Creator R.D.BURMAN ''The BOSS"Blog

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Interview of Rahul Dev Burman in Aajkaal Ravibasar taken by Shamindra Roychoudhury

Interview of Rahul Dev Burman in Aajkaal Ravibasar taken by Shamindra Roychoudhury  translated by Kaushik Bandyopadhyay

Far away from the uproar of politics now in another tumult.A brilliantly glowing Bengali star on the banks of the Arabian Sea.In today’s page here is RD whose fine and showy name is RAHUL DEV BURMAN…..

“Ekhon sur dei,upobhog karaar jonyoi”  (Interviewed by Shamindra Roychoudhury)

Q. You’ve got fame,popularity,all…now how you motivate yourself in your job?
A. It would have been tough for me to answer this question if I would have heard it before one year because I also was a competitor of ratrace at that time.I came to Bombay in December,1955.After that I was assistant to my father.I started working independently in 1958.’Chhote Nawaab’ was my first film.Although before it I composed for a Guru Dutt film which was not released.Dad told ,’What happened is all well…Guru’s films used to be hits…perhaps it’ll also become hit…but the success would’ve turned your head…at the beginning,as much you stumble you’ll learn that much….after that you’ll not be obstructed”. After that,everybody knows how I came up by struggling.But,till one year before,that was like a ratrace….I’ve recorded for 28 days in a month…I’ve signed in 60-70 films …music composition of 50 films were going on the floor…perhaps I’ve wanted to eat chaawol with Musur Dal and Kaagji Lebu…but couldn’t get time…continuing working on job with chewing loaf and drinking coffee ….but after my heart problem,I’ve decided for not going for running about..enough is enough..the money I possess is sufficient for rest of my days….I’ve no offsprings also  to have anxiety with their future…so,no compromise any more..on that very day, I’ve sent back three big producers for not liking the song situation…now I compose to enjoy the job only..doing only for the job…I’m not touching the jobs from which I’m not getting pleasures…
Q. Your success started from ‘Teesri Manjil’….
A. This film was the real success for me…at that time it seemed there’s no way if not going outside the tradition..therefore I experimented by punching  cabaret tune with romantic song….but it’s also true that you’ll have to get the perfect film for which you’ll take risk.. for the success of Teesri Manzil,I’m especially grateful  to Nasir Hussain and Mazrooh Suiltanpuri…on looking the sets made by Goldie,Nasir told that the colour combination of  this set wouldn’t match with the composition of Pancham…afterwards,by taking shots on old and new sets it was found that Nasir was correct.
Another happening which people donot know  was that in the beginning Dev Anand was scheduled to be the hero in ‘Teesri Manzil’..
‘…but some confusions was with dates…so Shammi was chosen….when Shammi was chosen.I thought I’ll now be eliminated as Shankar-Joykishen were the favourite of Shammi…and Shammi wanted that…but Nasir Hussain told him,” Just listen to the songs of Pancham…if you don’t like,I’ll call SJ…”…Shammi listened to those songs..and then phoned Joykishen,”You reconcile later on,these songs will be the trend-setter ..” 
Q. How can you arrest tunes so easily?
A. Very well said.The matter is not so easy.The way of working varies from person to person.In that meaning,it has no grammer.But there is another side.We among us used to call that ‘Meter breaking process’.See how tunes come by revolving a meter and doing tricks of rhythm.As for example,a line of a song of Rabindranath is ‘Jete jete pathey purnima raatey,chand uthechhilo gaganey’ and besides this listen  to ‘Rahena rahe hum’.A famous song of Lata Mangeshkar is ‘Thandi hawaye’…besides this listen to ‘Saagar kinare’ of film Saagar.Do you remember that famous whistling of the film ‘Bridge on the river Kwai’? One day Dad told me,”Sing the tune by reversing “…means,counting from 10 to 1 instead of counting from 1 to 10…and we made that famous song ‘E dil na hota bechara’ of Jewel Thief.
Q. Please tell about your earlier days..
A. I was 10 years old that time.One day Dad asked me,”Whats your ambition?”.I replied,”I’ll become a greater music composer than you.”Any father will be pleased to hear these words and also Dad.But he told,”Don’t become like anyone…become like yourself only…to become a music composer,you first require sense of rhythm..so start learning tabla.”So I started learning tabla from Brojen Biswas.He used to teach singing also.Except those,I used to play mouth organ also.Gradually I learnt everything.A music director has to know everything.
Q. In leisure time,which type of songs you listen to?
A. I listen all types of songs except Chineese music.I can’t understand their music.Perhaps I thought to listen to Indian Classical,I used to listen those for seven days.Sometimes I like to listen Suits or Iranian music.I don’t listen Pop much…but I listen to Jazz.A photo of Quincy Jones was hung up in the wall of my music room.One of the recent music composers asked who was this person.My house-servant replied,”I don’t know his name but he is like the master of dada.Very often dada used to go to him at America to learn something.”
Q. The complain that recent composers are Westernised is much prevalent nowadays..
A. This word ‘nowadays’ is very confusing.In my young life also I heard the same words.See,people likes to listen to Western tunes.During our time we had the desire but didn’t have money.Now people has that.But owing to a few childish and light music becoming hits,producers also are demanding those things.Quality is being hampered.But you’ll have to adjust yourself with this change.It cannot happen that the hero and the heroine falling in love in the speed of a jetplane and the instrument ‘khol’ is being played in the soundtrack.
Q. Not only the type of film or its music but the atmosphere nowadays has also changed…is it not?
A. Most certainly.When we came,the atmosphere was very friendly inspite of professional rivalry.Kalyanji-Anandji,Laksmi-Pyarelal…we worked unitedly.Perhaps one asked how to make this portion of the song better from another…Joykishen came to listen the songs of Teesri Manjil in the rehearsal…nowadays it cannot be imagined…but I admit that I learnt much from them.
Q. Mukesh,Rafi and Kishorekumar are no more.As a composer,don’t you feel their absences?
A. Certainly I feel..but see,time changes..and that must be adapted..I’m telling with admitting their qualities that Amit,Anuradha,Kabita,Sadhana are upcoming.They’ll take their places.Ranu,daughter of Hemantada,is singing superbly.I’m very much optimistic about them.
Q. Lataji,Ashaji…
A. Both of them are the bliss of God in the field of Indian music.Learning of music,talent and the experiences of working with so many music composers have made them different from others.
Q. It’s a hypothesis…still,if you get another whole life,will you want to be a music composer again?
A. (Laughing)Once I used to think to be a sound recordist…will found the biggest studio in Asia..if the age would have been thirty,perhaps I would have done that…at this age of 51,I don’t think about anything like that
Q.  I'm watching so many  awards  arranged in this room...still in your opinion which is the best recognition you have had?   
A.You're watching a small portion of the awards and trophies in this room.The remaining awards are kept in my garage and godown...but do you know which is the best award? When in any Railway Station,I listen any of my composed song in the voice of a porter..perhaps he doesn't know me...is there any appreciation or recognition bigger than this?        
                                                                                                                                                                            (End) 



