Together, they recorded many hit songs and also staged many live performances. The song Musafir Hoon Yaaron ("I'm a Traveller") from Parichay (1972) was composed while he was at a hotel after the separation. The two married in 1966, and divorced in 1971. Rita, a fan, had bet her friends that she would be able to get a film-date with Burman. Meanwhile, he continued to work as his father's assistant for films including Jewel Thief (1967) and Prem Pujari (1970).īurman's first wife was Rita Patel, whom he had met in Darjeeling. Burman's score for Padosan (1968) was well received. Nasir Hussain went on to sign Burman and lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri for six of his films including Baharon Ke Sapne (1967), Pyar Ka Mausam (1969) and Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973). Four of these were duets with Asha Bhosle, whom Burman later married. Teesri Manzil had six songs, all of which were written by Majrooh Sultanpuri, and sung by Mohammed Rafi. Vijay Anand also said that he had arranged a music session for Burman before Nasir Hussain. Burman gave credit to lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri for recommending him to Nasir Hussain, the producer and writer of the film. Initial successes īurman's first hit film as a film music director was Teesri Manzil (1966). Burman later developed a close association with Mehmood, and made a cameo in Mehmood's Bhoot Bangla (1965). At this meeting, Mehmood noticed Rahul playing tabla, and signed him as the music director for Chhote Nawab. Burman declined the offer, advising he was unavailable.
When the noted Bollywood comedian Mehmood decided to produce Chhote Nawab, he first approached Burman's father Sachin Dev Burman for the music. īurman's first released film as an independent music director was Chhote Nawab (1961). The first song was sung by Geeta Dutt and Asha Bhosle, and the second one had vocals by Shamshad Begum.
Burman recorded two songs for the film before it was shelved. The lyrics of this Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman-starrer film were written by Shailendra.
In 1959, Burman signed up as a music director for the film Raaz, directed by Guru Dutt's assistant Niranjan. Burman also played mouth organ for his father's hit composition "Hai Apna Dil To Aawara", which was featured in the film Solva Saal, and sung by Hemanta Mukhopadhyay. Some of the notable films in which Burman is credited as the music assistant include Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958), Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), Tere Ghar Ke Samne (1963), Bandini (1963), Ziddi (1964), Guide (1965) and Teen Devian (1965). He served as an assistant to his father, and often played harmonica in his orchestras. He also considered Salil Chowdhury his guru. In Mumbai, Burman was trained by Ustad Ali Akbar Khan ( sarod) and Samta Prasad ( tabla). The tune of the song Sar jo tera chakraaye was also composed by him as a child his father included it in the soundtrack of Guru Dutt's Pyaasa (1957).
Burman composed his first song, Aye meri topi palat ke aa, which his father used in the film Funtoosh (1956). Burman was a noted music director in Bollywood, the Mumbai-based Hindi film industry. īurman received his early education in West Bengal. Yet another version is that when the veteran Indian actor Ashok Kumar saw a newborn Rahul uttering the syllable Pa repeatedly, he nicknamed the boy Pancham. Another theory says that the baby was nicknamed Pancham because he could cry in five different notes. According to some stories, he was nicknamed Pancham because, as a child, whenever he cried, it sounded in the fifth note ( Pa), G scale, of music notation in Hindustani Classical Music, Pancham is the name of the fifth scale degree: (IAST: Ṣaḍja, Ṛṣabha, Gandhāra, Madhyama, Pañcama, Dhaivata, Niṣāda). Initially, he was nicknamed Tublu by his maternal grandmother, although he later became known by the nickname Pancham. Burman was born to the Bollywood composer and singer, Sachin Dev Burman, and his lyricist wife Meera Dasgupta (née Dasgupta), in Calcutta.