foray into commercial writing. Well, all I can say to that is that he was meant to mend a lot more than mere automobiles. He was meant to mend a broken heart, he was meant to give a solution to solitude, he was meant to eradicate ennui and he was meant to remedy desolation and longing. Gulzar's poetry right from his first song in Bandini called 'Mora gora ang layile' reached straight to the innermost cores of our imagination and sensibilities. His songs are like the heartwarming swig of cognac on cold, lonely winter nights and the very solace, the very spring that blooms in a thousand hues across the mindscape of poetry lovers all over India and the world. This one's got the added punch of RD's music as well:-)))
Song 9: ISS MOD SE JAATE HAIN
Gulzar has the uncanny ability to carve out very realistic characters and delve into human emotions and relationships with the precision of a master storyteller. In a career spanning five decades he has gifted us with riveting stories that broke the stereotypes of screen characters in many ways. While many of his characters seemed like someone real we had met, it was also reality at times that inspired some of his stories. This movie for instance was based on the life of you-know-who. And I love the fact that somebody had the cheek to name it Aandhi!! It is high time the Aandhis of the world stopped considering this country as their personal property. Aandhi or no aandhi, the country is definitely poised at the crossroads of change as in this song.
br />
Song 10: JIS GALI MEIN TERA GHAR NA
This is another song in which R D displays great maturity and depth. And he extracts the best out of Mukesh in terms of an almost spiritual vibe. The sound of water as a boat rows through it is represented so well musically. The lyrics too are the epitome of what love means to our sensibilities. When you truly love someone, it's either all or nothing at all. Your day begins with that person and ends with that person. There is no road or pathway you want to tread that does not take you closer to your love, no garden you want to pluck flowers from, if it has thorns that hurt your beloved. Wow! The song is almost a metaphor for the soul finding its ultimate purpose and becoming one with that. I always get hypnotised (and not hyptonised! )with this one.
Song 11: KHULLAM KHULLA PYAAR KARENGE
R D set a new trend of refreshing music for teenybopper romances in India and no one could beat Rishi- Neetu at it. They made love look like sooo much fun. They portrayed on screen an all new permissiveness, more cute than hot. They were like two buddies on a roll, two great friends having a rollicking time be it getting drunk and painting the town red or sneaking out of hostels at midnight. BTW notice the music when Roshan is mixing the sinful booze into their orange juice. The best part about these songs is when I tell my daughter that this grooving couple is Ranbir Kapoor's mummy papa. She really laughs as if mummy papas are not supposed to do fun idiotic things. But Kishore and Asha sang these songs with so much conviction and Rishi-Neetu played it best!! :-))
Song 12: KYA YAHI PYAAR HAI
A lovely and calming Kishore-Lata duet set to RD's music. Sanjay Dutt looks particularly gawky and unsure in his debut movie-the choreography is no great shakes either and imagine shooting such a song with your Dad in attendance. Sunil Dutt was the director! But Tina Munim was pretty poised even then and looked lovely in those teeny bopper ensembles. The song describes that unsure stage when you wonder if it's love or if you are just hyperventilating. Look out for some predictable signs and symptoms. As for me, yeah I am in love....with this song hahaha;-))
Song 13: EK MAIN AUR EK TU
Guess I have to return to Rishi-Neetu to round off this one. They pretty much defined sweet, innocent love. Their dance moves looked so not-rehearsed, their look was so right- catch Neetu sporting pigtails and black nailpaint even back then. It's like when I am in a cosmetics shop looking for nailpaints, my daughter comes up to me and says take this green, yellow, black and I am like yeauuuwww!!! And I almost faint when I see some of the short dresses I wore in college especially a blue and white tight lycra number that I wore on my college farewell-yes, preserved it for my daughter! But that is what youth is all about. Experimenting and carrying off most things with cheek and chutzpah. Yes, today one knows what one wants. Or atleast one knows what one doesn't want or what doesn't suit one. I know I am old for black nail paint and skirts soooo short.(Reminds me of that quaint ad- I am too old for mini skirts too young to be a grandma. But i think you're just right for Amul chocolates!!) Or knee high boots, for that matter. Now that's an instant age diffuser. Ummm Don't think i'll ever give up those. It's one thing you'll find me wearing even when I am 50 at least. As it is feeling very young today, waiting for ma and pa who are coming over to stay with me this month, coz i get to behave like a teenager when they are around.:-)))
Song 14 KAHIN NA JA AAJ KAHIN MAT JA
Aah the charm of holding on to a loved one who is setting out on an adventurous sojourn. While people have to do what they have to do and be on their own at times, no harm in letting a loved one know that he will be missed dearly. I for one have never had qualms in accepting the obvious. There should be no ego in these things. Better to have said it than live in that maybe 'distance makes the hearts grow fonder' suspense. If you truly love someone, wanting to be with them should be the natural progression, isn't it?
br />
Song 15: KARVATEIN BADALTE RAHE
And if still you have to stay away for whatever reason, meeting a loved one again is so fulfilling. All that wait, that anxiousness is worth it, when you're finally together and can tell each other how difficult it was to spend each moment. Mumu and Rajesh simply sizzle in this song. It is also a fine example of how Lata too gelled so perfectly with Kishore especially when composed by RD. A classic indeed.
