Remembering RD Burman on his death anniversary

Picking just seven RD Burman songs to pay tribute to his music is a tougher task than one would imagine. How, for instance, can one even think of omitting so many of his hits - ‘Piya Tu Ab To Aaja’ from Caravan (1971) or ‘Kya Hua Tera Vaada’ from Hum Kisise Kum Naheen (1975) or even ‘Kehdoon Tumhe’ from Deewaar (1975) and countless more? Accusations of being ‘inspired’ too often apart, Burman was responsible for introducing new sounds time and again into Indian film music. (That, perhaps, is the basis of the ‘inspiration’ argument in the first place.) However, what is most striking about RD Burman’s music is that no matter which genre he attempted, the versatility of his compositions shine through. So many of his melodies only seem richer with age. Think of ‘Jaane Jaan Dhoondta Phir Raha’ from Jawani Diwani (1972) or even the underrated disco number ‘Chhodo Sanam’ from Chetan Anand’s 1981 film Kudrat; and you’ll see how fresh the compositions sound even today. The thing is, no one list - not of seven, or 20, perhaps even a list of 100 top RD Burman songs - could ever truly capture the spirit of his music, something that evolved throughout his career. (Ferret out his 1997 Latin-American album Pantera, for instance, to listen to another unique offering from the maestro. But, a tribute to him is in order on his death anniversary - so here are seven songs that attempt to capture the range, versatility, and magic of Pancham da.

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Remembering RD Burman on his death anniversary

The thing is, no one list - not of seven, or 20, perhaps even a list of 100 top RD Burman songs - could ever truly capture the spirit of his music, something that evolved throughout his career.

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