R.D. Burman: Missing Sangeet Ka Paanchwan Sur “Pancham” for 25 Years

Rahul Dev Burman, a maverick and pioneer of Western-Indian orchestration, revolutionized the sound of Hindi film music by incorporating a wide range of influences drawn from several genres in his compositions. He was always ahead of the curve in picking up western notations, displaying his eclectic tastes and boundless quest for trying out new instruments in his films. The king of rhythm and vivacious Pancham, really brought the groove into Bollywood Music, ushering in the era of electronic rock. His music has vitality, unrestrained passion, energy and sweetness, which had not even dissipated with the passing of time.

R.D. Burman was born on 27 June 1939 in the royal family of Tripura. His father Sachin Dev Burman was a famous singer-music director and his mother Meera was a lyricist. When his father heard him cry for the first time, he found that the pitch at which the newborn was screaming was the fifth octave of the ‘Sargam’. And that is how he came to be known as Pancham. There is another anecdote also, crediting thespian Ashok Kumar with nick-naming him so. Music was a gift bequeathed to Pancham by his father S.D.Burman.

Rahul Dev learnt the intricacies of folk music, instrumental and orchestration at a very young age under the tutelage of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Samta Prasad. Pancham came into Dada Burman's music room as early as 'Naujawan' (1951), carrying a "dagga". And even at that early age he had a keen musical ear to question SD's use of Rabindra-sangeet in the purely Goan setting of Kaise Yeh Jaagi Agan (Jaal).

R.D. Burman assisted his illustrious father, often playing mouth organ in his orchestra. Some of the notable films include Fantoosh, Bandini, Tere Ghar Ke Samne, Nau Do Gyarah, Pyaasa, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, Kagaz Ke Phool, Benazir, Meri Surat Teri Aankhen, Ziddi, Guide, Teen Deviyan and Talash etc. the classic example of rendering mouth organ in the song ‘Hai Apna Dil To Awara..’ (Solwan Saal). He also played harmonica for Laxmikant Pyarelal in the movie Dosti(1964).

Guru Dutt was amazed how the 18-year old Rahul assisted his father S.D. Burman in creating master-piece music of Pyaasa(1957). He handpicked Pancham to score the music for his new venture ‘Raaz’. Pancham recorded only two songs written by Shailendra for the film. However, this film was shelved after shooting of 10-12 reels as Guru Dutt’s swan song ‘Kagaz Ke Phool’ flopped at the box office.

Finally, the credit goes to famous comedian Mehmood for introducing R.D. Burman as an independent music director with the film 'Chhote Nawab' (1961). The story goes that Mehmood first approached Sachin Dev Burman for the music, however, the senior Burman turned down the offer stating that he does not work with new producers. During this meeting, Mehmood noticed Rahul playing tabla and he was influenced by Rahul’s musical prowess. Accordingly, he signed up Rahul as the music director for ‘Chhote Nawab’(1961).

R.D. Burman was very enthusiastic and wanted Lata Mangeshkar to sing his first song But she was reluctant to visit RD house for rehearsals as she had a strained relationship with S.D. Burman. Forced Rahul rehearsed with Lata by playing Harmonium on his door steps. It is so amazing that an adolescent Rahul could compose such a grown up music with gems like 'Ghar Aaja Ghir Aaye Badara..'. The music of Chhote Nawab (1961) was appreciated, but the film flopped at the box office. So he was again on roads as no film came to his kitty for three years.  

Surprisingly, it was Mehmood again who reposed faith on RD Burman and offered him to score music for Bhoot Bangla (1965). Pancham lifted the Chubby Chucker’s famous “Come on baby, let’s twist..’ tune to compose the club-song ‘Aao Twist Karen.., which reflected the exuberance of the younger generation. Pancham, an experimentalist, used the ‘Trinidadian steel drum’ to compose this number. He also composed the music of ‘Teesra Kaun’ film in 1965 but it went unnoticed.

Next year, Nasir Hussain collaborated with R.D. Burman for musical score of Teesari Manzil(1966). He scored an unimaginable music full of passion, energy and sweetness, setting a precipitous and sublime standard for himself. Mohammed Rafi and Asha Bhosle voices resonating between trumpet, brass, jazz drum and guitar but no other noise, proved to be a trend setter. His father Sachin Da fell sick while composing music for Aradhana (1969). RD took over the reins and composed most of the melodies in the film. He also completed the music of the film ‘Mili’ after his father S.D. Burman died in 1975.

Yaadon Ki Baarat was the first Diamond Jubilee film of Pancham, which ran for over hundred weeks in Chennai (Madras). R.D. Burman’s star was already on the rise and this film certainly did its share in enhancing his popularity. The decade of 1970s was singularly and completely ruled by RD Burman, no other music director wielded so much influence. RD proved his talent and musical prowess for composing memorable songs 'Chingari Koi Bhadke..’ and 'Kuchh To Log Kahenge..’ in the movie 'Amar Prem'. 

