Palash Biswas
(contact: Palash Biswas,c/o Mrs Arati Roy, Gostokanan, Sodepur,
Kolkata- 700110, India. Phone: 033-25659551)
He used to say, "Bhatiali aspect of the music that means something
special to me...".
He used to say,"... instead of placing a song in an unwanted
position it should be removed entirely...."
Suno Mere Bandhu Re' seems to be a much more haunting tune from old
gold which portrays Indian people`s rustic philosophy of illusion and
reality. The spritualism premdominent in Indian subcontinent eductae
the people, suffering from day to day struggle for survival, the
pathos arownd tand the atrocities thrust upon, to take life easy as
everything is considered Maya and some almighty is there always to
help you. The moments of joy and sorrow are identified with the waves
of singing river. Legendary Mugician sachin Dev Burman got the tune
better than any one else. He may not be a bengali by birth, butthe
globalisation of Bengali folk song would have been incomplete without
his mighty and sensitive contribution. Sachin Dev Barman, scion of
the royal family of Tripura, was a failed tennis player. No matter,
he had a superior passion. Gifted with a rich lilting voice, a slight
nasal twang adding to its allure, his music took the Bengali middle
class by storm in the Thirties and Forties of the last century. His
fort was juxtaposition of Bengali folk with Hindustani light
classical and the 78 rpm discs he rendered were collector`s items in
that era. Sachin Dev Burman's songs continue to reverberate through
the corridors of time and haunt us in our moods and moments of
ecstasy or melancholy. If we can introduce his matchless songs to the
young generation and explain to them the nuances in his tune, as we
understand and enjoy them as music lovers, we shall continue to pay
our homage to the maestro.
The S.D.Burman song never sounded dated because it was too simple to
be affected by changes in trends or passing fads. And simple art that
resonates with everyone is always what a classic is about, for it is
actually the most difficult to create!
His noble lineage is reflected in the grace of his musical creations
spanning a period of 43 years until his death in Bombay in 1975. The
spirit of the baul is what gives force and validity to Sachin Dev
Burman's songs. The minstrel-like quality which emerges from his
voice, husky and forever that of an ageing man, with that slight
tinge of the nasal about it, is evocative of the historical Bengali
ambience. If you have heard puthi songs and if you have sat through
pala gaan evening after misty evening, you will have cause to plumb
the depths in Burman. Tradition was important to him. His music
necessarily sprang, vapour-like, from the warm earth and took
nourishment from the smells and colours around it. In `malakhani
chhilo haate jhore tobu jhorhe na', in `ki kori aami ki kori / boney
agun mone phagun', it is the primeval landscape, home to poetry and
beautiful seasons, that reveals itself through its insistent
silences.
The musical giant, the big Dada of them all, SD Barman, passed away
on October 31, 1975.But he plays his tune eternal whereever the river
flows in this subcontinent. Sachin Dev proved that age is no
impediment for creativity. He was the only great composer who
remained in great demand till the end of his life, unlike his
contemporaries who gradually faded away. In 1975, the musician
slipped into a coma, which led to his death on October 31.
S D Burman's period, according to his fans is considered a 'golden
age'.
When sked in an interview, `Which section of our folk music appeals
more to you?', the great sachin karta answered,`Bengali folk music is
a big thing, you know that perhaps. It is the Bhatiali aspect of the
music that means something special to me. But then, you can never
quite leave out one for the other. The Baul ang also has serious
appeal. If you talk of shades then you may quite reasonably reach out
for many different `angs' or aspects within our folk music tradition.
As for myself I have always tried to see this music from as many
perspectives as I have found possible. `
Do you have any personal definition for your kind of bhatiali? And
Dada replied,` I would like to propose my definition. But I am sure
it would not seriously alter the general definition. Bhatiali is an
earthy music. It is rooted to the soil where it sprouts from. Thus
Bhatiali of a particular area has it's local gift and colours.
