Rahul Dev Burman (1939-1994) was one of the greats of
the Hindi music industry. He was the most influential Bollywood music
composers of his time. Affectionately referred to as Pancham, he is
credited with introducing western influences to the masses through his
popular film scores.
He was the son of another acclaimed composer,
S.D.Burman .
He displayed a talent for composing music at an early age, having
composed songs from the age of nine. Though not officially credited, a
number of his compositions featured in films scored by his father and
became immensely popular.
He worked as an assistant for his father before composing his first
independent score in Chhote Nawab.
He also doubled as a playback singer in a number of his own
compositions, most famously in the song Mehbooba Mehbooba from the film
Sholay, for which he was nominated in the Best Male Playback Singer
category.
He was nominated on 17 occasions in the Best Music Director category. He
took home the gong thrice, the last one poshumously.
Hindi composer also known as Pancham. Entered films as assistant
to his father S.D.Burman,often playing the mouth organ in his father's
orchestras.Trained under Ali Akbar Khan.Independent career coincided
with the the wave of early 70's Rajesh Khanna love stories (esp.
Kati Patang, Amar Prem, Apna Desh ) and the new lease of
life they offered to singer Kishore Kumar. Informally assisted his
father in composing the seminal Khanna-Kumar combination, Shakti
Samanta's Aradhana (1969). Breakthrough in Nasir hussain
musicals,starting with Baharon ki Sapne and consoldated by the
classic Zeenat Aman rock music teen-movie Yaadon Ki Baraat,
having earlier scored her debut Hare Rama Hare Krishna
Some of his best music is assosiated with Gulzar's lyrics, e.g.
Parichay and Aandhi.Brought Hindi film music into the era of
electronic rock with a series of enormously popular youth movies,e.g,
Narendra Bedi's Jawani Diwani. Worked mostly with singers Asha
Bhosle and Kishore Kumar, providing much of the music that defines their
reputations. Also produced independent albums, including one based on
the samba and one with british pop star Boy George
Occasionally sang his own songs in a unique, grunting bass (e.g. the
Mehbooba mehbooba number in Sholay ). 1942 : A Love Story,
his last film released after his death, was a major musical success. |