Gulzar's article about R D Burman in Aajkaal Ravibasar on 25th March,1990

Gulzar's article about R D Burman in Aajkaal Ravibasar on 25th March,1990

translated by Kaushik Bandyopadhyay 

Bipad holo aamari’(Its me who has been endangered)

                                                                                        By
                                                                                    GULZAR
            I knew Pancham from the time when he used to wear halfpants.It was during the time of ‘Bandini’ of Bimalda(Roy).I was then his assistant….also have written the songs for the film…music was being composed by Shachinda…and inbetween all these,Pancham was very frequently going out of the room…Shachinda told angrily,”this guy hasn’t grown up his moustache,still he has started smoking…have you people also started intoxications like that guy?” Needless to say,we didn’t have audacity then to smoke in front of a person like Shachinda…I took Pancham as the music director in my second film Parichoy as a director…and from that onwards  he was the music director in most of my films…Lataji got National Award that year for singing ‘Biti na bitayi raina’ in the film Parichoy…in my opinion,as a music composer Pancham is the best…at least amongst the recent composers…he can visualize any song situation very well…and he can match efficaciously the sound and melody…I’m telling an incidence…before the shooting of Izzazat,we went to Khandala for spendingvacation…suddenly rain came in cats and dogs…the pattering sound of water drops on the leaves…sounds of winds…in all a wonderful  significance…I told him,”It seems that we’re listening a symphony,is it not?’…he became very serious..and started composing tunes by humming…and those who watched the film Izzazat could understand how he braught all these sounds and background scores in the structure of the tunes…very often we wanted to teach a good lesson to each other…perhaps only a childishness…but very fruitful…as for example,once I attacked Rajkamal Studio only to throw him in trouble…he was then composing background music  for another one’s film…writing only two lines in a piece of paper I gave to him…’Musaphir hoon yaaron,na ghar hai na thikana’…I told him,’Compose these lyrics quickly’…otherwise you’ll not get the remaining lines…but in fact I couldn’t complete the remaining lines…but I thought I could bring him in trouble and returned with that satisfaction…but my happiness didn’t last long…on that very night,he came to my house at about 00-30 hrs at midnight telling that the composition is over…write the remaining lyrics immediately”…I was fallen in danger that night in making him in danger...                                                                                                                                     (End)
  • Chetan Joshi Two great people together created magic!


  • Sudipto Basu mesmerizing story of a visionary from another living legend..stupefying....
    ·

  • Nupur Gupta Oh how beautifully Kaushik tells us Pancham Stoies one after one......like fairy tales we used to listen before sleeping ,when we were kids.....now by Pancham's infinite Grace.....every now and then Kaushik gifting us Wonderful Pancham Stories to share and live on with Sweet Pancham memories forever.....


  • Kaushik Bandyopadhyay Thanks Chetan,Sudipto and Nupur very much...


  • Santanu Das Thanks a lot for sharing the info.RD Gulzar happens to be my favourite combo...

Article by Actor Rajesh Khanna about R D Burman in Aajkaal Ravibaasar on 25th March,1990

Article by Actor Rajesh Khanna about R D Burman in Aajkaal Ravibaasar on 25th March,1990 translated by Kaushik Bandyopadhyay

MY  NIGHT-COMPANION

                                                           By
                                                   Rajesh Khanna

Credit of more than 50% of the success I got in my acting life goes to two persons…incidentally both were Bengalis…both were magnanimous and jolly…one of them is Kishorekumar and the other is Rahul Dev  Burman… I always tell that if one is the ‘body’,the other is the ‘soul’…such was the understanding between the two…its our bad luck that Kishorekumar had gone away much before…my introduction with Pancham started from the time of Nasir Hussain’s film ‘Baharo ka swapne'…about 25 years have passed…that friendship is still now intact…none of us perhaps can tell about how many films we have done together…after his heart problem,I no more instigate him to do any irregularity…but once upon a time he,myself and Anand Bakshi  used to loaf about in so many sleepless nights…all on a sudden tunes used to come in his mind… and immediately he used to sit with the harmonium…Anand  used to extract his pen…songs used to be composed…I found very minutely that most of the tunes used to come in his mind during midnight only…as music composer,could  Pancham surpass his father also?...in my opinion,no,he couldn’t…but he is separate in his place…especially,he is unparallel in semi-classical songs…our profession has always its ups and downs…cricketer like Bradman had also undergone bad patches…but talents cannot be obstructed…his position will always remain on top…this time in London,I again got proof that music is in his blood…I went to visit him after his bypass surgery…he was still inside the intensive care unit…unconscious…suddenly I watched his fingers were moving…as if he was matching the rhythm of the beats with an unlistened tune….in that critical condition also…I bowed down in reverence…                                    (End)

Abhijit Mukherjee imagine!!! his fingers were moving even at the stage of unconsciousne ss... to a beat!! a man who devoted his life to music... and his music sure does live on... Kaushikda thanks for bringing the words of a humble and talented friend of boss to us.....
Kaushik Bandyopadhyay Yah,Abhijit,Kaka(Rajesh) was his very close friend...