Bhatiali is also the song of the rivers. The sound patterns of
Bhatiali, its colour contrasts, its pathos and it's mirth reminds you
of the rivers of Bengal as many of the poems of Tagore do. Besides
all these Bhatiali is also about love whether of the common peasants
or of Radha and Krishna. Thus it's mood can vary from light
romanticisms to philosophic melancholy. But it never aspires to the
philosophy of the Baul kind.'
He draws a line between Baul and Bhatiali as Mainly by the theme.
Ofcourse when the theme changes the mood and the expression are also
altered. The Baul chiefly attempts to narrate a philosophy. The
bhatiali attempts to depict a mood which may at times be
philosophical. More often than not Bhatiali treats in so many ways a
very human feeling, a wishful thinking, a simple and sensuous state
of mind. Take for instance this Baul lyric: Ami Bandhu Premagune
pora. Ami morle jalasne re tora…… or even better Chintaram darogababu
korle jalatan….. Now the first lyric tells of a lover's sorrows which
can also be interpreted philosophically. The second lyric is out and
out philosophical stated in terms of an allegory. Compared to this
the teenaged bride's yearning to the return to her father's place in
the bhatiali piece.'
Burman was born in 'Comilla Rajbari' at 'Chortha (Thakurpukur)' on
October 2, 1906. The music maestro was popularly known as 'Sachin
Karta'- 'Karta' is the title of respect for the Tripura Royal family
members. SD Burman spent most of his life in his Comilla house where
he composed and sang many of his famous songs before moving to
Kolkata in 1937 and then to Mumbai in 1942.
Critics are of the opinion that his `film compositions were often
influenced by his huge repertory of folk-tunes from the Bengali
Bhatiali, Sari and Dhamail traditions of the North East. As a singer,
his thin but powerful, accented voice was often used as a bardic
commentary: e.g. the Wahan kaun hai tera musafir in Guide, Safal hogi
teri aradhana in the hit Rajesh Khanna movie Aradhana. He wrote an
autobiography: Sargamer Nikhad.'
One biographer writes: `His famous compositions in the film
Aradhana, Guide, Amar Prem etc. are very prolific yet soul touching.
His regal and intoxicating voice sounds as if a very harmonious
instrument is being played. His compositions had a unique sense of
spiritual `nirvana'. His simple yet soul touching use of instruments
is nothing short of meditative trance. The few songs he ever sang are
timeless, intoxicating and ever fresh, each carrying a deeper meaning
of life. Each song he composed, directed or sang himself fathoms
one's personal triumphs and tragedies. Lots of other singers have
come and gone but nobody touches the soul so deeply than Sachin `Da',
as he was affectionately called. He truly was The Inimitable.'
During October,2006, in Agartala, the capital of Indian state
tripura,fans and followers of India's legendry playback singer
S.D.Burman held his centenary celebrations at the Rabindra Centenary
Hall, his house .Born in the royal family of Tripura, Burman began
his musical journey by learning classical music from his father,
noted sitarist and Dhrupad singer Nabadwipchandra Dev Burman. He
later continued his training under Ustad Badal Khan and Bhismadev
Chattopadhaya.
Burman da or elder brother as he was lovingly called by all, had a
great fan following. It was his unforgettable stamp on their mind
that fascinated his fans from Tripura and West Bengal and many from
the neighbouring country Bangladesh to the three-day long
celebration. They sang popular songs in Bengali and Hindi languages
composed by the great maestro.
Maharaja Bir Chandra Manik' Bahadur of Tripura was a great
connoisseur of music and he promoted dance and music through music
festivals during his time on the occasion of Holi, Jhulan Yatra and
Rash Purnima. It is believed that the great Kaviguru Rabindra Nath
Tagore, after visiting the State, had not only spoken highly, of the
rich musical heritage of Tripura but is also known to have
acknowledged Raj Bir Chandra Manik's contribution in this field. Jadu
Bhatta, who was the famous exponent of the' `Marga Geet', performed
at the court of Raja Bir Chandra. In contemporary times, the famous
father - son duo of Sachin Dev Barman and Rahul Dev Barman has helped
show the world the musical acumen, and versatility that Tripura
can `throw up. Tripura, from tjme bygone, has also a seat of rich
classical dance & music `but at the same time the repertoire of songs
and dances for which tribal Tripura is known for, is maintained. It
is this blend of rich variety that makes the dance arid music of
Tripura so unique.
