RD Burman's 80th birthday celebrated with gusto

Kolkata: The 80th birth anniversary of RD Burman, one of the finest composer India has ever produced, was observed with great enthusiasm in Kolkata.

The statue of RD Burman on Southern Avenue was garlanded in the morning by musicians. The programme was organised by Amit Kumar Fan Club.

The statue is situated on the boulevard opposite Nazrul Mancha which is located close to South End Park where RD popularly known as Pancham was born to a musical family. His father was music composer and singer SD Burman and mother lyricist and singer Meera Dev Barma. India Post released a special cover to mark the occasion.

In the evening, Centre Stage organised Aati Rahengi Baharen, a musical programme featuring Javed Ali, Akriti Kakkar, Sudesh Bhosle and Sailaja among others at Nazrul Mancha.

Shyam Sarkar and Cozmik Harmony hosted another musical programme titled Pyar Dewani Hota Hai featuring Jolly Mukherjee, Kishore Sodha, Franco Vaz and Sujoy Bhowmick among others at Deshpriya Park.

In both the programmes, the vocalists presented some of the popular songs of RD Burman.

From 1960 to 1990 RD had composed musical songs for 331 films. RD, Rajesh Khanna and Kishore Kumar became an immortal trio in Indian cinema with Pancham composing songs for 32 films.

He had composed songs for 40 films where the hero was Rajesh Khanna. RD took lessons in sarod from Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and tabla from Samta Prasad. He was a brilliant harmonica and mouth-organ player and often took part in the orchestra of Salil Chowdhury whom he considered to be his musical guru.

In the famous song Hai Apna Dil Tu Aawara composed by SD Barman and sung by Hemant Kumar in the feature film Solva Saal, the mouth organ was played by RD.

He was the musical assistant in many popular films such as Chalti Ka Naam Gaddi, Kaggaz Ke Phool, Bandini, Teen Devian among others.

In some of the all-time great music composed by him for feature films, which included Teesri Manzil, Pyar ka mausam, Yaadon ki baarat, Parichay, Andhi, Kati Patang, Aap ki Kasam and Sholay. RD was very close to poet and lyricist Gulzar and their friendship lasted till the untimely demise of RD Burman.