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Little Tublu did not just inherit a royal association from his father, he also inherited his passion. Their relationship was driven by love, the same love for music. Son of a great musician and himself not any less a legend, R.D. Burman was born on 27 June 1939.

Rahul Dev was the grandson of Tripura’s princess but it was known that would not live the life of royalty as his father S.D. Burman was not a fan of materialism. Instead, his childhood was defined by folk tunes and Bollywood music.

Big names of the industry were usual visitors to their household and it’s said that actor Ashok Kumar gave him the nickname Pancham. Trained under Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Salil Chaudhary, Samta Prasad and senior Burman, Rahul Dev had the best mentors possible.

It did not take a lot of time for this talent to stand out. At the young age of 17, his first composition was featured in the movie Funtoosh. Now a proper musician in his own right, he stepped into Bollywood and created tunes for multiple movies.

> Burman’s moment of fame came with *Teesri Manzil.* The lyrics were written by Majrooh Sultanpuri, vocals were given by Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle, making the six-song album a perfect recipe for success.

His folk background, inspiration from Latin and Arabic music gave a new flavour to his songs. Rahul Dev didn’t stop at amalgamating different elements, he also used daily objects to give special effects. The iconic sound at the beginning of *Mehbooba, Mehbooba* was produced by blowing into bottles.

The Burman-Kishore partnership took the nation by storm in the 1970s. Like a true connoisseur of tunes, Rahul Dev conjured up fresh songs that fit perfectly into every mood and each occasion. *Seeta Aur Geeta*, *Bombay to Goa*, *Buddha Mil Gaya, Hare Rama Hare Krishna* created new benchmarks for entertainment and creativity. Be it *Piya Tu Ab To Aaja* or *Dum Maro Dum*, everyone was dancing to his songs.

> These albums proved to be a catalyst for the meteoric rise of many singers and made Burman the official king of new-age Bollywood music. Kavita Krishnamurthy, Mohammed Aziz, Hariharan- all of them rose to prominence with his works.



R.D. Burman with Lata Mangeshkar- Can a picture get more legendary? Image Source: Indian Express

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But the sun was soon setting over the horizon and Burman was losing ground to composers like Bappi Lahiri and Laxmikant-Pyarelal. A string of flops was a clear indication that the audience wanted something new, something they couldn't get from his music. While his songs for the movie Ijaazat received great acclaim, it being an art film failed to secure a place for him in the mainstream industry.

> As if things couldn't get any worse, he suffered a heart attack and a lot of projects slipped through his hands due to his deteriorating health. The woes of professional life soon followed his personal life too.

Burman had married Asha Bhosle after divorcing his first wife but the second marriage also broke apart in the end. Failed attempts at securing new projects pushed him into financial hardships. His widow mother also got diagnosed with Alzheimer's. It was almost as if walls of sadness were closing unto him from all sides.

Burman’s popularity eclipsed and he succumbed to death on 4 January 1994 owing to health complications. What he gave to the Indian music industry remains unparalleled. The daring blend of genres, impactful melodies and top-notch vocals made his work a source of inspiration for an entire generation of musicians.

A man accustomed to thinking out of the box, R.D. Burman changed India’s music taste forever. His blockbuster tunes were a treat to the ears.