Strangely enough, West Bengal seems to be a mere audience to see pass
away the centtenaries of those like Jogendra Nath Mandal, Ram Kinkar
and even Sachin dev Burman as they don`t belong to the ruling class,
niether they match the ruling interests.
Anil Sarkar, the poet and minister of culture says it is quite
unfortunate that the Bengalies have forgot Sachin Karta.
Not only Bengal, Bollywood and Mumbai, also seem to be quite detached.
S D Burman's music was an eclectic mix of various musical forms. His
primary and most favourite influence remained Bengali folk music. His
early years were spent amidst the rolling hills and the lush mountain
valleys of the North-East. The rich musical tradition of this region
left an indelible mark on the young Sachin. Years later he wrote that
his art drew heavy inspiration from the outdoors of Tripura, where he
spent his childhood.He had a special liking for Baul and Bhatiyali
folk forms of Bengal. He himself was an accomplished Bhatiyali (the
song of the boatman) singer and came into prominence in the Hindi
music scene with his memorable rendition of a Bhatiyali adaptation --
'Dheere se jaana bagiyan mein re bhanwra'. His rendition is said to
have mesmerized Jaidev so much that he sought him out to become his
assistant!
In addition to folk music, Rabindra Sangeet and light classical forms
like the thumri formed his building blocks. Burmanda also had a very
unique sense of rhythm. Melody and rhythm blended in perfect harmony
to make his compositions extremely captivating. Sachin Dev Burman is
a legendary composer and singer of the subcontinent. The soft-faced,
bespectacled maestro in starched white dhoti-kurta remained popular
with both discerning filmmakers and the general public for decades
because his melody-soaked compositions, while rewardingly rooted in
Indian folk and light classical music, always remained easy to hum.
His fondness for paan and quaint Hindi pronunciations (most
notably 'moosafir' in the Guide song (Wahan kaun hai tera) made him
an all time favourite.However, he had to wage a long struggle in the
Mumbai film industry to gain acceptance as a composer. In fact, he
had virtually decided to return to Kolkata disillusioned as he was by
the materialism in Mumbai, but was persuaded to stay back by actor
Ashok Kumar.
Burman also promoted other singers. Manna Dey's career flowered after
he sang Upar gagan vishal for Burman in Mashaal. Hemant Kumar's
earliest Hindi success is Yeh raat yeh chaandni from Jaal. And
Kishore Kumar had his first hit courtesy Qusoor aapka, huzoor aapka
in AVM's Vyjayanthimala vehicle Bahaar. Sachin was also responsible
along with OP Nayyar into shaping Asha Bhonsle as a singer of
repute.The temporary fall-out with Lata, benefitted Asha
tremendously, because the composer now lavished his best on her
(Kaali ghata chhaye, Achchaji main haari). Not one to meekly follow
trends, Burman did only six films between 1965 and 1969. Even when
the orchestration fever raged in the 1960s, Burman stuck to soft
songs that relied on vocals like Mehbooba teri tasveer or Raat akeli
hai.
Noted Film Critic Ritu Chanda writes, `A look into Sachinda's almost
40-year career (including his stint in Calcutta) shows us that
Sachinda's biggest quality was to change with time. From the
classical inspired '30s and '40s where he held his own amongst
stalwarts like Saigal, to the pop and jazz inspired '70s, Dada was
always in with the times. Variety and versatility were his keywords.
He would consciously strive to be different. Each tune was crafted
with care, love and enthusiasm. He would forever experiment. One of
his earliest experiments was taking a song written as a ghazal and
tuning it into a club song. Yes, we are talking about 'Tadbeer se
bigdi hui'. With such stupendous success with his first experiment,
Dada Burman had tasted blood. After that he never gave up on this
trait. He would vary tempo, orchestration, vocals etc. to give each
song a unique feel...
