Teesri Manzil Story

reposting an old Screen India article....

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Goldie on his part was very sure that Teesri Manzil would be a musical because Nasir was famous for his musicals and Shammi was a musical star.The obvious choice for music director were Shankar-Jaikishen who were the reigning composers of the time and had scored the music for Nasir’s earlier hits—Tumsa Nahin Dekha, Dil Deke Dekho and Jab Pyar Kissi Se Hota Hai. The other choice was OP Nayyar who was another Shammi Kapoor regular. But Goldie had in mind a newcomer called RD Burman who had to his credit a bit role in Mehmood’s Bhoot Bangla and the score of Chota Nawab.

“I’d known Pancham since he was a child. When I was working on my first film, Nau Do Gyarah he would often accompany Burmanda (his father, SD Burman) to music sittings. He could play everything from the harmonium and sitar to the tabla and mouth organ,” Goldie remembers. Those days dada was very worried about Pancham. Dev and Goldie would constantly reassure him, “Pancham nikal jayega.” Dada wanted the Anand brothers to give Pancham a break in one of their films and Goldie had decided to entrust him with the compositions of Jewel Thief when Teesri Manzil came along.

Nasir was willing to try out Pancham after Goldie assured him that the boy was very talented and he would get great work from him. But he had to get Shammi Kapoor’s consent first. “We can’t afford to antagonise Shammi,” he reasoned.

The star when approached hollered,”Who is this Pancham?” When told that he was SD Burman’s son, Shammi argued, “SD Burman is Dev Anand’s music director. My music director is OP Nayyar. Take him or Shankar-Jiakishan.” He even convinced Jaikisan to slash his fees for this film. But Goldie wanted only Pancham. Realising that a confrontation was brewing, Nasir diplomatically suggested a sitting with Pancham after 10-12 days for which Shammi Kapoor would be invited. If Shammi approved of Pancham’s music he was on.

Goldie knew this could be Pancham’s big break. “Give it your best shot,” he urged. “And remember you are not composing for a deboniar Dev but a flamboyant Shammi Kapoor.”
Pancham was a keen student of Western music and had several friends who played in orchestras abroad. His own collection of Western music was enviable and his knowledge prodigious. He could play every instrument from the harmonium and tabla to drums, trumpets and the bongo. From a very young age his father SD Burman had let him handle his orchestra and Goldie knew that the boy had it in him to be a great composer. He only needed to apply himself. And perhaps realising that this could be his breakthrough film Pancham got cracking and by the day of the sitting was ready with 30-35 compositions. An innovative mix of rock-and-roll, the twist and jazz that he thought was perfect for Shammi Kapoor who had modeled himself on Elvis Presley and James Dean.

At 7 p.m. Shammi and Nasir drove up to be introduced to Pancham. Shammi who had mentally vetoed Pancham, was lolling negligiently when he struck the first note. But as the music played on he sat up and slowly started inching closer to Pancham. From the pahaldi ‘Deewana mujhsa nahin...’ to the oh-so-westernised ‘Aaja aaja main hoon pyar tera...’ Pancham was mesmerizing. “He’s on,” Shammi told Nasir when Pancham was through. Nasir quickly signed the young Burman for not just Teesri Manzil but Baharon Ka Sapne too. Pancham who for years had had no takers for his revolutionary brand of music suddenly found himself giving the reigning masters, Shankar-Jaikishen a run for their ratings in 1966.

His score for Teesri Manzil was rousing, seductive and brought Western music into Hindi film playback. Who can forget the almost orgasmic crooning in ‘Aaja aaja..’ with its concerto of electric guitars, drums, bongo, trumpets, keyboard, flute and frenzied percussion. ‘O haseena zulfonwali...’ had the same frenetic pace and infectious energy. ‘Deewana mujhsa nahin...’ and ‘Tumne mujhe dekha...’ were slower, more mellow, tingling with the soft strains of the violin and piano while ‘O mera sona re...’ with Asha Bhosle playing the contrite lover, was a gentle combo of bongo, guitar and folksy flute. ‘Main inpe marta hoon...’ returned to the animated beat with a spirited mix of perky percussion, guitars and trumpets. Like Shammi Kapoor who had changed the face of the Hindi film hero with his ductail locks, leather jackets, cocky swagger and unabashed sensuality, Pancham with his inventive orchestration gave Hindi film music a new zing.

“Pancham was brilliant,” Goldie asserts. “He soon had composers copying his tunes. If only he had been a little more dedicated he’d have left the competition far behind. He gave his best for Dev sahab and me. There were times when I’d tell him at 9 p.m. that I wanted an orginal composition in 30 minutes flat and sitting there in front of me he would whip up the most brilliant tune. Pancham’s problem was that he’d pass off B-grade tunes to directors who didn’t have such a keen musical sense. And that resulted in his downfall. However, if he’d lived longer I’m sure he would have made a strong comeback and proved that he wasn’t only a genius with western orchestration but was also a master of melody like his father. 1942...A Love Story, his last composition, proved that.”

SD Burman was very grateful to Goldie for giving Pancham his big break. In an industry where promises made in the morning are forgotten by night, Goldie had kept his word. Pancham’s music in Teesri Manzil made his father a very proud man. But he continued to warn his son, “Pancham gane ko kabhi mat bhoolo. Don’t let your orchestration overpower the lyrics. Teesri Manzil was a milestone. A landmark film whose cult music plays on our collective memory even today.
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