RD Burman passed away on 4th January 1994. That year saw the release of 1942 A Love Story, a score that was to get him one of his three Filmfare awards for Best Music Director. He got nominated 17 times for the award that eluded him. While we mostly associate a more western sound with RD, I think of him as a composer who simplified the most complex Hindustani classical music and made it accessible to the masses. That is the true yardstick of expertise.
The trivia for this article is thanks to my friend and film music historian Ganesh Ananthraman. He has written the eminently readable book Bollywood Melodies : A History of the Hindi Film Song
Here are the ten terrific raga based compositions of RD that are my favorites:
Ghar Aaja Ghir Aayi Badra (Raga Malgunji )
This song comes at the top of my list for many reasons. This is from RD Burman’s first movie as a music director – Chhote Nawab (1961). RD wanted Lata Mangeshkar for his first song, despite knowing that his father SD Burman had not worked with Lata for six long years following a rift. RD sent word to Lata through Jaidev (who was SD’s assistant) and in the process mended fences between SD and Lata. And it is one of the best compositions in Hindi cinema that explores the charm of Raga Malgunji
O Ganga Maiyya (Raga Jogiya)
The year was 1967 and RD’s youthful mega hit score for Teesri Manzil (1966) was still ruling the airwaves. Trust RD to surprise fans and critics alike by tuning a composition based on the morning raga Jogiya for Lata and filmed on Meena Kumari in Chandan Ka Palna (1967). The song was a nominee for best classical composition of that year in the prestigious Sur Singar Samsad award! That RD did not get it is beside the point. Early enough in his career, RD’s classical leaning was apparent.
Raina Beeti Jaaye (Raga Todi & Lalit)
Pancham said in an interview that as long as SD lived, his weightier compositions were always attributed to his dad by other composers in the industry. The exquisitely tuned ‘Raina Beeti Jaaye’ for Amar Prem (1972) is a case in point. RD fused two ragas – Todi and Lalit in the song expertise that had hitherto been attributed only to his father SD Burman. Anand Bakshi’s lyrics blend with notes of this song to create a magical feel if you listen it at the break of dawn.
Beeti Na Bitayee Raina (Raga Yaman Kalyan)
‘Beeti Na Bitayee Raina’ in Parichay (1973) was an early pointer to the special tuning that would emerge between lyricist-director Gulzar and Pancham. Set to the notes of evening raga Yaman Kalyan, the Lata-Bhupinder duet fetched them both a national award for best playback singer that year, besides fetching Gulzar the best lyricist award. That RD did not get the best composer award for the same song is but one of those mysteries of Bollywood.
Mere Naina Sawan Bhadon (Raga Shivaranjani)
Raga Shivaranjani is an ideal one to depict pathos. RD used this song twice in Mehbooba (1976). Kishore Kumar and Lata have both sung this RD Composition. I love this version by Kishore Kumar just a little bit more. Who will ever believe that Kishore Kumar had no training in classical music? In fact, this song lends credence to RD’s publicly stated view that Kishore was a complete singer, even for classical numbers. Make up your own mind by listening to Mere Naina Sawan Bhadon in the voice of Kishore Kumar
Hai Agar Dushman Zamana Gam Nahin (Raga Kalavati)
RD did not favour Mohd Rafi for some unknown reason, despite Rafi having given RD his first big hit in Teesri Manzil. Though Kishore was RD’s preferred male playback, Rafi appeared in RD’s films intermittently, the songs more often than not becoming hits. For the alaap in the beginning of this raga Kalavati based qawwali, in an otherwise Kishore dominated score, RD knew he needed Rafi. Listen to Raga Kalavati flow in the voice of Rafi and Asha
Piya Baawri (Raga Behag)RD’s wife Asha Bhosle has gone on record to rue that even RD reserved his best compositions for Lata. It is true that RD relied on Asha more for his experimental music and on Lata for his classical numbers, but here is a surprise where Asha sings an authentic Raga Behag based composition by hubby RDB with aplomb. Don’t miss the tabla ‘bols’ by Ashok Kumar himself in the soundtrack
Hamein Tumse Pyar Kitna (Raga Bhairavi)
Kudrat (1981) was written and directed by Chetan Anand. RD had composed a song Hamein Tumse Pyaar Kitna based on the morning Raga Bhairavi. Parween Sultana and Kishore Kumar did a solo version each of this song. Kishore Kumar was nominated for a Filmfare Award for his rendering of the song, while Parveen Sultana walked away with the Best Female Playback Award from Filmfare for her version of the song.
Hamein Aur Jeene Ki Chaahat Na Hoti (Raga Asaavari)
RD may have been down in the 1980s with many of his films not doing well, but he was certainly not out. Proof of this is the title song of Agar tum Na Hote (1984) in the morning Raga Asaavari, which appears twice in the film in the voices of Kishore and Lata. Like in the case of many of their tandem songs, the Kishore version has a slight edge over Lata’s, possibly because of the weight in Kishore’s voice
Kyon Naye Lag Rahe Hain (Raga Khamaj)
The evening raga Khamaj happened to be RD’s favourite and most often used raga. This song in 1942 A Love Story set to Khamaj happened at a time when RD’s confidence as composer was at an all-time low, but the tune doesn’t reflect that at all. Kavita Krishnamurthy sounds as fresh as Manisha Koirala looks on screen, in what turned out to be RD’s swan song. Khamaj is a raga best enjoyed as the sun sets. This song was released posthumously after he suddenly passed away on January 4 1994. The song is a fitting tribute to the genius that Pancham truly was
I had interviewed Brahmanand Siingh. Filmmaker Brahmanand Siingh made a really insightful film called Pancham Unmixed about RD Burman . The film is a seamless narrative about this music composer who made almost 300 albums in his lifetime. Brahmanand Siingh also made”Knowing Pancham” to coincide with RD’s birthday. <Read that> Watch a clip from Pancham Unmixed and think of the adulation and influence RD enjoys even today.
Which is your favourite raga based composition of RD? Leave your list of songs in the comments below.
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