Another very notable characteristic Sachinda had was the ability to
think laterally. He could take the same set of notes and create
completely different songs. As was his nature he was the happiest
composing effervescent songs. He had a special way with duets. He
brought about a special chemistry between the singers as is apparent
in duets like 'Chod do aanchal' or 'Aankhon mein kya ji'. ..
He teamed with Majrooh Sultanpuri to create some memorable duets.
Majrooh Saab recalls how Dada Burman initially was opposed to duets
because he felt they had no market. However, after some convincing he
went with "Muzru's" (that's what he called him) idea and the result
was the extremely coquettish 'Chod do aanchal zamaana kya kahega' .
And yes, by the way, the 'ah' in the beginning was added by Burmanda
himself!'
Syed Badrul Ahsan writes inhis article `The baul in Sachin Dev
Burman':
There was the pastoral about the tenor of Sachin Dev Burman's songs.
When you hear him sing `door kono porobashe tumi choila jaiba re
bondhu re kobe aiba re' it is the image of Bengal in all its
rusticity that wells up in your imagination. For Burman, music was a
constant effort to stay rooted to heritage. There was not about him
the urge to borrow from outside, to go for an assimilation of musical
forms as it were. But there resided in him a poetic soul that spotted
the lyrical all across the country he belonged to. You cannot, in
that broad sense of the meaning, wrench him away from his moorings,
which is when you find yourself wondering at the calm, almost
resigned cadences of `biroho boro bhalo laage'. Placidity in the soul
and placidity in nature is all. Separation from the beloved is a
destructive happenstance, but in Burman rises the urge to let go. You
can almost hear Tennyson speaking of loving and losing rather than
not loving at all. The English poet and the Bengali song maker are of
course worlds apart in their intellectual dimensions, but of the
shared human characteristics of their emotions there is little doubt.
When we deal with Burman, we deal fundamentally with a modern man.
The unmistakable strains of Indian musical tradition run through his
songs, eventually to throw up poetry that is pleasing to the senses.
Try humming `tumi eshe chhile porshu kaal keno aasho ni / tumi ki
amaye bondhu kaal bhalo basho ni'. A sensation almost bordering on
desire courses through you. Romance, you realise, could not be better
expressed other than through this song. And yet there are the various
strands of romance that Sachin Dev Burman experiments with. The
pretty saucy `shoite pari na bola mon niye chhinimini shoibo na'
harks back to love in a time of purity, when men of passion truly
worshipped the ground their women walked on. Love acquires an
intensity, an irresistible form, through such rapid heavings of the
heart as `banshi shune aar kaj nai shey jey dakatia banshi'. Imagine
the silence of the night pierced by the sudden and shockingly sweet
tones of the flute. What enchanting sounds are these? What lovers can
then resist from running to each other, the glitter of the low
hanging stars speeding them along? In that song emerges the
quintessential Burman. Music was the discipline he never let slip,
even when he composed for the Hindi movies produced in Bombay. Burman
will forever be remembered for that mesmerising Mohammad Rafi number
lipsed by Dev Anand in Guide —- `tere mere sapnay ab eik hi rang
hain / wo jahan bhi le jaayen rahen / hum sang hain'. And if you have
had occasion to listen to another Rafi number, `hum bekhudi mein tum
ko pukaare chale gaye', you might as well recall that Burman had
simply transplanted the music from his earlier Bengali song, `ghoom
bhulechhi nijhum nishithe jege thaki / ar amari moto jaage neerhe
duti pakhi.
