Two Maestros..Two Days Apart

Madan Mohan & R.D Burman..

Both share their Birth Anniversaries  2 days apart..25th June and 27th June ( But 15 years apart )..Both died young Madan Mohan at 51 and R.D.Burman at 54...

You may think it odd, but when I think of Madan Mohan, I can’t help but think about the parallels between his career and RD Burman’s. Both Madan Mohan and RD Burman had to work hard to make a mark in their careers..

Both Mohan and RD struggled for many years before seeing some success. It took them both about six years before they saw their first hit – Teesri Manzil (1966) for RD Burman and Bhai Bhai (1956) for Madan Mohan. Towards the end of their career, both Madan Mohan and RD Burman grew disillusioned with their careers and died before they could enjoy the success of their last films – Mausam (1975) and Laila Majnu (1976)for Madan Mohan and 1942 – A Love Story (1994) for RD Burman.

Both Madan Mohan’s and RD Burman’s legacies have grown by leaps and bounds after their deaths. While RD Burman’s legacy grew mostly because of his fan base, Madan Mohan’s legacy had help from his family. But in Both Cases Melody was supreme.

The class of Panchamda ( R.D.Burman) won only 3 Filmfare awards.. The last after he passed away..out of 17 nominations..and one as best play back singer.

and The Agony is that the Musical magic of  Madan Mohan had 4 nominations and never won the award in his lifetime.

Film Maker and Music Director Pairing and how R.D lost out

Pairing of Music Director and Director/ Actor is common.

Many a time dependant on the equation and relationships they share and the success they achieve.

Raj Kapoor- Shailendra- Shankar Jaikishan or Dilip Kumar Naushad.

Brij - Kalyanji Anandji, 

Dev Anand S.D.Burman

Chetan Anand - Madan Mohan 

Prakash Mehra Kalyanji Anandji

Prakash Mehra Bhappi Lahiri

Manmohan Desai Laxmikant Pyarelal

Yash Chopra Khayyam

Yash Chopra Shiv Hari

J.Om.Prakash Laxmikant Pyarelal

But when one goes to R.D.Burman one finds that barring Ramesh Behl, Nasir Hussain and Shakti Samanta we hardly find anyone pairing up inspite of giving hits.

Mehmood off course was the one who introduced R.D.

Let's take the example of

Prakash Mehra and Manmohan Desai.

Prakash Mehra used R.D.Burman for Mela, Samadhi and Khalifa.

The songs were popular but after Zanjeer it was back to Kalyanji Anandji till Namak Halaal where he switched to Bhappi Lahiri.

Manmohan Desai had R.D.Burman in Rampur Ka Laxman and Aa Gale Lag Ja. The latter being a true musical melodious treat but differences came when Manmohan Desai wanted to use Mohmmad Rafi Saab for Shashi Kapoor but R.D. Insisted on Kishore Kumar due the Charecter being depicted by Shashi Kapoor. After that it was Laxmikant Pyarelal all the way till Mard ( Allha Rakha before that ) made way to Anu Malik and after Rafi Saab passed away..it was Shabbir Kumar and Mhd Aziz .

There is another example of Tinnu Anand ..Kaalia was a big hit and the music also was successful and songs are still popular but he never worked with him again.

Yash Chopra worked with R .D in Joshila and  Deewaar but due to personality clashes never worked with him again. The producer Gulshan Rai also shifted from

R.D .Burman back to to 

Kalyanji Anandji (Johnny Mera Naam).

J.Om Prakash made Aap Ki Kasam which was a musical blockbuster. and then never worked with Pancham again.??

With Actors it was like a Combination once of Rajesh Khanna, Kishore Kumar and R.D.Burman.

Randhir Kapoor, R.D.

Rishi Kapoor , R.D

Used by R.K. however just for Dharam Karam and later Biwi O Biwi.

Why was it that after churning melody after Melody he was not offered films in his last days ?

Yes one association which can be cherished is that of Gulzar and R.D.Burman as a Lyricist and as a director.

Another Post on that soon 🙏

I still feel he deserved better.

Adbhut Pancham

#adbhutpancham 

Today is the 82 nd Birth Anniversary of the Wizard of Music also 

Called the musical phenomenon, a maverick, the game-changer of the Indian film and music industries, the quintessential musical genius — he was none other than Rahul Dev Burman, known popularly as RD or Pancham.

For three decades, he ruled the hearts of music lovers( still does 27 years after he left )and gave to the film industry new sounds and dimensions in music which would captivate the imagination of music lovers and music makers for a long time to come. Some artistes create a world of their own, where they make invaluable art that moves the hearts of people when it reaches them. RD was one such artist who created music for his own joy and satisfaction without giving much thought as to what people would appreciate.

Hundreds of wonderful compositions, based on Indian classical music as well as Western music, come to mind immediately — Raina Beeti Jaaye (Amar Prem), Ghar aaja ghir aaye badra saanwariya (Chhote Nawab), Yeh shaam mastani (Kati Patang), Churaa liya hai tumne jo dil ko (Yaadon ki Baaraat), Raat kali ek khwaab mein aayi (Buddhha Mil Gaya), Dum maro dum, mitt jaaye gham (Hare Rama Hare Krishna ), Aaj unsay pehile mulaaqaat hogi (Paraya Dhan), the wonderfully melodious songs of the classic film Padosan including Sharm aati hai magar aaj yeh kehna hoga, Kehna hai, kehna hai aaj tumse yeh pehli baar, Mere saamne waali khidki mein, O mere dil ke chain (Mere Jeevan Saathi), the Sholay songs and the background score, Aandhi’s songs and those of Love Story — the list is no doubt too long to complete!

In the 1980s, RD gave us the songs of Khoobsoorat, Love Story, Kudrat, Rocky, Sanam Teri Kasam, Shakti, Masoom, Betaab, Sunny, Ijaazat, Parinda and Gardish. But in the second half of this decade, he had health and career problems. A famous director reportedly replaced him, and did not even inform him that he had been replaced. RD was tired and not quite himself. However, his swan song, the music of Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s grand film 1942: A Love Story, vindicated him completely — he showed the world that musicians like him can never fade away. Fade away, though he did, shortly before the release of this film. It was in January 1994, three months before the film came out, that RD left this world.

The fact is that all these resounding soulful melodies created by Pancham are an integral part of our lives and memories and will always be.

RD made magic — the era has changed but we can still hear RD’s sounds in the music of modern composers like AR Rahman , Vishal Shekhar , Jatin Lalit and Shankar-Ehsan-Loy.

His songs are the most remixed songs that bring his music to this generation.

Pancham will never be forgotten.

His vast body of work will never let any music lover forget him.

RD is forever. And we all know this.

Memories of Pancham are shared by his Singers and Lyricist and his own Voice..

Do Listen to this Music Sitting Mix 

The first of three parts.

https://youtu.be/8loVKY0QVdU

Yateendra Manohar Indapwar 

Reference 

Adbhut Pancham ( YouTube )

Galaxy Golden Stars Jaskiran Chopra