RD Burman birth anniversary: When Sachin Dev Burman revealed his father Pancham Da pleaded Dev Anand for work

From Hare Rama Hare Krishna to Dum Maaro Dum and Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko, the music maestro has given several unforgettable songs

RD Burman/Twitter

RD Burman, who is often referred to as the Music Scientist and the King of Bollywood Music, had revolutionished Bollywood music. The music composer gave several evergreen songs like Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Dum Maaro Dum and Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko in the 70s and 80s. Rahul Dev Burman aka RD Burman was born on June 27, 1939 and had he been alive today, he would have been celebrating his 83rd birthday.

RD Burman was fondly called Pancham Da. The legendary musician has scored music for over 330 films. The musician who offered so much to the industry was later shunned by it. There were several reports that many producers had cut ties with him and so, he was jobless in the final years of his life. The industry was then taken over by Bappi Lahiri and other composers as the films for which he composed failed at the box office, one after another. During this tough time, RD Burman's son, Sachin Dev Burman had said that it was Dev Anand who stood by him.

RD Burman called Dev Anand, Dev Saab and he sought help from the hindi cinema superstar then. Talking about the struggles and how the actor supported his father, Sachin had said during an interview with author Khagesh Dev Burman that the only person from the industry who stood by him was Dev Anand. "He told my father not to worry, that he'd delay the film. That's something nobody will ever do for a music director today. Five months later, when my father recovered, we finished all the Guide songs in five days and would you believe it, at the first session Dev Anand okayed four tunes," he told the author, according to Indian Express.

When RD Burman was in need of work, he did not hesitate to seek help from Dev Anand. The musician was quoted in the R D Burman - The Prince of Music, saying that he had no ego issues to sought help from him. "Since Dev saab had seen me in my nappies, I’d no ego problem in pleading with him not to leave me. ‘If you leave me, everyone will leave me,’ I told Dev saab," reads the quote in the book.

But later, reportedly, Dev Anand too dropped him like other filmmakers despite the bond he shared with his father. The musician was awarded the third and last of his Filmfare Awards for the 1994 film, 1942: A Love Story. The music was highly successful.

RD Burman passed away in January 1994. According to his late sister-in-law, Lata Mangeshkar, the musician died an untimely death and was unhappy in life.

Share