If you were now to dwell on the versatility in Burman, you would
find the canvas an endless patchwork of ideas. The imagery of his
songs, the laid back manner of the pleas and complaints to the
beloved, keep throwing up sparks of varied hue. In `tumi je giyaccho
bokulo bichhano pothe' a sense of sadness, dripping and deepening,
comes through. No one does it better than Burman. Even when others
try the same song, you cannot but fall back on Burman's rendering of
it. He raises gloom to new heights. Observe that perennially haunting
number, `tumi ar nei shey tumi / jani na jani na kemon emon hoi'. It
is the plaintive heart reaching almost bursting point in the
disappointed lover. And therein is love reinforced through the very
act of its termination. In `mono dilo na bodhu / mono nilo je
shudhu / aami ke niye thaki', the pattern sustains itself. Does the
song remind you of the Geeta Dutt number, `jaane kya tum ne kahi /
jaane kya maine suni / baat kuch banhi gayi'? Burman did not quite
wade into composing music for Hindi songs the way Hemanta Mukherjee
was to do. Even so, when he did emerge with compositions for Hindi
songs, he let everyone know that he had not strayed from the
classical traditions he had always upheld. Songs such as `sun mere
bandhu re', `kahe ko roye sapna hogi teri aradhana' and `musafir
jaayega kahan' have been cited not merely for the richness of musical
tone but for their steadfast adherence to Indian musical background
as well.'
Shahnoor Wahid writes in his article`The king of melody':
`If you are one among the fast vanishing class of music lovers who
grew up listening to timeless songs….songs that were not
cacophonously noisy, songs that put you to sleep and not gave you
insomnia, then you must have loved to listen to….. `Jaltey hai jiskey
liye…tere akhokey diey…dhundlaiahu ohi geet mei tere liye….' Did not
the tender, romantic, melodious song, every time you heard it in your
youthful days caress the edges of your soul!! Does not the song take
you on a trip to the realm of nostalgia as your hear it today? No
doubt only Talat Mahmud, with his inimitable silky-soft voice could
do full justice to the composition. And S D Burman knew it while
composing songs for the award winning film Sujata! This song no doubt
has transcended all boundaries, all borders, all hearts and all souls
across the continents to become one of the greatest Hindi
compositions of all time.
Sachin Dev Burman was also known for his tunes that were full
of cadence and tempo. One biographer called them `folksy-romantic-
frolicking songs'. Even today, many would start to tap and hum at the
mention of … `Saiyan dilme anare, mujhe leke janare…chamchama cham
cham..' a song from the 1951 film Bahar.
Much later, we were lucky enough to watch the film Solva Saal in
Dhaka in the late sixties. As youngsters, after that film, we became
fans of Dev Anand and unabashedly fell in love with the extremely
beautiful Wahida Rehman. Who can forget the legendary scene and the
song from the film? The scene unfolds inside a moving train. Wahida
Rehman is sitting on a front seat with her fiancé and Dev Anand is
lying low on one seat behind her with his head on the lap of Sunder,
the sidekick. Suddenly Dev Anand had that characteristic twinkle in
his eyes, and when he had the twinkle along with an impish grin that
meant mischief of the highest order was about to manifest. And it
came sooner than expected. He got up and began to sing… `Hai aapna
dil to awara najaney kispe aayega…' with the conspicuously striking
mouthorgan piece to provide the interlude music. That scene and this
particular song perhaps was fifty per cent of the film Solva Saal
(1958), and it became evident when young men and women and Dev
imitators flocked to see the film again and again for this scene. For
years, throughout the sixties and seventies, young men in India,
Pakistan and Bangladesh sang this song day in and day out.
Who else but Sachin Dev Burman could come up with so romantic and
melodious a tune that caught the mood of the scene and the smiling
persona of Dev so well? The beautiful song was sung by Hemant Kumar
(Mukherjee). Another favourite song of the same film is…. `Yevi koi
ruthneka mousam hai diwaney…' a very lyrical song sung in the film by
Wahida Rehman. The playback singer was perhaps late Geeta Dutt. Song
lovers who are familiar with Sachin Dev's style and sense of melody
will easily recognise the touch of the maestro in the tune.