Song 16: AISE NA MUJHE TUM DEKHO
Considering Kishore's countless romantic songs, I'll always rate this one pretty high. It has a zany lilt and a catchy beat to it. It's a timeless song, a weightless song, a sensuous and daring song. When I checked out the video it was not half as fun even though it has the legendary Dev and Zeenie baby but is filmed in one of those cliched Hindi movie plots that at times do no justice to awesome songs. So I certainly feel its a great song to listen to. It's a typical RD song who added so many indefinable touches to each song in terms of musical variations, though the lyrics are typical Anand Bakshi who epitomised commercial, workable, doable, viable writing for Hindi movies. Kishore has again given that soft and silky texture at places with some yodelling too. Talk of a song killing me softly....
Pancham Da started his career assisting his illustrious father on films such as Jewel Thief and Prem Pujari. The music of his first movie, Teesri Manzil proved to be runaway success. Of RD Burman's 331 released movie scores, 292 were in Hindi, 31 in Bengali, 3 in Telugu, 2 each in Tamil and Oriya, and 1 in Marathi. RD also composed for 5 TV Serials in Hindi and Marathi. Though Burman laid the foundation for the future of music that was vibrant and youthful, bringing in it many international influences, bold experimentation and energy, he was considered 'not classical enough' and 'not Indian enough' initially. Despite his popularity, he was awarded a total of only three Filmfare Awards, one of which was awarded posthumously (for 1942: A Love Story)
It was after his demise that the coming generations truly appreciated what his music was all about. Like a gentle summer breeze that holds within itself promises of unknown expressions, right from rain to thunder to storms to lightening and the sound of misty waves crashing against the shore, R D serenaded us effortlessly in five hues of music, each more beautiful than the other. We know his songs by heart, whether we like it or not! Even today if on any given day, you feel jaded, cynical or too loveless, just put on an R D song and you will be 16 again. Here are my favourite 'Sweet 16' by RD!
SONG 1: MERE SAPNON KI RANI
Who is immune to the pulsating charm of this song? Written by Anand Bakshi and credited to S D Burman, it is widely acclaimed that the song was composed by R D Burman while assisting his father. The R D stamp is unmistakable. It has the thrill and adventure of a formula one race, the wide eyed wonder of a toy train, the sing song rhythm of a gushing rail, the shrill exuberance of an echoing mountain whistle, the dependability of a harmonica-playing-cum-meandering-driver buddy, the blossoming beauty of Sharmila(reading Alistair Maclean no less!) and Khanna looking rather dapper in a Nepali cap. Kishore of course is the soul of this song, exhibiting endearing magnetism at its best! During my Chitrahaar childhood, when my best friend and I would actually go to a wishing well and wish for (Lo and behold, nothing out of this world but Dev Anand and Rajesh Khanna songs in the evening!), this lone song could make my whole week like nothing else!!:-)
Who is immune to the pulsating charm of this song? Written by Anand Bakshi and credited to S D Burman, it is widely acclaimed that the song was composed by R D Burman while assisting his father. The R D stamp is unmistakable. It has the thrill and adventure of a formula one race, the wide eyed wonder of a toy train, the sing song rhythm of a gushing rail, the shrill exuberance of an echoing mountain whistle, the dependability of a harmonica-playing-cum-meandering-driver buddy, the blossoming beauty of Sharmila(reading Alistair Maclean no less!) and Khanna looking rather dapper in a Nepali cap. Kishore of course is the soul of this song, exhibiting endearing magnetism at its best! During my Chitrahaar childhood, when my best friend and I would actually go to a wishing well and wish for (Lo and behold, nothing out of this world but Dev Anand and Rajesh Khanna songs in the evening!), this lone song could make my whole week like nothing else!!:-)
Song 2: SUNO KAHO KAHA SUNA
The only heroine who came close to Sharmila's chemistry with Khanna and maybe outdid it was Mumu. Rajesh Khanna and Mumu backed by Kishore and Lata singing to R D Burman's music, scorched the screen automatically. Mumtaz running in this yellow sharara is one of those golden screen moments etched in the memory of Hindi movie fans and Khanna just had to be himself, blinking eyes in his trademark style, creating euphoria amidst college girls and their moms equally, and sans any 6 pack abs! Together they made this Q and A natter of 'sweet-nothings' hugely entertaining. So whether it was aimless speculation about their yet to develop relationship or dancing wildly under the influence of bhaang, their fans lapped it all up. RD's music rocked all through and romance reigned supreme!!:-))
Song 3: O MERE DIL KE CHAYN
The lethal combo of Kishore's voice, R D's music ability and Rajesh's acting wooed one leading lady after the other often to exacting standards. These were songs that every giggly girl wanted to be sung to, every demure debutante dreamt of being caressed with, every mysterious married woman revelled in and smiled to, every lonely person longed to break the ice with and probably every grandma related to with fond memories. The beauty of these songs was the seeming effortlessness with which they wove their magic. Perfect synergies were at work - heartfelt lyrics, gimmick free music, genuine even if a little affected acting, the personal charisma of the stars and a voice with character and cadence.
