|
Sachin Dev Burman was a titan amongst composers and singers of songs for Indian films. Born on October 1, 1906 in Tripura, Burman Dada was the youngest of Nabadip Chandra Dev Burman's five sons (and four daughters). Nabadip Chandra himself a sitarist and dhrupad singer imparted classical training to Burman dada. Burman Dada later chose the legendry KC Dey (Manna Dey's uncle) as his first guru in Kolkata. The great exponents of classical music of the time notably Ustad Badal Khan, Ustad Allauddin Khan and Ustad Bishmadev Chatterjee were also to become his teachers.
Burman Dada’s earlier work for All India Radio Kolkata was based on East Bengali and North eastern folk music. In the early 30s, Burman Dada made a reputation in Bengal as a singer of folk and light classical music. First record was of a Nazrul Islam composition, leading to a long and productive relationship with the writer/composer. Burman Dada’s first film as a singer is `Sanjer Pidim’ (1935). His first film composition was in 1937 for `Rajgee.’
However, in 1944 at the request of Sasadhar Mukherjee of Filmistan, Burman finally decided to go to Mumbai with two films in hand `Shabnam’ and `Aath Din.’ Navketan’s `Taxi Driver,’ `Funtoosh,’ `Guide,’ `Afsar’ and for Gurudutt `Baazi,’ `Jaal,’ `Pyaasa,’ `Kagaz Ke Phool.’ In 1957, the music of Sachin Dev Burman and lyrics of Sahir in the film `Pyaasa’ opening with the humming of `Yeh koochey, yeh neelamghar dilkashi key’ created a nationwide stir. `Pyaasa,’ however is one of the many gems in the bejeweled crown Burman wears as the prince of Indian film music composers. Sachin Dev Burman remained Dev Anand’s key composer for several years - `Paying Guest,’ `Tere Ghar Ke Samne,’ `Jewel Thief,’ `Prem Pujari.’ Sachin Dev Burman also worked on films for Bimal Roy -- `Devdas,’ `Sujata,’ `Bandini.’ In `Sujata,’ he revealed a new facet of his musical genius by himself rendering the meloncholy strain: “Sun Moray Bandhu Ray” which instantly created a new style of film singing, the Burman style. Once more in `Bandini’ and `Guide (`Wahan Kaun Hai Tera Musafir’) Sachin Dev Burman proved himself to be a vocalist of incomparable charm. As a singer, his thin but powerful, accented voice was often used as a bardic commentary: e.g., (`Safal Hogi Teri Aradhana’) number in the hit Rajesh Khanna film `Aradhana’.
Dada left for heavenly abode on October 31, 1975 after a paralytic stroke felled him a year earlier.
|