 

Article of singer Kavita Krishnamurty about R D Burman in Aajkaal Ravibasar on 25th March,1990

Article of singer Kavita Krishnamurty about R D Burman in Aajkaal Ravibasar on 25th March,1990 translated by Kaushik Bandyopadhya

LAST  OF  THE  ORIGINALS

                                                                            By
                                                            Kavita Krishnamurty

My introduction with him was in Calcutta itself….Mannada introduced us…in the first introduction he only told ‘Hello’…but in that also, there was enough cordiality…later,after having more familiarity with him,I could understand that the person was an extremely  genuine one…he doesn’t have any ego problem like many people in this line…inspite of getting success and glamour he didn’t become far-off…he first gave me chance to playback for him in the film ‘Farista’…after that in other films one by one…if there is recording of any of his song,not only me,other singers also used to keep all tensions outside the recording room…we knew very well that inspite of the song being a complicated and tough one he would extract the best from the singer…may be that day voice was not perfectly all right…the heart trembles in fear…perhaps now he would scold…from the recording chamber Panchamda told,”You’re singing excellently…but you can sing better than this"…well,suddenly I regain my courage…and as he himself a very good singer,he can understand our problems very quickly…but he used to give songs as per the calibers of the singers…for example,the song he has given to Shailendra will never be given to Suresh by him…for this reason,we never thought of being deprived if not getting songs from him…we know very well that he will definitely call upon us when time will come…among the present composers,I don’t find anybody who can challenge LP and RD…in some fields,I reckon Panchamda as equal to his father also…his another big quality is that he can praise others open-heartedly…if any of my song he likes he will ring me up to praise it although that song is composed by another one…although irrevelent,still  I’m telling that as I know Bengali  very well,he used to talk with me in Bengali…Swapanda(Chakrabarty) has assessed  Panchamda very well…he used to tell,”Panchamda is the last of the originals”…I fully agree with his statement…              (End)
·

 

Article of Panchamda's Monidadu about R D Burman in Aajkaal Ravibasar on 6th February,1994(1st part)

Article of Panchamda's Monidadu about R D Burman in Aajkaal Ravibasar on 6th February,1994

Complete article translated by Kaushik Bandyopadhyay

Aamaader   Tublu

                                              By
                   Nirmal Kumar Dasgupto(Pancham’s Monidadu)


He told,” Do you know who will sing it …Kishoreda…I told,”Why?this has matched with your voice very well…in my opinion this song should be kept in your voice only"…
Well,I’ve not told him anything else…the incident afterwords you all know…this song got tremendous success in his voice only…
He could swim superbly…similarly mouth organ used to get life in his lips…and due to these two,Tublu also got chance in the water ballet first time organized in Calcutta by Indian Life Saving Society…playing mouth organ during swimming…there was also his naughtiness…all these scenes appear in front of my  eyes still now…Sketting,Wrestling,Badminton,Ludo…he had touched all these…
BABY PANCHAM
Not R D Burman,not in the name of  Pancham…to me he was Tublu…my supreme affectionate Tublu…and I’m his Monidadu…How was he?  I’m starting then with one of his childhood incidences…on listening you’ll be astounded that very often he used to watch movies by saving the tiffin-money…being dressed as a good school boy with his schoolbag on his shoulder he used to get out of his house daily,but very often your Rahul loved to roam about escaping his school,to watch films and to loaf about …once I went to bring him from his school…I stood outside the gate for a long time…I saw all the students came out of the school except Tublu…I had a doubt…on inquiry,I could know that for the last 7 days he didn’t come in the vicinity of the school…though watching films hiddenly,he had a separate thing…sitting inside cinema hall,immediately he used to write up the swarlipi of the songs he used to listen in the darkness…when his age was 10-12,more or less his wickedness started….once there was very much disturbance of thieves in our locality…in almost all houses somethings were used to be lost…we were also afraid….will you listen to Tublu’s acts?He used to collect the soap-waters of his house…in fact he had more delights in pouring soap-water on the head of the thief than beating the thief after capturing…one day he could do that also….

During studying  in Bullygunge Highschool,once he failed…taking the result in hand he entered his house also with an embarrassed face…Shachinkarta watched that his son was upset…next day he gifted him a Ralleigh Cycle…
Tublu has given the proof to me also about the limit of control of himself about the music…once he performed  a function in Netaji Indoor Stadium…I alongwith all my household members went to watch his songs…suddenly,in between the song “Mehbooba mehbooba” of Sholay,I heard Tublu telling me to go and drink tea from the bottom ….all are in between the singings…perhaps nobody inside Indoor could understand that…all thought those as the lines of the song…we were convulsed with laughter…in fact Tublu used to respect  me tremendously…as he used to give importance to my words,one of my strange attractions  used to work around him…as for example,take that song “Mehbooba mehbooba”….with the starting of that song,one day he came to make me hear….he told me,”Dadu,plz listen and tell me how is the composition?..on hearing,I told,”It’s great…”…He told,”Do you know who will sing this…Kishoreda…I told,”Why? This has matched with your voice very much…In my opinion,this song should be kept in your voice only"..well, I have not told him anything else…all of you know the incidents afterwords…this song got the ultimate success  in his voice only…     
This was an incidence six years ago..just before Durga Puja…Tublu had come to Calcutta for some works…stayed in our house only…also took lunch in our house…took rest…but in the meantime,local people came to know that the great Rahul Dev Burman had come to our house…well,staring towards the barandah of our house,a group of local boys immediately came and started tumult in joy…they want to watch Rahul Dev Burman from a close distance…but it was Tublu who beckoned us from  the concealment to tell them the opposite words…as per his hints,we also told them,”Where is Rahul?Nobody came here in our house”…how shall we understand that in his grown-up age also his naughtiness didn’t diminish at all…when the boys being disappointed were on the verge of returning,suddenly taking almost a summersault in that barandah he presented himself in front of them…with some strange sounds in his voice…just think of our condition then…what a shame for us then to the local people…
He was able to swim untamably….similarly,mouth organ used to get life in his lips…and for these two,Tublu also got chance in the first Water Ballet in Calcutta organized by Indian Life Saving Society…playing mouth organ during swimming…there was his naughtiness also…all those scenes still appear before my eyes…

