In any campus with Indian kids, most of the mid-nite sessions will have Pyaar humein kis mod pe sung almost like a youth anthem. As they say, you cant cheat the young...they instantly take to what sounds hep...every new generation connects to this tune composed way back in the Amitabh Bachchan-era. Such agility of tunes is what every composer dreams of, but only some are able to achieve.
Around 2003, in Malhar (St Xavier's Mumbai Fest) there was a dance competition wherein only RD Burman and AR Rahman numbers were allowed as entries! Think for a while, a dance comptt in college fest with kids who were probably 4-5 years old when RD Burman died!
Recently, on one of the talent hunt competitions on TV, a girl who was about 9-10 years old told the host that she wants to sing for RD Burman when she grows up to be a playback singer. Again, take a pause. Here is a child who was not even born when RD passed away but there is so much of his music around (radio, parties, films, TV, etc) that she prolly believes that he is alive!!
June 27, 2007: RD's birthday 13 years after his death was celebrated whole day over major news channels to be broadcast from India with special features (half an hour slots) over prime time!
Kronos Quartet, a grammy winning group from the US recently remixed 12 of RD's tracks and are on a world tour with the songs. The CD also has a booklet with it with a special tribute by David Harrington, the lead violinist of the group.
Thievery Corporation, a pair of young DJ-musicians from the west admitted on an MTV interview in Singapore that they were currently listening to some "whacked-out stuff" by RD and one of them went to the extent of calling him an idol!
Main Hoon Na, Dil Vil Pyar Vyar, Jhankaar Beats are some of the films from "the newly born overseas looking Bollywood" that were huge hits revolving around RD's music.
Indian Idol has reached the 3rd season and everytime religiously does an RD Burman special episode...ditto for the other talent-hunt shows.
If Dum maro dum is extremely popular with the defiant youth, songs like Raina beeti jaaye and Chingari koi bhadke find a special mention when Indian classical music stalwarts talk about film songs.
The man, who claimed to dislike being bounded by Raag and other music forms, said, "What sounds good is grammar". This rebel was also appreciated by his seniors. Legendary composer Anil Biswas who taught the greatest of India's singers once said in a radio interview that had RD not been younger to him he would have greeted him with a pranaam!
So ladies and gentlemen, who really is this Indian composer who seems to have influenced 5 generations in the independent and now very-young India? What was his life journey like? Was he oblivious to the phenomenon that he was? Are we as a nation oblivious to the fact that such a musician did exist amidst us who has outlived his death? What was his personal life like? What do other musicians think about him? In short, what is the Brand RD Burman? Through these writings then, let us unleash...The Legend of RD Burman.
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