Years later, young men of the sub-continent dolefully sang
…. `Janeyo kaise logothe jinke pyar ko pyar mila…' a fascinatingly
soul-touching number from Guru Dutt film Pyasa, sung by Hemant Kumar.
In fact, many of such high quality songs took the crowd to the cinema
halls again and again in those days when cheap cassettes or CDs were
not there.'
Sachin Dev Burman: A Biography
(1906-75)
Source: 'Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema', British Film Institute, 1999
(By Ashish Rajadhyaksha and Paul Willemen)
Music director born in Tripura. Classical training by his father,
sitarist and Dhrupad singer Nabadwipchandra Dev Burman; later with
ustad Badal Khan and Bhishmadev Chattopadhyay. Early work for radio
was based on East bengali and North eastern folk-music.
In early 30s made a reputation in bengal as singer of folk and light
classical music, e.g. at the Allahabad Sangeet Sammelan (Music
Conference) in 1935. First record was of a Nazrul Islam composition,
leading to a long and productive releationship with the
writer/composer. Film debut singing for Pankaj Mullick in Atorthy's
Yahudi Ki Ladki (1933) but the songs were scrapped and re-sung by
Pahadi Sanyal.
First film as singer: Tinkari Chakraborthy's Sanjher Pidim (1935);
also acted in Dhiren ganguli's Bidrohi (1935). Music director from
1939 onwards in Calcutta. Moved to Bombay (1944) and worked at
Filmistan (Eight Days, Shabnam), Navketan (Afsar, Taxi Driver,
Funtoosh, Guide) and for Guru Dutt (Baazi, Jaal, Pyaasa, Kagaz ke
Phool). Remained Dev Anand's key composer for several years (Paying
Guest, Tere Ghar ke Saamne, Jewel Thief, Prem Pujari). Also worked on
films for Bimal Roy (Devdas, Sujata, Bandini).
Film compositions often influenced by his huge repertory of folk-
tunes from the Bengali Bhatiali, Sari and Dhamail traditions of the
North East. As a singer, his thin but powerful, accented voice was
often used as a bardic commentary: e.g. the Wahan kaun hai tera
musafir in Guide, Safal hogi teri aradhana in the hit Rajesh Khanna
movie Aradhana. Wrote an autobiography: Sargamer Nikhad.
Burman Dada was the youngest of Nabadip Chandra Dev Burman's five
sons (and four daughters). Nabadip Chandra was the direct heir to the
kingdom of Tripura when "palace politics" forced him to stay aside.
An adept in playing the sitar apart from excelling in drupad singing
and sculpting, it was he and his fourth son Lt. Col. Kiran Kumar, who
gave Burman Dada the inspiration to delve into music. Burman Dada's
childhood gurus were two helping hands, the old Madhav who would sing
passages from the Ramayana and the young Anwar his "sparring" partner
in angling who would sing the Bhatialis (a type of Bangla folk song)
with a "Dotara" (a folk stringed instrument).
Dada had his formal education in Comilla from where he passed his
Matriculation (1920) and Intermediate (1922) examinations. After
completing his B.A from Comilla Victoria College (1924) he left for
Kolkata for his M.A. in English. But music was his destiny. He chose
the legendry KC Dey (Manna Dey's uncle) as his first guru in Kolkata.
The great exponents of classical music of the time notably Ustad
Badal Khan, Ustad Allauddin Khan and Ustad Bishwadev Chatterjee were
also to become his teachers. He first sang for All India Radio
Kolkata around 1926/27 and cut his first disc as a singer cum
composer in 1932. The H 11, 78 rpm disc from Hindoostan record which
had a semi classical number on one side and a folk based song on the
other was a super hit. A 'star' was born to give a new shape to the
art of singing and composing, so much so, that he surpassed his
contemporaries and exponents of Tagore songs, to become the highest
paid singer when Bombay finally roped him in 1944.