Skating,Wrestling,Badminton,Ludo…he had touched all these…I used to notice an impression of bravery in him…in all the fields of life,he used to utilize this courage tremendously…once we all family members went to Gopalpur- on-sea  for a pleasure trip…Tublu was then of tender age…during bathing in sea,he himself realized that a snake wrapped his leg…as if that was not at all a matter,unwrapping the snake from his leg he started undulating the snake holding in his hand in the air by pressing the mouth of the snake hard…we all were too much frightened…and he was so much exulted in joy…I can clearly recall ,he told,”Look,I’ve killed the snake,plz take my photograph”….
mmersion of Saraswati Puja was going on…all the seniors and juniors of our house were in the Tempo…but among the juniors,his supremacy was higher…on that year, everyone went on singing ‘Saraswati mai ki joi’ as per his tune as per his direction…continuously…Tublu played tabla…but what would be the tune of that simple lyric..we also thought like you…all of you used to recognize your Rahul…what he could compose in songs or what he couldn’t…but believe me,that tune was a marvellous one…how can I  make you realize that tune in my writing language here…No,not at all…only this single occurrence of him I couldn’t describe you in a proper way….I’m really very sorry….        (End)



Article by Brojen Biswas,the tabla guru of R D Burman,in Aajkaal Ravibasar on 6th Feb,1994

Article by Brojen Biswas,the tabla guru of R D Burman,in Aajkaal Ravibasar on 6th Feb,1994  translated by Kaushik Bandyopadhyay

 Baro eka laagchhe(Feeling too lonely)

                                                                    By
                                  Brojen Biswas(Tabla guru of R D Burman)
Tublu…we used to call Rahul by this name only…his father used to call him by Pancham…he has passed away…firstly,I brought him up with great care like his elder brother…the person was very simple…I can clearly recall his childhood days…he learned tabla and singing from me for a period of ten years…he got a big inheritance of music from his father as well as from this land of Bengal..hence he could capture all the sur,taal and loy very quickly…then he went to Bombay…he immediately let me hear the tunes after composing songs for Chhote Nawaab..on that very day I told him,”Tublu,you’ll become a great music director”…the trickiness of his compositions used to make me enchanted…please think once the song “Chingari koi bharke”…what an effortless use of Bengali folk song…again he  captured the Western Musics also…all as combined,he introduced a completely new concept of music…Karta told me to teach him music but he came to this world with all the musics with him…Karta has passed away…Tublu has also passed away…I’m feeling too lonely now…just a few days ago,he came to a friend’s house in Garcha Road..sent me a message…I went there and found he had gone out in search of musical hands…after waiting for some time,he came back and on seeing me he bowed to me and told,”Dada,please don’t mind”….at that time he was so much reknowned personality still having a broad mind…afterwards,he also learned sarod from Ali Akbar Khan…Karta,me and Rahul went to so many cultural functions…of course at that time we used to sing or play and he used to listen only…that small Tublu is no more…it’s not at all possible for me to think about it…                                                    (End)

 

RAHUL DEV BURMAN....''The BOSS''The ULTIMATE.

 RAHUL DEV BURMAN....The BOSS
Santanu Bhattacharya
Use of Pancham’s compositions in TV commercials and film promotions. Below is a list.

1. Dum Maro Dum , a Rohan Sippy movie based on Boss's Song line from Hare Rama Hare Krishna.
2. A TV serial called Bade Achhche lagte hain. (Earlier Tum Bin Jaun Kahan, Aa dekhe Zara.)
3. Promos of RA-One - Shahrukh's latest film not released.
RD is prominent all over the film. Duniya mein from Apna Desh and music of ‘Piya Tu‘ from Caravan.
4. Coca Cola had TV commercial based on "Yeh ladka zara sa deewana lagta hai." from Love Story. Prior to this the Coca Cola had ‘Aaj ki Raat from Anamika.
5. TVS Motor Company has used ‘Jahan Teri Yeh Nazar hai from Kaalia for one of its products.
6. Main Chali Main Chali from Padosan has been used for Hair & Care's jingle.
7. Rim Jhiim Gire Sawan from Manzil has been used beautifully for TATA’s NANO advertisement.
8. Cricketers are going wild with “Mamaiyo Kero Mama from Arjun for TVS Star City.
9. The latest TV commercial of Nissan Micra sports “Chala Jata Hoon” from Mere Jeevan Sathi.
10.Also Bachna aye hasseno and Aa dekhen zara movies used LoRD's tracks
11.Duniya Mei was used in film Once Upon A Time In Mumbai
12.Zindagi Na Mile Doobara background had traces of opening guitar strummings of Pariyo Ka mela Hai.
13.Yeh Kya Hua used in moods AD
14.Mera Pyar Shalimar used in Shalimar Coconut Oil.
15. . In Raymaonds AD use of Saamne Yeh Kaun Aya
16. In Cadbury Eclairs AD- Wakau and then Chand Mera Dil
and the list is never ending...


