Rahul

Pancham

Rahul Dev Burman (; 27 June 1939 – 4 January 1994) was an Indian music director and singer, who is considered to be one of the greatest and most successful music directors of the Hindi film music industry. From the 1960s to the 1990s, Burman composed musical scores for 331 films, bringing a new level of music ensemble with his compositions. Burman did his major work with legendary singers Kishore...

Rahul Dev Burman (; 27 June 1939 – 4 January 1994) was an Indian music director and singer, who is considered to be one of the greatest and most successful music directors of the Hindi film music industry. From the 1960s to the 1990s, Burman composed musical scores for 331 films, bringing a new level of music ensemble with his compositions. Burman did his major work with legendary singers Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle and Mohammed Rafi. He also worked extensively with lyricists like Majrooh Sultanpuri, Anand Bakshi and Gulzar, with whom he created some of the most memorable numbers in his career. Nicknamed Pancham, he was the only son of the composer Sachin Dev Burman and his Bengali lyricist wife Meera Dev Burman. He was mainly active in the Hindi film industry as a composer, and also provided vocals for a few compositions. He influenced the next generation of Indian music directors, and his songs remain popular in India and overseas. Many years after his death, his songs continued to inspire new singers and composers. Early life and career beginnings Burman was born to the Hindi film composer and singer, Sachin Dev Burman, and his lyricist wife Meera Dev Burman (née Dasgupta), in Calcutta. Initially, he was nicknamed Tublu by his maternal grandmother, although he later became known by the nickname Pancham. According to some stories, he was nicknamed Pancham because, as a child, whenever he cried, it sounded in the fifth note (Pa), G note on c major scale, of music notation; in Hindustani Classical Music, Pancham is the name of the fifth scale degree: (IAST: Ṣaḍja, Ṛṣabha, Gandhāra, Madhyama, Pañcama, Dhaivata, Niṣāda). Another theory says that the baby was nicknamed Pancham because he could cry in five different notes. Yet another version is that when the veteran Indian actor Ashok Kumar saw a newborn Rahul uttering the syllable Pa repeatedly, he nicknamed the boy Pancham. Burman received his early education in West Bengal from Ballygunge Government High School in Kolkata. His father S. D. Burman was a noted music director in Hindi-language films, the Mumbai-based Hindi film industry. When he was seventeen years old, R. D. Burman composed his first song, "Aye Meri Topi Palat Ke Aa", which his father used in the film Funtoosh (1956). The tune of the song "Sar Jo Tera Chakraaye" was also composed by him as a child and his father included it in the soundtrack of Guru Dutt's Pyaasa (1957). In Mumbai, Burman was trained by Ustad Ali Akbar Khan (sarod) and Samta Prasad (tabla). He also considered Salil Chowdhury his guru. He served as an assistant to his father and often played harmonica in his orchestras. Some of the notable films in which Burman is credited as the music assistant include Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958), Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), Tere Ghar Ke Samne (1963), Bandini (1963), Ziddi (1964), Guide (1965) and Teen Devian (1965). Burman also played mouth organ for his father's hit composition "Hai Apna Dil To Aawara", which was featured in the film Solva Saal, and sung by Hemanta Mukhopadhyay. In 1959, Burman signed up as a music director for the film Raaz, directed by Guru Dutt's assistant Niranjan. However, the film was never completed. The lyrics of this Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman-starrer film were written by Shailendra. Burman recorded two songs for the film before it was shelved. The first song was sung by Geeta Dutt and Asha Bhosle, and the second one had vocals by Shamshad Begum. Burman's first released film as an independent music director was Chhote Nawab (1961). When the noted Hindi film comedian Mehmood decided to produce Chhote Nawab, he first approached Burman's father Sachin Dev Burman for the music. However, S. D. Burman