"The variety that Pancham da introduced in film music has remained unmatched till date." - Anu Malik
Talk about Hindi film music, and you can't help but celebrate the legacy of RD Burman - fondly called Pancham da. Born on June 27, 1939, the late maestro composed music for over 300 films from the 1960s to the 1990s, bringing nothing short of a revolution to the industry. His primary inspiration was Bengali folk; however, he was also influenced by Western, Latin, Oriental, and Arabic music, and introduced his own style of music that left people crazy like anything! And thanks to his unmatched genius, many of his songs made several average films succeed at the box office. His music was, as Biswarup Sen aptly put it, full of "frenetic pacing, youthful exuberance, and upbeat rhythms".
RD Burman
"There isn’t a new amalgam, for example, a new genesis of a new kind of music like Pancham created way back in the mid-60s,” said Gautam Rajadhyaksha, the late photographer and music connoisseur, in the 2008 documentary ‘Pancham Unmixed’.
RD Burman and Asha Bhosle during a singing session
RD Burman was way ahead of his time, and his works continue to inspire countless individuals from across the world. Today, to mark his birth anniversary, let's revisit some of his timeless hits in this article.
Featured in the film 'Yaadon Ki Baarat', "Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko" was ahead of its time in terms of its arrangement and still captivates us after so many years. The lyrics are poetic and hit the right chords in our hearts, while Asha Bhosle and Mohammad Rafi's vocals bring that to life.
RD Burman with Asha Bhosle
"HameinTumse Pyaar Kitna" from the 1981 film 'Kudrat' is another RD Burman classic that we can never get enough of! The song has a beautiful melody that seamlessly resonates with us, and its lyrics evoke a sense of love in us. Sung by Kishore Kumar (male version) and Parveen Sultana (female version), it also showcases Burman's way of incorporating various musical elements in a composition.
RD Burman and Kishore Kumar
There's no way we miss "Kya Hua Tera Wada" on the list as it's still as popular today as it was decades ago. Featured in the 1977 film 'Hum Kisise Kum Naheen', the song expresses feelings of lost love (thanks to MajroohSultanpuri's lyrics) and resonates with us deeply. Moreover, Mohammad Rafi's soulful rendition brings life to the lyrics.
For this song, Rafi Ji won the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer.
If you must create a party playlist from Bollywood, you have to add "Dum Maro Dum" to the list. Featured in the 1971 film 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna', the song has catchy lyrics, innovative composition, and a stellar arrangement that makes us groove to its tune. And Asha Bhosle's energetic performance here showcases just how versatile she is! It earned her numerous accolades including the Filmfare Award for Best Playback Singer.
The list is so long that it's impossible to include it all in one article. Besides the above-mentioned songs, there are also "Yeh Sham Mastani", "Ghar AajaGhirAayebadra", "HameinTumse Pyaar Kitna", "Tum Bin Jaun Kahan", and "Ek Chatur Naar" among others.