BENGALURU: While there have been many great music composers in Bollywood, the kind of influence and popularity RD Burman still enjoys – 29 years after passed away – is simply astounding. A host of young music directors hail him as their “inspiration” and his songs are still the toast of the radio stations and playlists.
RD was born in 1939 to SD Burman – who was one of the prominent composers of his time – and Meera Dev Burman. Right from his childhood, he was drawn to music. A story goes that he was nicknamed ‘Pancham’ because when he used to cry, it sounded like the fifth note (Pa) of music notations.
The maverick composer belted out a range of brilliant songs and ushered in a new “sound” in Bollywood’s musical climes. In the 1970s, the trio of RD Burman, Rajesh Khanna and Kishore Kumar ruled the roost.
On his 83rd birth anniversary, The New Indian visits his ten most popular songs (In no particular order) –