declined the offer, advising he was unavailable. At this meeting, Mehmood noticed Rahul playing tabla, and signed him as the music director for Chhote Nawab. Burman later developed a close association with Mehmood, and made a cameo appearance in Mehmood's film Bhoot Bungla (1965). Music career 1961–1975: Early career and rise to prominence R. D. Burman began his career as a music director with the 1961 film Chhote Nawab, which proved to be a lukewarm success and so were his next three ventures, Bhoot Bungla (1965), Teesra Kaun (1965) and Pati Patni (1966). He established himself with Vijay Anand's musical mystery film Teesri Manzil (1966), which starred Shammi Kapoor and Asha Parekh in the lead. It went on to become a huge success at the box office which was attributed to its superhit songs, "O Haseena Zulfonwali Jane Jahan", "O Mere Sona Re Sona", "Aaja Aaja Main Hoon Pyar Tera", "Deewana Mujhsa Nahin" and "Tumne Mujhe Dekha Hokar Meherban", all of which were featured in the year-end annual list of Binaca Geetmala. In addition, the soundtrack of Teesri Manzil proved to be the seventh best-selling Hindi film album of the 1960s. Burman's other notable work of the decade was the soundtrack of the musical comedy Padosan (1968), whose songs like "Ek Chatur Naar", "Mere Samne Wali Khidki Mein", "Mere Bhole Balam" and "Kehna Hai Kehna Hai" remain popular to date and played a major part in making the film a commercial success. In 1969, he composed music for two hit films, Waris and Pyar Ka Mausam and, while working as an assistant to his father in Shakti Samanta's Aradhana, he played an instrumental role in making Kishore Kumar the playback voice of Rajesh Khanna, who became a superstar with the film's blockbuster success. Even Kumar's singing career was boosted, and he became the leading playback singer of Hindi cinema and remained at that position till his death in 1987. Burman emerged as the leading music director of Hindi cinema in the year 1970 with Shakti Samanta's musical romantic drama Kati Patang, starring Rajesh Khanna and Asha Parekh. At the box office, it went on to become a blockbuster, while almost all of its songs, such as "Yeh Shaam Mastani", "Pyaar Deewana Hota Hai", "Yeh Jo Mohabbat Hai", and "Jis Gali Mein Tera Ghar", proving to be chartbusters and playing an important role in the box office success of the film. Its soundtrack became one of the highest-selling Bollywood soundtracks of the 1970s. The same year, he also delivered music in another Rajesh Khanna hit The Train, which had the popular songs "Gulabi Aankhen", a solo by Mohammed Rafi and "Kis Liye Maine Pyar Kiya", a solo by Lata Mangeshkar. For the next three years, he worked in top-grossing films, such as Haré Rama Haré Krishna (1971), Caravan (1971), Mela (1971), Amar Prem (1972), Mere Jeevan Saathi (1972), Apna Desh (1972), Jawani Diwani (1972), Raampur Ka Lakshman (1972), Parichay (1972), Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), Do Chor (1972), Samadhi (1972), Anamika (1973), Aa Gale Lag Jaa (1973), Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973) and Namak Haraam (1973), all of which had superhit songs like "Chadti Jawani Meri Chaal Mastani", "Piya Tu Ab To Aaja" and "Kitna Pyara Wada Hai" (Caravan), "Dum Maro Dum", "Phoolon Ka Taron Ka" and "Kanchi Re Kanchi" (Hare Rama Hare Krishna), "Rut Hai Milan Ki Sathi Mera Aa Re" and "Gori Ke Haath Mein Jaise Ye Challa" (Mela), "Raina Beeti Jaye", "Chingari Koi Bhadke", "Kuchh Toh Log Kahenge" and "Yeh Kya Hua" (Amar Prem), "O Mere Dil Ke Chain", "Chala Jaata Hoon" and "Aao Na, Gale Laga Lo Na" (Mere Jeevan Saathi), "Duniya Mein Logon Ko", "Kajra Lagake Gajra Sajake" and "Ro Na Kabhi Nahin Rona" (Apna Desh), "Samne Yeh Kaun Aaya", "Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani" and "Jaan-E-Jaan Dhoondta Phir Raha Hoon Tumhe Raat Din" (Jawani Diwani), "Gum Hai Kisi Ke Pyar Mein Dil Subah Sham" and "Rampur Ka Vasi Hoon" (Raampur Ka Lakshman), "Musafir Hoon Yaaron" and "Sa Re Ke Sa Re" (Parichay), "O Saathi Chal" and "Koi Ladki Mujhe Kal Raat" (Seeta Aur Geeta), "Chahe Raho Door, Chahe Raho Paas" and "Meri Jaan, Meri Jaan Kehna Mano" (Do Chor), "Kaanta Laga", "Jab Tak Rahe" and "Jaan-E-Jaana