Mumbai: Rahul Dev Burman i.e. R D Burman gave the Hindi film industry many superhit songs from the 1960s to 90s.
Born 27 June 1939 in Kolkata, Burman was affectionately called ‘Pancham Da’. His and Asha Bhosle’s love story has also been very musical. On his death anniversary let us tell you about their love story.
Burman and Asha first met in 1956. By then she was an experienced playback singer and Burman was the teenage son of a legendary composer. Nearly 10 years later, Burman approached Asha for the film Teesri Manzil.
At the time when these two met, they both had already suffered the brunt of unsuccessful love marriages, Asha’s with Ganpatrao Bhonsle, with whom she had run away at the tender age of 16, and Burman’s with Rita Patel.
There was a sensuality with which Asha just matched Pancham Da’s musical notes; her voice and his music were just made for each other. Not a word exchanged, none required, but the beauty of love and romance, woven in that beautiful medium called music, brought them closer.
The path of their marriage was not so easy. Asha was six years older to him due to which his mother was strongly against this relationship. When Pancham asked for permission to marry Asha, his mother said in a trembling voice: “As long as I am alive this marriage cannot be done, you can bring Asha to my corpse in this house.”
But despite his mother’s disapproval, Burman married Asha in 1980. Sadly, just after 14 years of marital life, he passed away. His untimely death broke Asha, but like a strong woman she was, and still is, she steeled herself and kept up that beautiful smile that always adorns her face.
Though Burman laid the foundation for numerous Hindi film industry music directors to pave the path for the future of music in cinema, he was awarded a total of only three Filmfare Awards, one of which was awarded posthumously (for 1942: A Love Story).