Monday, August 29, 2011

Asha Bhosle's remembrance after R D Burman's demise in Aajkaal Ravibasar in 6th Feb,1994(Concluding part)

by Kaushik Bandyopadhyay
  R  D
                                                Aamaar pancham(My Pancham)
                                                                      By
                                                            Asha Bhosle
                                                       (Concluding part)

As Asha,remain like that

He didn’t ever slander or gossip about others…didn’t like to bring troubles and tribulations at home from outside…in  mental distress once I told,”From now on I ‘ll change myself…I only quarrel…make you also angry…this cannot continue…I’ll have to change myself"…on hearing this,immediately Pancham told,”No,Asha,never change yourself…I’ve married you only because you’re like this…if you changes,the fun of our marriage will be spoiled"…once he told one of his close friends,”That is the khaas baat in Asha…naa dukhee rahti hai,naa dukhee rahne deti hai…baatein karti rahti hai,sabka dil bahel jata hai"…that time I thought of cutting hair…I told Pancham…he told with gravity,”Yes,cut your hair…cut upto your ear..and wear Jeans also with that…you’ll look superb”…I was confounded…took time to realize the poke of the humour…Pancham couldn’t  tolerate small hair…
I’ve already told that room-furnishing was my fashion…I used to very frequently  change the curtains and sofa-covers of our rooms..that time I’d changed the curtains of Pancham’s room…had put light-coloured linings with light-coloured curtains instead of deep…now with the curtains on also the room was flooded with lights…but Pancham didn’t allow me to change those curtains..told,”Come on,now one of your faults can be exposed in front of all”…Pancham used to like to  eat very much..I too used to like to cook…his orders like “Prepare Biriyani”,”Asha,prepare Baran Chaol” used to come out very frequently…I had to prepare Kababs very often on his choice…on the way to Khandlaa we entered a pure Marathi restaurant and he ordered ‘Baran Chaol’…this item is a sort of rice with Dal and Ghee…after eating a good quantity Pancham called upon the manager…”The Baran is not prepared well…learn the preparation with care”,he told over the face of manager..I was then at a state of utter shame and asking the earth to bifurcate…whether it is daily foods or it may be a party,our longtime discussion regarding menu was compulsory…
I was supposed to go to London…before going to airport,Pancham captured me and took me to Golden Dragon restaurant of Taj Hotel…after finishing a number of pegs,he was well energized…a number of foreigners were sitting on the next table..suddenly Pancham went on to their table..and started telling them,”Do you know who is the lady sitting on the table beside you?She is the head-cook of this Taj Hotel”…the foreigners were dissolved like anything…they were repeatedly  bowing around my table and doing “Namaste,Namaste” to me…I can’t make you understand my state during that five minutes…one day the daughter of one of my friend came to our house and was telling me about her problem of acne…Pancham jumped on,”What Asha will tell you?Listen to me…put on some lime mixed with toothpaste on your chin…it’ll cure”…see the event…he used to do such type of naughtinesses…our quarrels also used to happen like the kids…like a scramble..Ramesh Behl,our friend,came to manage us that time…on becoming failed,he played ‘Jindegi ke safar mein gujar jaate hai jo mokam,who phir nehi aate…’ in the garden and on hearing that we melted like water…the most deadly quarrel also became exaggerated…I ultimately told,”Your family will remain here….I ‘m leaving”…Pancham also replied,”Ok,you can go”…I went to my children…all were quiet for one month…after 40 days,Pancham’s phone came,”We’re going to Madras”…we went…all the way I remained very serious…near Madras,Pancham brought me to a lonely sea-shore called Fisherman’s Whirf…a superb location…in the evening Pancham played ‘Maria Maria’ and ‘I film pity’ of the film Westside Story in his tape recorder…some more of my favourite numbers…when the songs ended, we regained our lives..

Dhakuria Lake,in the evening

I don’t have happy conjugal life in my destiny…a small light of happiness also extinguishes without seeing that…’Naseeb mein pati ka ghar nehi hai’…I told Pancham,”I’m not well..plz stop all the stage-shows”…He didn’t hear me…I told,’Well,I’ll not sing with you”…still he didn’t listen to…as men become…in so many  ways  he made me weep…and now he has passed away…but Pancham was not unreasonable…used to advise me to reside with my children…each time he used to ring me,”Asha,please stay with them for some more days…now both of us will shift to a bunglow by making it in the land of Khandlaa…will take rest independently and listen to songs for the rest of our lives”…how quickly the rest of the life has been exhausted…Pancham had to give so much to this world..I feel he’ll come back again as a wonder-boy music director…creation of his music compositions have not yet completed…I’ve gone to Calcutta with him for a number of times…he’d taken me to Dakhkhineswar…to Dhakuria Lake…Pancham used to swim here in his childhood…during such an evening by the side of Dhakuria Lake,Pancham composed,”Sandhyabelai,tumi aami bose aachhi dujone”…the sun was drowning in a golden sundust like that..colour of water was like raw gold…Pancham,the romantic Bengali,told,”as if the bride is going with the golden palanquin”…
In 1989,Pancham underwent bypass surgery in London..I was also there…before going to operation theatre,I told him,”You’ll certainly recover"...Pancham replied,”When you’re telling,I’ll definitely recover”…he had a terrible confidence on me…inspite of being husband-wife,we were friends…love was there,more was the affection…Pancham took his last breathe also by lying by the side of me…I still feel Pancham…he is roaming around me…towards any direction I look I find Pancham only…Pancham is immortal……                                 (End)

Asha Bhosle's remembrances after R D Burman's demise published in Aajkaal Ravibaasar on 6th Feb,1994(Contd)

  R D
                                               Aamaar Pancham(My Pancham)
                                                                          By
                                                                 Asha Bhosle
                                                                     (Contd)