Rahul, through his music, gave a new identity to the cabaret dance. He effectively used Asha’s arrestingly sensual and tactile voice in the cabaret compositions. This fact is clearly manifested in these his cabaret songs: ‘Sharabi Sharabi Mera Naam..’ (Chandan Ka Palna); 'Piya Tu Ab To Aa..' (Caravan); ‘Aao Na Gale Lagao Na..’ (Jeevan Sathi);  ‘Aaj Ki Raat Koi Aane Ko Hai..’ (Anamika) and ‘Haan Ji Haan Maine Sharab Pee Hai..’ (Seeta Aur Geeta). He gave a pleasant surprise to the music lovers by getting Lata Mangeshkar sing cabaret songs under his baton.

RD experimented with different musical sounds produced from non-traditional items like combs, spoons, glass tumbler and bunch of keys etc. for creating specific rhythms. He rubbed a comb on a rough surface to produce a whooshing sound in the song "Meri Samne Wali Khidki Mein" (Padosan). He used cups and saucers to create the tinkling sound for "Churaliya Hai.." (Yaadon Ki Baarat). For the song 'Master Ji Ki Aa Gayi Chitthee' he used classroom desks as percussion. In the film ‘Abdullah’ he used the sound of a bamboo whistle with a balloon tied to it for a song. In the song 'O Manjhi Re..' (Khushboo), R.D. Burman used bottles with water filled at different levels and created a hollow sound by blowing into them. In the song 'Raat Gai Baat Gai' (Darling Darling), Zeenat Aman created a beat by tapping various parts of her own body, which doesn't sound like a conventional percussion instrument. 

RD had not only composed westernized blasting tunes but he was a different musician with lyricist Gulzar. Musical scores of films like Andhi, Kinara, Parichay, Khushboo, Ijazzat and Libas etc. do not seem to be created by the same R.D. Burman, who had made songs like 'Dum Maro Dum Dum' (Hare Rama Hare Krishna).

Inspired by Jazz legend Louis Armstrong, Pancham developed his own distinct vocal delivery. R.D. Burman, sang some of the finger-snappers like the vibrant sexy titillator ‘Mehbooba O Mehbooba (Sholay) in a unique and grunting bass. Pancham's banshee cries of ‘Monica O My Darling’ in the legendary cabaret number ‘Piya Tu Ab To Aaja.. (Caravan), have rooted this song in the public mind. R.D. Burman made occasional appearances on the big screen in films like Bhoot Bangla, Pyar Ka Mausam and Bengali film Gayak. He wrote lyrics for the English song ‘I’m Falling In Love With A Stranger’ (Deewaar). 

'The Maestro with the Mod Touch', was light years ahead of his peers. He was the only composer to use the song as the medium of conversation, the basic technique of Hollywood musicals. Pancham’s mastery of classical music is well known, but he also inculcated elements from rock, funk, jazz, disco, folk and a myriad of Latin American music forms into his songs and private albums. Pancham religiously avoided the kind of heavy orchestra. 

A tunesmith par excellence Rahul Dev Burman, tasted the ignominy of rejection in his last years. He put his heart and soul in films like Sagar, Alag Alag, Indrajeet, Gurudev etc. but these films flopped at the box office. Bhappi Lahiri and the Disco age had overtaken him. However, the biggest blow to Rahul was his unceremoniously replacement by Laxmikant Pyarelal for Ram Lakhan. A crumpled man, R.D. Burman suffered a heart attack in 1988. While recuperating he is said to have composed over 2,000 tunes which he kept in his memory bank.

The music-maestro composed music for 331 feature films (Hindi-292 & Bangla-31), four Non-Film Albums, five TV serials, one documentary film and a large number of Pooja/ modern songs in Bangla. R.D. Burman could bag only three Filmfare awards for Sanam Teri Kasam(1982), Masoom(1983) and ‘1942– A Love Story’(1995). Madhya Pradesh Government had conferred on him the Lata Mangeshkar Award for 1992-1993 for his "outstanding achievements and long-time devotion to music."

He was fond of pranks and colorful clothes. One of his passions, besides music, was cooking. He grew 40 varieties of chillies in his terrace garden. He was a soccer fanatic.

In 1966, R.D. Burman married his love-bird Rita Patel, but they were divorced in 1974. He had to shell out a heavy alimony by selling his Fifteen Cross Road, Kolkatta house overnight and he also raised a loan of Rupees Two lakh from Asha Bhosle. He married Asha Bhonsle in 1980. During his last years, the couple had gone separate ways, a situation like film ‘Abhimaan’ developed in their relationship, where singer Asha’s career soared with each day passing while Pancham’s genius languished.

The Mozarat of Hindi Film Music, Rahul Dev Burman, bade goodbye to this world on January 4, 1994, leaving behind his dreams for a million melodies. The end came, time stood still… much like his lyrical ‘Samay Ka Yeh Pal Tham Sa Gaya Hai...

Even though it’s been two and a half decades since Pancham Da has passed away, his music continues to captivate the imagination of musicians and music aficionados to this day.