Prior to his departure for Bombay, Burman Dada composed for a number
of Bengali plays and films. His first film composition was in 1937
for "Rajgee". However, success as a composer of film songs did not
quite come because of his style of music. His musical life in Kolkata
was therefore more focused to the intellectuals and connoisseurs of
music. No wonder his fans ranged from musical giants like Dilip Kumar
Roy, Nazrul Islam, Dhurjyoti Prasad Mukherjee and then on to the next
generation like Ravi Shankar, Hemant Kumar, Kishore Kumar, Salil
Chowdhury, Tapan Sinha etc.
On stage, Dada performed with Ustads like Abdul Karim Khan, Ustad
Fayyaz Khan, Girija Shankar Chakrabarty in major musical conferences
in Allahabad and Kolkata. It is now a matter of history that Burman
Dada was also an excellent flute and tabla player besides being an
outstanding sportsman (specially tennis, football, volleybal) which
he had to sacrifice for his first love -- music.
Dada married Meera, an accomplished singer cum dancer in 1938. Rahul
Dev Burman aka Pancham was born the next year. Dada continued singing
Bangla songs on a regular basis until 1971 when poor health forced
him to retire. His Bangla songs continue to be a bench mark in the
art of singing. Many of these songs were turned to film hits
e.g. "Hum bekhudi mein tumko',"Pholon ke rang se", "Khai hai re humne
kasam", "Tere bin soone", "Mehbooba tere tasvir", "Sach kahti hai
duniya", "Neend chooraye", " Jaane kya tune kahi", "Pawane diwani "
to mention a few.
Bombay had been calling Burman Dada for long, but Dada always
preferred Kolkata. However, in 1944 at the request of Sasadhar
Mukherjee of Filmistan, Burman finally decided to go with two films
in hand Shikari ("Har din hain naya raat") and "Aath Din"("Ummed
bhara panchi"). It is very likely that Dada chose to go to Bombay, as
two of his best friends, Ajoy Bhattacharya, the lyricist and Himagsu
Dutta, the composer had passed away.
But Bombay was no cake walk. Despite the musical success of Shikari
and Aath Din and later on Do Bhai ("Mera Sundar sapna beet gaya"),
Vidya ("Bahe na kabhi nain se neer",Shabnam ("Yeh duniya roop ki
choor"), Dada was still not considered a force. Frustrated, Burman
decided to pack up for Kolkata. It was at this point Ashok Kumar put
his foot down. "Compose the music for Mashaal and then you are free".
Dada took up the baton again. Mashaal was a super hit. The song "
Upar gagan vishal", became a rage. It also launched Manna Dey in a
new fold. The rest is history.
Bahar ("Qusoor aap ka"), Naujawan ("Dil ka dard na jane"), Buzdil
("Rote rote guzar gayi"), Baazi ("Aaj ki raat piya"), Taxi Driver
("Dil jale to jale"), Jaal ("Chori Chori meri gali"), Devdas ("Jise
tu kabool"), House No 44("Phaili huyi hain"), Munimjee ("Jeevan Ke
safar mein"), Funtoosh ("Woh dekhen to unki"), Nau Do Gyarah ("Ankhon
mein kya ji"),Paying Guest ("Chand phir nikla"),Pyaasa ("Jaane kya
tune kahi "), Kala Paani ("Hum bekhudi mein), Solva Saal ("Yeh bhi
koi ruthne ka"),Kagaz Ke Phool ("Waqt ne kiya kya"), Sujata ("Kali
ghata chhaye"), Bombai Ka Babu ( " chal ri sajni"), Kala Bazaar
("Khoya khoya chand"),Dr. Vidya ("Pawan Diwaani"), Meri surat teri
aanhken (Tere bin soone"), Bandini ("Mera gora ang"), Benazir ("Husn
ki baharen liye"), Kaise Kahoon ("Man mohan man mein ho tumhi") Guide
("Mose chal kiye jaye")), Jewel Thief ("Roola ke gaya), Aradhana
("Roop tera mastana, Talaash ("Tere naina"), Prem Pujari ("Shokiyon
mein ghola jaye"), Gambler ("Mera man tera pyaasa"), Tere Mere Sapney
( "Mera aantar ek mandir") Sharmili ("Megha Chaya aadhi raat"),
Abhiman ("Piya bina piya bina"), Mili ("Badi sooni sooni hai") are
all "Dada" compositions. The same list of movies can be repeated a
few more times with a different set of songs, as Dada till date, has
the maximum number of hit songs per film.