Long Drive

Mahabaleswar,Lonavala,Khandla…long drive…we used to go out for a trip whenever got chance…long drive was our favourite leisure-time relaxation…how fantastic were those days…only Pancham and me…with resounding music,cigarette in hand,a drink on the dashboard and Pancham beating his rhythms  on the ceiling of the car…huu..uussh..shhh…as if we were being lost…this picture only comes to me in a round-about way…in any lonely place somewhere we used to stop our car and listen to the songs one by one…’Santana’,’Listen to the pouring rain’ or ‘Guantenamera’…in Mahabaleswar we used to board in Hotel Bina..nowhere else…very often we used to go out for such long drives…enjoyed fantastic funs..especially during rainy days…
How this beautiful understanding between us happened ?Still now I used to often  think  astonishingly…perhaps Pancham simply nodded or stared to another side or turned a matchbox upside down..that’s all..I used to understand exactly what he wanted…I still recall..Pancham was making me understand before recording a song..he was telling a lot but was not being able to inform me exactly what he wanted…it was only after the recording started,someone from inside me told me how to sing that song…I could sing exactly as per the demand of Pancham…then I saw him outside jumping and shouting,”Excellent,Asha..I was looking for just this sort of singing”…during recording,many times I used to ring up to my home..Pancham used to tell,”I was just thinking of you…come on home now..please”..can an extremely ideal couple also imagine of such understanding? In fact,both of us had mutual respect about our job…I never made a stir about his musical instruments or electronic gadgets..we didn’t have any shortage of money…but from beginning to end I became angry …I formally rebuked Pancham…he was extremely extravagant…used to vehemently spend money..spending for himself would have a justification…but he used to squander for his friends only…

Broom in Birthday

Pancham used to like chilli very much…and used to play lunatic with sports and games…inspite of disliking of those by someone elses also,they would have to show excessive enthusiasm with him…he used to watch a lot of movies..whenever got opportunity,I too used to sit with him…just after our marriage,I used to take some extra time for my dressings…Pancham  used to put no comments about the good or bad of my dresses…ultimately one day it was me who asked,”How am Iooking?”…Pancham’s reply was,”The bindi(bit of tinsel worn on forehead) is not matching with your saree”…I also became angry…”That means you used to watch each and every woman in such a minute way?”…a great scuffle occurred that day between us…after that Pancham never told me anything directly…he had terrible self-confidence in him…still he used to tell in another way,”Look,Asha,how this song is becoming if we sing it in this way”…Pancham could turn around a crossing of an ultimate helpless situation…at that time I was a powerful lady who was called as fighter…used to rush to any sort of debate or argument…when arguments were dangerously boiling,Pancham  told,”Well,Asha,did you buy the saree which you had chosen that day “…perhaps also told,”Tomorrow both of us will go out to purchase curtains and sofa-covers”…till such time I forgot the subject of our arguments and engaged with new discussions…after two days,again I remembered the cause of that old argument..and on going to start in a fresh way  with girding up my loins,I realized that it was too late…keeping my house neat and clean was like one of my manias…but Pancham didn’t like all these..used to tell,”Asha aayi,mane saafaai(Asha comes means cleanliness)”…we had so many quarrels with this cleanliness..if I pointed about sweeping and cleaning of kitchen or bedroom,he used to tell,”Asha,do whatever you like but except that”…on the morning of one of my birthdays,a flower bouquet sent by Pancham came to me…how nice it was…when approached near-by I found two brooms very carefully tied up on both sides of it…inspite of being extremely angry,I could not do anything except laughing terribly….           (Contd)

Asha Bhosle's remembrance after R D Burman's demise in Aajkaal Ravibaasar on 6th Feb,1994

    R D
      Aamaar Pancham (My Pancham)
                                   By
                         Asha Bhosle

Autograph Book
That day I was recording the songs of the film ‘Armaan’…someone advanced his copybook from the side..autograph please..I was then in tension with the song…it’s Shachindada who escaped the poor fellow and introduced with me…”My son,Pancham”…that’s our first meet…he was then five years younger than me…taking chance I convulsed ,”Such a small boy…no study..has come to studio moreover..”.From then I had always rebuked Pancham on seeing him in studio…and that boy came to train me after a few days…I was enraged like anything..in a situation of crying…I told Shachindada,”Why this boy,you please teach me”…and I saw Pancham was smiling dimly by turning his face round…
Everyday there was a rose
Years had turned round..one after another..Pancham was then a full-fledged music composer…he resolved all the musics from pure classical hindustani to indigenous folk,Western,Pop and Jaz…and during this time some unknown fan used to send me a rose daily in a plastic box…keeping me in a dilemma that who was that person for a good number of days,Pancham proposed me for marriage…and with that his confession,’It was me who used to send you the roses”…Pan—ch—am…so much was inside your brain…on listening I was astonished so much…in fact,at that time,my condition was not such that I would be crazy with the proposal…I didn’t ever find Pancham in that angle…the feeling that I loved him was realized by me very slowly…the feeling took shape gradually…and we married..
Our this conjugal life was not like the other natural couples…a strange maturity used to surround us with a deep understanding…there was no professional or any other rivalry…we didn’t need any separate worldly comforts or money…we had those sufficiently…my children also didn’t ever raise any unpleasant question..Pancham also loved them much…altogether, the children  of me and Pancham did adapt the whole relation…hence our mental peace didn’t incline at all..how many such unperturbed marriage occurs? But the main thing was that we both were in the field of music…Pancham went on creating and I went on singing…our love was not confined in our bodies…                       (Contd)

The Reportage of the Kalamandir Function on 4th Jan,2011 on the death anniversary of R D Burman(1st part)

“Rahul and I—Bhupinder remembers Pancham”--a tribute to Pancham by Melody Chime at Kalamandir,Kolkata on 4th Jan,2011 on the death anniversary of Rahul Dev Burman.
                                          By
                          Kaushik Bandyopadhyay

A long 17 years have been passed since he left us on 4th Jan,1994 but he is still alive…alive in our heart…on 4th Jan,1994,he got immortallity for ever…he,i.e.,Rahul Dev Burman,the musical wizard and the greatest musical phenomenon in India for ever…