Jao" (Samadhi), "Meri Bheegi Bheegi Si" and "Bahon Mein Chale Aao" (Anamika), "Vaada Karo" and "Tera Mujhse Hain Pehle Ka Nata Koi" (Aa Gale Lag Jaa), "Yaadon Ki Baaraat Nikli Hai Aaj Dil Ke Dwaare", "Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko, Nazar Nahin Churana Sanam", "Lekar Hum Deewana Dil, Phirte Hai Manzil Manzil" and "Meri Soni, Meri Tamanna, Jhuth Nahin Hai Mera Pyar" (Yaadon Ki Baaraat), "Diye Jalte Hain Phool Khilte Hain" and "Main Shair Badnaam" (Namak Haraam). The soundtrack of Caravan proved to be one of the best-selling Hindi film albums of the 1970s while that of Yaadon Ki Baaraat emerged as the second best-selling Hindi film album of the decade. For Caravan, Amar Prem and Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Burman received three consecutive nominations at Filmfare for Best Music Direction. In 1974, his notable ventures, included Aap Ki Kasam, Khote Sikkay, Ajanabee and Phir Kab Milogi, all of which had evergreen songs like "Karvatein Badalte Rahe", "Jai Jai Shiv Shankar", "Suno Kaho Kaha Suna", "Zindagi Ke Safar Mein, "Jeevan Mein Tu Darna Nahin", "Ek Ajanabee Haseena Se", "Hum Dono Do Premi", "Bheegi Bheegi Raaton Mein" and "Kahin Karti Hogi". Burman's peak came in 1975 when he scored music for Sholay, Deewaar, Khel Khel Mein, Warrant, Aandhi, Khushboo and Dharam Karam, all of which were hugely successful at the box office, especially Sholay which emerged as an All Time Blockbuster and remains the biggest hit in the history of Indian cinema. Its songs "Mehbooba Mehbooba", "Yeh Dosti Hum Nahin", "Haa Jab Tak Hai Jaan", "Koi Haseena" topped the year-end annual list of Binaca Geetmala and made its soundtrack one of the best-selling Hindi film albums of the 1970s along with winning Burman another nomination in the Best Music Director category at Filmfare. Other notable songs composed by him that year were – "Kehdoon Tumhe Ya Chup Rahoon" (Deewaar), "Humne Tumko Dekha", "Ek Main Aur Ek Tu, Dono Mile Is Tarah", "Khullam Khulla Pyar Karenge Hum Dono" (Khel Khel Mein), "Sun Bhai Baarati", "Ruk Jana O Jana Humse" (Warrant), "Tere Bina Zindagi Se", "Tum Aa Gaye Ho Noor Aa Gaya", "Is Mod Se Jate Hain" (Aandhi), "O Majhi Re Apna Kinara" (Khushboo), "Ek Din Bik Jayega Mati Ke Mol", "Tere Humsafar Geet Hain Tere" (Dharam Karam). 1976–1983: Setback and return to success With Rajesh Khanna losing superstardom and change of box office equation from romantic musicals to action oriented multi-starrers, Burman saw a career slump in the latter-half of the 1970s. In 1976, most of his releases did not do well commercially, with notable exceptions being Nehle Pe Dehla, Balika Badhu and Mehbooba, all three of which were profitable ventures with hit songs, such as "Sawan Ka Mahina Aa Gaya", "Bade Achhe Lagte Hain" and "Mere Naina Sawan Bhadon", respectively. His prospects improved, the following year, with Nasir Hussain's musical blockbuster Hum Kisise Kum Naheen, which had a number of runaway hits, including "Bachna Ae Haseeno", "Mil Gaya, Hum Ko Saathi Mil Gaya", "Hai Agar Dushman Zamana, Gham Nahin", "Yeh Ladka Haay Allah Kaisa Hai Deewana", "Kya Hua Tera Vaada, Woh Kasam, Woh Iraada", "Chand Mera Dil, Chandni Ho Tum" and "Tum Kya Jaano Mohabbat Kya Hai". Also its soundtrack proved to be the fourth-best selling Hindi film album of the decade. His only other notable film that year was Gulzar's directional venture Kinara, which had memorable songs like "Naam Hum Jayega" and "Ek Hi Khwab". In 1978, Burman composed for Amitabh Bachchan starrer Kasme Vaade and Dharmendra starrer Azaad, both of which were major box office successes with their songs "Kasme Vaade Nibhayenge Hum", "Aati Rahengi Baharen" in the former and "Raju Chal Raju", "Jaan Ki Kasam" in the latter proving to be very popular, though his other big-budget venture Shalimar proved to be a box office bomb despite having melodious songs, such as "Hum Bewafa Hargiz Na The" and "Mera Pyaar Shalimar", sung by Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle, respectively. He concluded the decade with a hit in Gol Maal and a couple of moderately successful films, The Great Gambler, Jhoota Kahin Ka, Jurmana and Nauker. The songs from these films "Aanewala Pal" (Gol Maal), "Do Lafzon