Song 4: TERA MUJH SE HAI PEHLE KA NATA
Being an army officer's kid meant that mostly dad was stationed in a place in the back of beyond and a good school would always be in the nearest decent sized town 50km or more away. Hitching on to olive green, '3 Ton' fauji trucks with make-shift seats and a stern looking jawan or JCO to mind us on the way, we set out for schools in the wee hours of the morning. In winters it would be almost dark when we left and returned again in the very late afternoon. What made those bumpy rides worthwhile were friends who would keep favourite seats for us, get an extra helping of things in their tiffin we liked(some bookworm type girls even finished their and our HW in the rickety ride yeah!) and bouts of antakshari. It was songs like these that made those loooongish jaunts to school fun and time just flew away. :-)
Song 5: PYAAR DEEWANA HOTA HAI
This one simply for it's gooey freshness. The A B C of loooove and romance, the hope in hopelessness, the wonder in thunder!
Song 6: MERI SONI MERI TAMANNA
It was with R D Burman's music that Asha and Kishore gave some of their most memorable duets. Times were changing, the music was getting more westernised and so were the characterisations. Kishore and Asha paved the way for slightly anglicised phrases or hook lines coming into Hindi songs. Their voices made a carefree college romance more believable(with due respect to Mohd Rafi, hearing him say 'I Love you' would always give a very fatherly love type of feel, I mean have you heard him say 'Happy Burday to You'!!) This was the time when heroines in India too turned more liberated in terms of their attire and mannerisms, spurred by the prevalent International mood of flower power and hippie culture, psychedelic music and social permissiveness.
Song 7: JAANE JAAN DHOONDHTA
At other times Kishore-Asha upped the cool quotient of an insipid lead with brilliant vocals. As far as range and melody goes, I find this duet of theirs wonderful. So even though it starred the podgy non-actor Kapoor-Randhir and Jaya in a saree with a doll( never could figure out this one!), it is simply R D's music and the easy, natural adaptability of these two voices that make this song worth listening to even today.
br />
Song 8: TUM AA GAYE HO NOOR AA GAYA HAI
To say that all R D excelled at was light, effervescent stuff is so wrong. With Gulzar he morphed into something else. Let's hear some beautiful Kishore songs written by Gulzar and composed by R D. Believe me that's a lethal combo!! Gulzar's metaphor-rich poetry often found the ideal vehicle in R D's sublime music and a conveyor and communicator in Kishore's sensitive and gentle rendition. Sampooran Singh Kalra, better known as Gulzar was born in the Jhelum district of Punjab( now in Pakistan) and I am told that he even worked as a car mechanic in Delhi before he made his foray into commercial writing. Well, all I can say to that is that he was meant to mend a lot more than mere automobiles. He was meant to mend a broken heart, he was meant to give a solution to solitude, he was meant to eradicate ennui and he was meant to remedy desolation and longing. Gulzar's poetry right from his first song in Bandini called 'Mora gora ang layile' reached straight to the innermost cores of our imagination and sensibilities. His songs are like the heartwarming swig of cognac on cold, lonely winter nights and the very solace, the very spring that blooms in a thousand hues across the mindscape of poetry lovers all over India and the world. This one's got the added punch of RD's music as well:-)))
Song 9: ISS MOD SE JAATE HAIN
Gulzar has the uncanny ability to carve out very realistic characters and delve into human emotions and relationships with the precision of a master storyteller. In a career spanning five decades he has gifted us with riveting stories that broke the stereotypes of screen characters in many ways. While many of his characters seemed like someone real we had met, it was also reality at times that inspired some of his stories. This movie for instance was based on the life of you-know-who. And I love the fact that somebody had the cheek to name it Aandhi!! It is high time the Aandhis of the world stopped considering this country as their personal property. Aandhi or no aandhi, the country is definitely poised at the crossroads of change as in this song.
br />
Song 10: JIS GALI MEIN TERA GHAR NA
This is another song in which R D displays great maturity and depth. And he extracts the best out of Mukesh in terms of an almost spiritual vibe. The sound of water as a boat rows through it is represented so well musically. The lyrics too are the epitome of what love means to our sensibilities. When you truly love someone, it's either all or nothing at all. Your day begins with that person and ends with that person. There is no road or pathway you want to tread that does not take you closer to your love, no garden you want to pluck flowers from, if it has thorns that hurt your beloved. Wow! The song is almost a metaphor for the soul finding its ultimate purpose and becoming one with that. I always get hypnotised (and not hyptonised! )with this one.