On 4th Jan,2011 Tuesday,I reached Kalamandir,Shakespeare Sarani,Kolkata at sharp 17-00 hrs.The front of the hall was thickly crowded by hundreds of RD-lovers.Shubhendu(Bandyopadhyay) and Anirudha(Bhattacharjya) had already arrived there.We met and I was introduced with some other Panchamites like Balaji Bhittal(Co-author of the recent RD-book alongwith Anirudha to be published by Harper & Collins),Siddhartha(Compere and host of this program),Shantanu Bhattacharjya and others.Quickly we had a cup of tea and I was waiting for Shantanu(Das) with his wife Suparna and 3-year-old son Roddur and my silent(killer) Panchamite friend Partha with four premium-class tickets in my blazer’s pocket.
Suddenly a Bollero arrived on the portico and alongwith some musicians the man got down was the great Bhanuda(Gupta),RD’s famous guitarist.We quickly approached him and with folded hands I greeted him with a “Namaskar,Bhanuda”.At once he returned the same to me and putting his right hand on my left shoulder he smilingly asked in bengali,”And,how’re you all?”
I demanded from him,”Bhanuda,we all want you to rock tonight." Bhanuda replied with melancholy,”Today is Pancham’s death anniversary.Hence there’ll be all soft music today.” We nodded agreeably as we know there is no dirth of soft music in RD’s treasures also.
This time Bhupiji(Bhupinder Singh) came out after a short rehearsal inside and Shantanu(Das) asked him,”In Ghar,who played that immortal guitar piece?”Bhupiji smilingly replied,”It’s me.”
By the time a long queue was formed for entry into the hall and we joined that and entered the hall at 18-10.We took our seats in ‘H’ row i.e.8th row from the front….ohh,so close to the stage.
                                                               First Half

At 18-40,the curtain started lifting and we saw all the musicians glowing the stage with Bhanuda at the front right with guitar,Kishore Sodha at front middle with trumpet and Fudal Horn and Shyam Raaj at front left with his English flutes.
So the musical gala night started with the gorgeous tune of “Tumi,kato je dure” in Kishore Sodha’s magnificient trumpet which ended with a huge claps from the audience.
Compere Siddhartha arrived stage now and started introductions of the great musicians of RDB on stage.Bhanuda remembered about a book in which 150 persons,after death,came back living in this world and also told about how he used to meet unearthly Pancham daily at 5-00 clock in the morning.Such strong was their relation in real life.Then Bhanuda played “Ye Dosti” in his mouth organ to remember Pancham.Shailaja Subramanium came on stage after this and started with RD’s Bengali superhit “Tolo Chhinnobinaa” followed by “Tere bina jiya jaye naa” from Ghar….manificient performance.
After this,she sang the ‘Essence of Music’ from Dil Padosi hai—“Satwa baar bole bangshi”.This one was followed by ‘Gum sum kiyu hai sanam” from Kasme Waade by Shailajaji.Then Shyam raaj ji started with his English Flute….the immortal “Tumse milke” from Parinda.Shailajaji then sang another eternal melody…’Mera kuchh saamaan “ from Izzazat.
Now,Kishore Sodha played “Pyar ke mod pe” from Parinda in his Fudal Horn accompanied by Shailajaji with her vocal.Then came the title song of Jhuta Kahin Kaa excellently sung by Shailajaji.
With all these performances,the musicians on the stage were all simply superb,accurate and gorgeous.Curtain again dropped for interval
2nd Half

When curtain lifted again we saw Bhupiji and Mitaliji sitting with harmonium in the middle of stage alongwith the musicians.They received a huge applaud from the audience.Bhupiji started with “Yaad hai baarishon ke din” from his album with Gulzar.
Then came interview of Bhupiji by Bhanuda on stage….
Reminisciences of Pancham by Bhupinder…Bhupiji told about Pancham’s unparallel improvisations of music,successful experiments and applications with newer musical instruments,his confidence on his musicians etc.Once,after bringing a new instrument,Pancham,when asked who would play this,replied that Bhupi would play that.Bhanuda described Bhupiji as the best musician that Bombay had ever produced.
Aayen the woh saat sur leke
Chale gaye leke sabka swar
Khuda jaane aur saare duniyaa bhi
Woh the sangeet ka ek jaadugar”    (Kaushik)                       (Contd)

Rahul and I...Bhupinder remembers Pancham' at Kalamandir,Kolkata by Melody Chime

'Rahul and I...Bhupinder remembers Pancham' at Kalamandir,Kolkata by Melody Chime   by Kaushik Bandyopadhyay

This evening witnessed the music rehearsal of tomorrow's musical function to be performed by Bhupinder Singh,Mitali Singh and Shailaja Subramanium and to be held at Kalamandir,Kolkata in the memory of R D Burman's 17th death anniversary organised by RDB-fan-club 'Melody Chime' and the rehearsal has been conducted by the musicians who will perform tomorrow.Watched the practices of 'Mithe bole bole payelia','Naam gum jayega','Hujur is kadar','Mitwa' etc RD-Bhupi songs....simply fantastic.


Naushaad's article after demise of R D Burman in Aajkaal Ravibaasar on 6th Feb,1994.