Dada struck a balance with most poets/lyricists including Kaifi Azmi
(Kagaz Ke Phool), Sahir Ludhianvi (Pyaasa), Majrooh Sultanpuri (Nau
Do Gyarah), Shailendra (Guide), Hasrat Jaipuri (Ziddi), Neeraj (Prem
Pujari), Shakil Badayuni (Kaise Kahoon), Anand Bakshi(Aradhana). He
reigned supreme throughout his Bombay career with his wide range of
compositions working with top of the line film makers like Dev Anand
(he was a father figure at Navketan), Bimal Roy, Guru Dutt, Shakti
Samanta, Promod Chakraborty, NC Sippy, Hrishikesh Mukherjee etc. Be
it a classical number or one with a folksy touch, or a cabaret piece,
Dada excelled in all to become the most versatile composer of his
time. As a class singer himself, Dada knew the weaknesses of all
great singers and therefore could draw the best out of them; as such
he gave turning points to the careers of Hemant Kumar, Kishore Kumar,
Manna Dey, Geeta Dutt, Asha Bhonsle, and Suman Kalyanpur. His music
was sometimes art and sometimes craft.
The hallmark of Burman dada's composition was a simple tune with a
simple orchestra thereby emphasizing more on its melodic content. He
never took many assignments at a time. He knew his limitations?. When
the theme of a film was not suited to his composing range, he would
recommend his colleagues to the producers, as he did for " Madhumati
(Salil Chowdhury), Shiv Bhakti (?) (Chitragupta) etc. He never
depended on any particular artist and kept changing his singers in
accordance with his/her voice quality. He tolerated no "nonsense"
with his music and as a hard core professional,never allowed any of
his assistants (Madan Mohan, Jaidev, Pancham, N Dutta, Meera) to
make "his music". He would always have his last say before a product
was out. A perfectionist and a hard taskmaster, he recorded a song
only after sufficient rehearsals. Also, he would postpone recording
until his requirements were met. Classic examples have been the
postponement of the recording of "Nache mora manwa magan tikta dhighi
dhighi" in Meri Surat Teri Aakhen until the arrival of Pandit Samta
Prasad from Beneras or the drum from Sikkim for "Honto pe aisi baath"
in Jewel Thief.
There was a time in Bombay when the lyrics were set to tune by the
music directors. Dada changed the theory. The tune first, the lyrics
later. Today nine out of ten songs are composed in this manner. Also
for every song sequence Dada had many alternative tunes thus giving
the producers a wide choice. Dada believed that the best judge of his
music were the inmates of a house including the servants.
A low profile man, Dada had a profound sense of humour and wit he
exposed only to his close ones. The innumerable duets he composed
will give a reflection of this part of his nature. Despite his royal
background, Dada led a life of austerity and simplicity. He never
boasted or showed off but was always proud of his music. He was a
great lover of sports and even offered to compose music for a hockey
match!! Dada refereed many a game of football, volleyball in his
Bombay and Agartala/ Comilla days. It is said that in his young days
he was good enough to represent India in lawn tennis!! His other
passion was angling!
Dada received the prestigious Sangeet Natak Academy Award and the
Padmashree for his contribution to music apart from many other awards
including a national award for singing in 1969. Earlier in 1934 in
Kolkata, Dada was awarded a gold medal in All Bengal Classical Music
Conference in which Ustad Fayyaz Khan, Ustad Allauddin Khan,
Bishwadev Chatterjee participated. In Agartala, a bridge has been
dedicated in his memory. SD Burman awards are given from Agartala
every year to upcoming artists.
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