Play it again, Pancham Da

RD Burman: The Man, The Music, is a well-researched, delightful medley on the life, times and key note chapters about one of the biggest and most influential music icons to emerge from the India's film industry

Music legend. Maverick genius. Path breaker. Rahul Dev Burman (1939-94) wore several hats with ease and aplomb and strode the circuitous path to superstardom in the Hindi film industry unlike none other of his ilk. This biography by Anirudha Bhattacharjee and Balaji Vittal is an honest attempt to demystify the man behind the fame, the films and the music that continues to influence and inspire across generations, genres and borders.

Booku00a0 extracts
Mango and Cadbury Uncle, Pgs 46-48
Nasir Husain had used three music directors in his last four ventures and was willing to experiment once again, having heard and liked some of Pancham's songs in Chhote Nawab. Goldie too had no problems endorsing Pancham. In any case, he had Pancham in mind for Jewel Thief (1967) (it eventually went to S.D. Burman). SD, too, was keen on the Anand brothers giving Pancham a break in what was thus far an unremarkable career trajectory. Things began to fall apart when Dev dropped out of the production as he found straddling Teesri Manzil and, his own production, Guide, difficult. In walked Shammi Kapoor.

The maestro with his two muses, Asha Bhonsle and Kishore
Kumar. PIC courtesy/Vishwas Nerurkar, R.D. Burman:The man,
The Music

It is said that Nasir Husain practically kidnapped Shammi from H.S. Rawail's house, in the middle of a game of cards. Surfing on the success of films like Kashmir Ki Kali and Rajkumar (1964), while working on Jaanwar (1965), Shammi Kapoor was referred to as the king with the animal charm. He was acknowledged to be at the top of the pecking order, the man with the power to mesmerize his leading ladies with his charisma and attractive looks. He moved in the industry as if he owned the place, and few had the nerve to question him. Like a king, he was surrounded by his ardent cluster of followers. And like all royalty, he expected the best of everything.

Shammi's favourite composers were industry favourites Shankar-Jaikishan and O.P. Nayyar, who had helped build his image by churning out colossal musical hits for the star. It was no surprise then that he would have none other than S-J or Nayyar for Teesri Manzil. Not only were they tried-and-tested, they were also familiar with the genre of music the film needed. The fact that 'Jaan pehchan ho', one of the songs that S-J had composed for Raja Nawathe's adaptation of Agatha Christie's Ten Little Niggers / And Then There Were None, Gumnam (1965) (a film which was offered to SD but he had to opt out of due to his illness), followed the style needed for many of the Teesri Manzil numbers only strengthened Shammi's case.

Pancham, therefore, had to clear the hurdle that was Shammi Kapoor. Well-wishers Jaikishan and screenplay writer Sachin Bhowmick came to Pancham's aid, requesting Shammi to give Pancham an opportunity to showcase his skills. In what was one of the most decisive auditions of his life, and of Hindi film music for that matter, Pancham lost serve in the first game.

He had just sung the first two lines of a Nepali tune, which was later remade as 'Deewana mujhsa nahin', when Shammi interrupted him, completed the rest of the lines 'Deotara mattali oina', and said nonchalantly: 'Another one. I will give this number to Jaikishan.' It was quite common for actors to request composers to create songs for them based on tunes they (the actors) had heard and liked.

Shattered nerves gave way. Flabbergasted, Pancham left the room. After a couple of perfunctory puffs on a cigarette, Pancham re-entered the music room and played the tunes he had reserved for the occasion: 'O mere sona', 'Aa ja aa ja', and 'O haseena zulfonwali'.

Shammi Kapoor stopped him abruptly and said, 'I don't want to hear any more songs.' He rose and made for the exit. 'You've passed. You are my music director.' In hindsight, Pancham needn't have been unduly anxious. According to Manohari Singh, 'O haseena zulfon wali' had been recorded even before Shammi Kapoor's arrival at the studio, at the behest of Nasir Husain.

RD Burman: The Man,
The Music, Anirudha Bhattacharjee & Balaji Vittal, Harper Collins India,
Rs 399. Available at leading bookstores

Didu00a0you know?
Barely a few months after Pancham's demise, his locker number 1045 at the Central Bank of India, Santa Cruz, which could be opened by key no. 1035, which was lying with Pancham's secretary Bharat Ashar, was drilled open under a court order. The contents of the locker, a solitary five rupee note, made big news. Pancham's intent to buy a flat for eight million rupees in the early 1990s had gone unnoticed.

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