 Mrityu noi,aatmohatya( Not demise,suicide)
                                                    By
                                              Naushaad

 I can recall all those mornings even today.At that time,S D Burman saab used to return daily through Kartar Road after morning walk.After his morning walk,he was scheduled to have a cup of tea in my house daily.With the cup of tea in hand,we used to have several discussions.Very often he used to tell me,”Naushaad,please think something about Pancham…don’t know what this boy will do in life”.I used to tell laughingly,”Arre,dada,for nothing you’re being worried…how old is he now..he’s still having so much time for him…he’ll surely establish himself".It was not a solacing word only to console Burmansaab.I used to know Pancham ,used to recognize the blaze of the musical fire hidden inside him and hence used to catch up his golden future days.Today S D Burman is no more…and now Pancham has also passed away.Today I’m thinking whether there was a fault of mine in dreaming with Pancham.Could Pancham give the quantity which he could give or he should have given to the Indian Musicworld? Let’s look back once.
Pancham learnt Sarode carefully…learnt Tabla also attentively.After that,during working as assistant to his father in making tunes off bits in some films,I found once that he became an individual music composer.That seems now a story of recent days.That small boy(of course an youngman then) composed ‘Chhote Nawaab’ first and after that only he composed in the film ‘Bhoot Banglaa”… sensational affair occurred all around…..everybody admitted that Pancham was not merely son of SD,himself also a talented music composer.I only observed how much control the guy had over Hindustaani Classical Music.The person who has listened to the song ‘Raina beet jaaye’ composed by him will understand that classical music was mixed in his blood.He used to understand and recognize the grace,colour and character of Raagaas with the deep realization from heart.He could play musical games with the tunes and notes without anyway  humiliating the tradition and purity of classical music.He also could  escort the sea of nectar of classical music breaking complexion of Raagaas to the court of common people.But afterwards,Pancham didn’t experiment much with Raagaa musics.I’ll say that Pancham killed his classical music-humorous mind because within those days,Pancham was fully overwhelmed with the  intoxication of tune-rhythm-harmony of Western Music.He felt in love with the melodies of Rock-Pop-Jazz-Beatles.But Pancham’s talent had no comparison too.To my knowledge,he was one of the intelligent music composers.He used to understand a tune which is a hard rock or a simple indigenous or a rude folk song on listening only once and know very well where to use those perfectly.Hence,from the romantic  melodious appeal of ‘Chingaari koi bharke’ of Amar Prem,Pancham could easily diverse to the briskness of ‘Monica,O my Darling’.In fact,any tune composed by him would have his trademark.He used to know the facts about Orchestration,Beat,etc  wonderfully…used to give a type of surprise in the preludes and interludes of his songs…there was a flavor of dramatism in his tuning permutations.Pancham made revolution in the country’s filmy music world by touching the magic stick of Raagaa-music  with the format of a full folk tune by mixing West with the East.He created a new generation in film music.The composers composing in now-a-day’s films are following Pancham’s lines…copying Pancham’s type of compositions….marketting him in a more humiliated and deformed way…but not getting way to come out from that puzzle in any case.  (Contd)

The article by Mrigendra Lal Lahiri after the demise of R D Burman in Aajkaal Ravibasar on 6th Feb,1994.

“ Tublu ke niye Kolkata ghurtam”
                                                                                        By
                                               Mrigendra Lal Lahiri(Pancham’s Lahirida)

The nickname ‘Pancham’ of Rahul Dev Burman was given by ‘Shachinkarta’.I used to call him by ‘Tublu’ which was given by his grandmother.My acquaintance and intimacy with Shachinkarta happened in East Bengal Club where we both were members.Hence,when he went to Bombay for his job,the responsibility of Tublu in Calcutta came on my shoulder.At that time,he used to stay at Southern Avenue with his mother(Meera Dev Burman) and grandmother.It’s me who arranged for his admission in Bullygunge Government School first and then in Tirthapati Institution.From that period only I became his beloved ‘Lahirida’.He used to roam about the whole Calcutta with me and if there was any football match of East Bengal we used to go to the ground.He was very much fond of chicken and Kheer(Thickened milk) and he could not live then without these two things daily.His grandmother used to cook chicken very well and needless to say,she had to cook it very often on childish whim of Tublu.Except these also,we very often used to eat Breast Cutlet,Chicken Roast etc in the Restaurants in Dharmatala area with great enthusiasm.Besides Football,Tublu used to love swimming also very much.He used to learn swimming in the Anderson Club in the Lake.When Shachinkarta used to return from Bombay,amusements used to be increased.Roaming whole Calcutta in ‘Fiton’ car,going to visit Zoo etc were regular engagements.I can recall once Shachinkarta,Tublu,actor Guru Dutt,his wife Geeta Dutt and me went to a farmhouse at Diamond Harbour for fishing.On another occasion,many of us went for a picnic.Fishing,hunting birds by airgun and cooking and eating,swimming…all these were a great fun to Tublu.Once,in the enthusiasm of fishing,the fishing-hook got stucked in his finger so seriously that he had to be transferred to hospital.Tublu was a very jovial guy…and had tremendous respect and love for his father.Music was in his blood.The Bengali songs of Shachinkarta in ‘Hindusthan Records’ were his top favourites.He started learning Tabla from Brojenbabu who was blind and used to play tabla with Shachinkarta.Perhaps for this reason only,there were predominances of so much rhythm,taal and loi in Tublu’s music compositions.After that, his learning of Sarod-playing started from the famous Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.Hence,Tublu’s base of Classical Music was so firm.Except these,he had the attraction to Western Music also as usual. Therefore we always used to get wonderfully unparallel perfection in his music.From the very childhood,he had an intoxication to compose tunes. Shachinkarta used one of Tublu’s compositions, which he composed at his tender age of ten,in Dev Anand’s film ‘Fantoosh’ as “Ai mere topi palat ke aa”.
When Meera Dev Burman went to Bombay due to illness of Shachinkarta,Tublu also could not stay at Calcutta for longer time.The victory lap of Tublu as music director which started as the music assistant of his father at Bombay is now a history.After a certain period I also came to Bombay for my service and that cordial relationship between us continued to exist.At the time of Passing away of Shachinkarta, grief diminished to some extent for having Tublu in my side.Today Tublu is no more.This small brother of mine,by  going away so early from me,has left behind a huge void in my heart.               (End)

Note:- As Panchamda didn’t have any descendant,it was Lahirida who performed all the funeral rituals of Panchamda at the Shastrinagar Burning Ghat in Mumbai.