'RD Burman was made of music'

Indo-Asian News Service
Saturday, January 5, 2008: (Mumbai) :

The legendary R D Burman, who revolutionised Hindi film music since he debuted as composer with comedian Mehmood's 1961 movie Chote Nawab, is almost a forgotten man today.

But the songs he composed continue to live on in the minds of all music lovers.

Those are Bollywood's imperishable treasure trove, more particularly, perhaps, for the music companies cashing in on his composing genius.

His 13th death anniversary on Friday went almost unnoticed in Bollywood, the hub of entertainment, to which the maestro devoted all his years.

R D Burman, or Pancham to his friends and contemporaries, was born into music. No wonder, he could compose tunes as a toddler.

In fact, S D Burman was so impressed by a tune his nine-year-old son had composed that he later used it in the Kishore Kumar-starrer Funtoosh in 1956.

A whizkid, R D Burman dabbled in music even before he could speak.

He was probably the only composer, who could play all musical instruments available during his time. He remained a student till the last day.

Paying his tribute to the man, who is often credited with introducing modern music in Hindi movies, music director Anu Malik says R D Burman was "made of music".

"The variety that he introduced in film music has remained unmatched till date. He could do so because he was classically trained and at the same time, he kept abreast with modern musical trends all over the world," recalls the young composer.

According to him, R D Burman was so much in tune with his time that he could compose Piya tu ab tu aaja from Carvan and Chingari jo bhadke, to saawan usse buzhaye from Amar Prem with equal ease.

His range varied from the catchy Aaja aaja, main hun pya tera to the soulful thumri Hame tumse pyar kitna by Parveen Sultana in Kudrat.

The mischievous Ek chaturnari, badi hoshiyar from Padosan to the melodious Tere bina zindagise koi, shikwa to nahin from Aandhi.