Song 11: KHULLAM KHULLA PYAAR KARENGE
R D set a new trend of refreshing music for teenybopper romances in India and no one could beat Rishi- Neetu at it. They made love look like sooo much fun. They portrayed on screen an all new permissiveness, more cute than hot. They were like two buddies on a roll, two great friends having a rollicking time be it getting drunk and painting the town red or sneaking out of hostels at midnight. BTW notice the music when Roshan is mixing the sinful booze into their orange juice. The best part about these songs is when I tell my daughter that this grooving couple is Ranbir Kapoor's mummy papa. She really laughs as if mummy papas are not supposed to do fun idiotic things. But Kishore and Asha sang these songs with so much conviction and Rishi-Neetu played it best!! :-))
Song 12: KYA YAHI PYAAR HAI
A lovely and calming Kishore-Lata duet set to RD's music. Sanjay Dutt looks particularly gawky and unsure in his debut movie-the choreography is no great shakes either and imagine shooting such a song with your Dad in attendance. Sunil Dutt was the director! But Tina Munim was pretty poised even then and looked lovely in those teeny bopper ensembles. The song describes that unsure stage when you wonder if it's love or if you are just hyperventilating. Look out for some predictable signs and symptoms. As for me, yeah I am in love....with this song hahaha;-))
Song 13: EK MAIN AUR EK TU
Guess I have to return to Rishi-Neetu to round off this one. They pretty much defined sweet, innocent love. Their dance moves looked so not-rehearsed, their look was so right- catch Neetu sporting pigtails and black nailpaint even back then. It's like when I am in a cosmetics shop looking for nailpaints, my daughter comes up to me and says take this green, yellow, black and I am like yeauuuwww!!! And I almost faint when I see some of the short dresses I wore in college especially a blue and white tight lycra number that I wore on my college farewell-yes, preserved it for my daughter! But that is what youth is all about. Experimenting and carrying off most things with cheek and chutzpah. Yes, today one knows what one wants. Or atleast one knows what one doesn't want or what doesn't suit one. I know I am old for black nail paint and skirts soooo short.(Reminds me of that quaint ad- I am too old for mini skirts too young to be a grandma. But i think you're just right for Amul chocolates!!) Or knee high boots, for that matter. Now that's an instant age diffuser. Ummm Don't think i'll ever give up those. It's one thing you'll find me wearing even when I am 50 at least. As it is feeling very young today, waiting for ma and pa who are coming over to stay with me this month, coz i get to behave like a teenager when they are around.:-)))
Song 14 KAHIN NA JA AAJ KAHIN MAT JA
Aah the charm of holding on to a loved one who is setting out on an adventurous sojourn. While people have to do what they have to do and be on their own at times, no harm in letting a loved one know that he will be missed dearly. I for one have never had qualms in accepting the obvious. There should be no ego in these things. Better to have said it than live in that maybe 'distance makes the hearts grow fonder' suspense. If you truly love someone, wanting to be with them should be the natural progression, isn't it?
br />
Song 15: KARVATEIN BADALTE RAHE
And if still you have to stay away for whatever reason, meeting a loved one again is so fulfilling. All that wait, that anxiousness is worth it, when you're finally together and can tell each other how difficult it was to spend each moment. Mumu and Rajesh simply sizzle in this song. It is also a fine example of how Lata too gelled so perfectly with Kishore especially when composed by RD. A classic indeed.
Song 16: AISE NA MUJHE TUM DEKHO
Considering Kishore's countless romantic songs, I'll always rate this one pretty high. It has a zany lilt and a catchy beat to it. It's a timeless song, a weightless song, a sensuous and daring song. When I checked out the video it was not half as fun even though it has the legendary Dev and Zeenie baby but is filmed in one of those cliched Hindi movie plots that at times do no justice to awesome songs. So I certainly feel its a great song to listen to. It's a typical RD song who added so many indefinable touches to each song in terms of musical variations, though the lyrics are typical Anand Bakshi who epitomised commercial, workable, doable, viable writing for Hindi movies. Kishore has again given that soft and silky texture at places with some yodelling too. Talk of a song killing me softly....
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