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?        
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