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It was R.D. Burman who really brought the groove into Hindi Film Music, ushering in the era of electronic rock and providing Hindi film Music with a whole new 'happening' sound. His hip and energetic youthful compositions proved extremely popular from the late 1960s till the early to mid-1980s providing much of the music that defines the reputation of singers Asha Bhosle (whom he married) and Kishore Kumar.
R.D. trained under Ali Akbar Khan and entered films assisting his father S.D. Burman. He often played the mouth organ in his father's orchestras and occasionally even composed a tune or two (Ae Meri Topi Palat ke Aa from Funtoosh (1956) and Sar Jo tera Chakraiye from Pyaasa (1957)).
His initial break as an independent music director was Guru Dutt's Raaz (1959). However the film was shelved in spite of some shooting having taken place and some songs being recorded.
Finally comedian Mehmood gave R.D. his first film Chote Nawab (1961) because as he says he got tired of R.D. denting his car with the persistent drumming of his fingers! Jokes aside, R.D. gave hints of his phenomenal musical talent with the beautifully composed Ghar Aajaa Ghir Aaye sung by Lata Mangeshkar.
He also became instrumental in ending the rift between Lata and Burmanda but it took him almost another five years before Mehmood again gave him another film, Bhoot Bangla (1965). The song Aao Twist Karein became very popular and R.D. also acted alongside Mehmood in the film displaying a fine comic timing sense.
His big break came the following year with Nasir Hussain's Shammi Kapoor starrer Teesri Manzil (1966), directed by Vijay Anand. Initially Shammi was unhappy over R.D.'s choice and preferred the older tried and tested pair Shankar-Jaikishen who had given music for most of his films. However once Shammi heard R.D.'s jazzy compositions he had no further misgivings. He knew they had a winner on their hands. The songs like O Haseena Zulfon Waali, Aaja Aaja Main Hoon Pyaar Tera, O Mere Sona Re Sona Re, Deewaana Mujhsa Nahin were unlike anything audiences had heard till then and the music of Teesri Manzil was hummed across the nation. R.D. formed a formidable team with Nasir Hussain scoring music in all his films thereafter.
With popular hits like Padosan (1968) and Hussain's Pyar ka Mausam (1969) behind him and informally assisting his father in Aradhana (1969), R.D. hit his peak in the early 1970s with the Rajesh Khanna starrers Kati Patang (1970), and Amar Prem (1971). Even as he stunned audiences with a classical gem like Raina Beeti Jaaye in the latter, that same year also saw his phenomenal seminal rock score in Hare Rama Kare Krishna (1971) and the sexy Piya Tu Ab to Aajaa from Caravan (1971).
Even as R.D. became a pop icon with films like Apna Desh (1972), Jawaani Deewaani (1972), Yaadon ki Baraat (1973), Khel Khel Mein (1975) and Hum Kissi se Kum Nahin (1977), he teamed up with writer - director Gulzar to give such evocative masterpieces like Beeti Na Beetayi Raina (Parichay (1972)), Is Mod se Jaate Hain (Aandhi (1975)), O Manjhi Re (Khusboo (1975)) and Naam Gum Jayega (Kinara (1977)).
With Love Story (1981), R.D. became the first choice for teenage love stories like Betaab (1983) which owe a great deal of their success to his music.
Towards the mid-1980s however R.D. began going through a rough patch as his films started collapsing at the box-office. Bhappi Lahiri and the Disco age had overtaken him and R.D's producers just disappeared. Even a fine score like Saagar (1985) and a brilliant one like Ijaazat (1987) could not stem the flow of R.D.'s decline.
The music of Ijaazat reiterated that at his best, R.D. was simply matchless. Each of the four songs was a masterpiece - Choti si Kahani Hai, Khaali Haath Shyam Aayi Hai, Katra Katra and the icing on the cake Mera Kuch Samaan which won Asha Bhosle the National Award.
Parinda (1989) had its moments but perhaps his last score to stand out was 1942 - A Love Story (1994) released after his untimely death due to a heart attack. Compositions like Ek Ladki ko Dekha, Kuch na Kaho, Pyaar Hua Chupke Se, Rhimjhim Rhimjhim prove that R.D. had much brilliant music left in him given the chance.
R.D. also occasionally sang his own songs in a unique grunting bass like Duniya Mein from Apna Desh (1972) and Mehbooba, Mehbooba from Sholay (1975).
It is a tribute to R.D's genius and the timelessness of his compositions that most of the soundtracks today being re-mixed in the Indi-Pop scene are compositions of R.D's.
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