Today marks the 30th death anniversary of a luminary in the realm of Indian music, Rahul Dev Burman, known affectionately as R.D. Burman. His death anniversary invites us to delve into the enchanting melodies that charted his journey with the iconic singer Asha Bhosle.
Depicted in a photograph are RD Burman and Asha Bhosle, two stalwarts whose collaboration redefined Hindi film music. Separately, they were remarkable, but together, they were a phenomenon. Their task was formidable – Carving out a niche for themselves distinct from their famous relatives, the revered Lata Mangeshkar and the distinguished Sachin Dev Burman. Yet, they rose to the challenge, merging luck with sheer talent, robust support, and an unrivaled dedication to their craft.
The affair with melody commenced with “Chhote Nawab” (1961), where R.D. Burman cut his teeth as a solo composer. Despite a lukewarm reception, it was clear that Burman was poised for greatness. This potential blossomed in “Teesri Manzil” (1966), with industry stalwarts clamoring to take credit for his appointment. Yet, as Burman later revealed, it was the words of lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri that were pivotal in his selection.
Within the realm of Teesri Manzil’s score, the spellbinding duets ‘O haseena zulfonwali jaan-e-jahan’, ‘O mere sona re’, and ‘Aaja aaja, main hoon pyar tera’ marked the first harmonious union of Asha’s voice with Burman’s compositions, vibrating with vivacity alongside Mohammed Rafi’s vocals and captivating on-screen performances from Helen and Asha Parekh.
This initial collaboration sowed the seeds of further successes: the sultry ‘Piya tu ab to aaja’ from ‘Caravan’ (1971), the rebellious ‘Dum maro dum’ from ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ (1971), the playful ‘Duniya mein’ from ‘Apna Desh’ (1972) where Burman lent his own voice, the melodious ‘Bhali bhali si ek soorat’ from ‘Buddha Mil Gaya’ (1971), ‘Chura liya hai tumne’ the timeless romantic ballad from ‘Yaadon Ki Baaraat’ (1973), and the resounding ‘Hai agar dushman’ from ‘Hum Kisi Se Kam Nahin’ (1977).
The 1970s climax, both professionally and personally, was their marriage in 1980 – each of them walking down the aisle for their second innings in matrimony. But the road to forever was laden with challenges as both faced inevitable changes in the industry’s landscape. With Asha Bhosle’s transformational foray into the nuanced ghazals of ‘Umrao Jaan’ (1981) and Khayyam sculpting her vocal prowess, R.D. Burman struggled against the tides, unable to shed his Westernized musical persona which, by then, was yielding ground to new-age composers like Bappi Lahiri.
Professionalism led Asha to lend her voice to Lahiri’s compositions, which was emblematic of the fissure developing between the two. R.D. Burman had to reimagine his musical approach in the 1980s, with Asha by his side, resulting in gentler, introspective melodies such as ‘Mera kuch saaman’, ‘Khaali haath shaam aayi hai’, and ‘Katra Katra’ from ‘Ijazat’ (1987).
R.D. Burman’s final years were clouded by disillusionment as his music began fading from the silver screen, with films falling short of expectations and an industry looking toward fresh voices. Asha faced her own challenges as a hiatus was forced upon her when filmmakers opted for emerging talent. This period, however, was not devoid of brilliance. ‘1942: A Love Story’ (1994) ignited a spark that bore testament to Burman’s undying talent, albeit posthumously. Hauntingly, his final masterpiece did not feature Asha, signaling an end of an era.
Resilience shone through as Asha reprised her role in the music world with the rising star A.R. Rahman, who chose her voice for Urmila Matondkar in ‘Rangeela’ (1995). At the poised age of 62, she captured the exuberance of a 21-year-old, perpetuating her legacy in subsequent hits like ‘Taal’ (1999) and ‘Lagaan’ (2001). Asha Bhosle’s journey continued with undeniable grace, diversifying and transforming, reaffirming her indelible mark on the industry.
As we commemorate R.D. Burman’s death anniversary in 2024, we remember a maestro whose music resonates through time, a legacy entwined with Asha Bhosle’s legendary voice – a symphony of talent that will forever echo in the annals of Hindi film music.
