Golden Era of Bollywood: Remembering S D BURMAN on his 110th BIRTH ANNIVERSARY

Sachin Dev Burman(1 October 1906 – 31 October 1975) was one of the greatest Bollywood music directors in the early days of India's film industry. He was a much sought after composer from the 1940's up until his death in 1975.

S D Burman as a child

SD Burman started working as a radio singer on Calcutta Radio Station in the late '20s, when his work as a singer composer was based on Bengali folk and light Hindustani classical music. Consequently, his compositions were mainly influenced by his huge repertoire of folk-tunes from present Bangladesh and later other parts of India and around the world. His first record was also released in 1932

As a music composer, he started with Bengali plays, Sati Tirtha and Janani, and eventually gave his first score in film, Rajgee in 1937, his second film Rajkumarer Nirbashan(1940) became a hit. He gave music in Bengali films like, Protishodh (1941), Abhoyer Biye (1942), and Chaddobeshi (1944) and only one Bengali film in 1969/70 after he permanently moved to Mumbai in 1946. He composed for over 20 Bengali films and 89 Hindi films in all.^[6]

He made his film debut singing in Yahudi ki Ladki (1933) but the songs were scrapped and re-sung by Pahari Sanyal. His first film as a singer was finally Sanjher Pidim(1935).It was during this period this his personal life was developing as well. He constructed a residence in Calcutta. Probably the most significant event of his personal life was when he started teaching a young music student by the name of Meera Dasgupta. In the course of events they became romantically involved. However there was the problem; although she was well educated and from a very respectable family, she did not represent nobility. This created quite a stir in the family, and when S.D. Burman refused to leave her, he was forced to sever his ties with his family and forfeit his inheritance. They married and from their union RD Burman was born in 1939.

In 1944, Burman moved to Mumbai, at the request of Sasadhar Mukherjee of Filmistan, who asked him to give score for two Ashok Kumar starrers, Shikari (1946) and Aath Din,^[13] but his first major breakthrough came the following year with the company's Do Bhai (1947). The song Mera Sundar Sapna Beet Gaya sung by Geeta Dutt was his breakthrough song into the film industry. In 1949, came Shabnam, his biggest hit yet with Filmistan, especially noticeable for its multi-lingual hit song Yeh Duniya Roop ki Chor, by Shamshad Begum, which became a rage in those days

In 1950s, Burman teamed up with Dev Anand's Nav Ketan Productions to create musical hits like Taxi Driver, Nau do Gyarah (1957) and Kala Paani(1958). In addition, he gave music for Munimji (1955) and Paying Guest (1957). The songs sung by Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar became popular. Burman da composed the music for Dev Anand's production company Navketan's first film Afsar (1950). With the success of their second film, Baazi (1951) he made it to the top and a long association with Navketan and Dev Anand was on its way. "Baazi"'s jazzy musical score revealed a new facet of singer Geeta Dutt, who was mainly known for melancholy songs and bhajans. While every song in the film was a hit, one stood out for special appeal – "Tadbir se Bigdi Hui Taqdeer", a ghazal that was occidentalised into a seductive song.The 'jaal' song 'Yeh raat Yeh chandni' by Hemant Kumar is an all-time great classic

The Dev Anand-S. D. Burman partnership, under Navketan banner, continued to churn out musical hits like Bombai Ka Baboo (1960), Tere Ghar Ke Samne (1963), Teen Devian (1965), Guide (1965) , Jewel Thief (1967).and Prem Pujari(1970).

S D Burman was the backbone of Hindi Film Music of Golden Era.Some of the greatest hits were from the films Pyasa, Sujata, Kaagaj Ke Phool, Bandini, Meri Surat Teri Ankhen,Ziddi, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi,Talash and Sharmilee other than Dev Anand's films.

Aradhana (1969) is considered another landmark score in the Bollywood history. The music of the movie shaped the careers of singer Kishore Kumar, lyricist Anand Bakshiand filmmaker Shakti Samanta. For the song "Mere Sapno ki raani", Sachin Dev made R.D play the mouth organ.

Sachin Da was the only composer who had used both Kishore and Rafi in almost equal number of songs. He regarded Kishore as his second son. Kishore confessed that it was Sachin Da, who had given him the first chance. Even after the rehearsal of Badi Sooni Sooni from Milli, when Sachin Da had a stroke, Kishore went up to the hospital and said to him "Dada, Please don't worry, your recording is after three days, you just see how well it goes." The song is considered one of the best of Kishore Kumar. Sachin Da also used to telephone Kishore in the dead of night and on the telephone, he would start to sing the new tunes which he composed and ask Kishore to sing with him.

S D Burman was a very good singer,early on in his career, Burman refused to allow his voice be lip-synced on film by actors, as a result, even later on, in Hindi cinema, his thin yet powerful voice was often used as bardic commentary to haunting results, as in Ore Majhi Mere Sajan Hai Us Paar Bandini (1963), Wahaan Kaun hai Tera from "Guide" (1965) and finally Safal Hogi Teri Aradhana from Aradhana (1969),for which he received the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for the year, 1970 and in 1974 he was given National Film Award for Best Music Direction: Zindagi Zindagi

S D Burman went into a coma soon after rehearsing the song Badi sooni sooni (sung by Kishore Kumar) for the film Mili. Sadly, He died on 31 October 1975 in Mumbai.

He brought in folk in film songs, and simplified classical to fit in films. He changed with times so that his music didn’t become outdated. Dada’s music was so refreshing, if you have listened to it once, you have listened to it always.Here I am presenting some of his Immortal Songs

First Hindi Song Of S D BURMAN from Aath Din 1946