Remembering ‘Mehbooba Mehbooba’ Singer RD Burman On His Birth Anniversary, Recalling When He Said, ‘I am jobless’

Today marked the birth anniversary of the legendry singer and director – RD Burman. A hardcore Bengali who devoted his career towards singing and producing songs. Ex husband of  Asha Bhosle is known for transforming Hindi film music, faced a difficult period in his career when offers stopped coming his way.

For nearly five years, he remained out of work, overshadowed by rising composers like Bappi Lahiri and Laxmikant-Pyarelal. During this time, singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya experienced a change in his relationship with Burman. In a recent interview, Abhijeet revealed that the industry created misunderstandings between them.

“People started to plant rumours and create misunderstandings between us. They said I helped his rivals imitate his style. I was new and helpless,” said Abhijeet.

A Glimpse into Pancham Da’s Isolation

Abhijeet shared that he tried visiting RD Burman during his inactive phase. Despite passing by his home regularly, he often found the composer unapproachable.

“Once I went to see him, and his house help told me Pancham Da was not home. But I knew he was lying,” said Abhijeet. On another visit, he saw RD sitting in what used to be his vibrant music room now abandoned and dusty. The singer described the contrast vividly, “It seemed like nobody had visited the room in a long time, and neither had anybody cared to clean the space.”

During one of his visits, Abhijeet had a brief yet memorable interaction with RD Burman. “When he saw me, he told me, ‘Hey, you’re doing so well in your career, why are you here?’” Abhijeet replied, “Spending even fifteen minutes with you makes me feel nice.” RD Burman responded, “I am jobless right now,” possibly hinting he would call Abhijeet when work returned. Shortly after, Burman composed the critically acclaimed 1942: A Love Story, but he passed away before its release. The soundtrack later ranked 13th on Planet Bollywood’s list of 100 Greatest Bollywood Soundtracks.

Pancham, Gulzar, and Lata: The Music Behind Timeless Melodies

One of RD Burman’s most touching collaborations remains with Gulzar and Lata Mangeshkar. In Khushboo (1975), the lullaby Do Nainon Mein Aansoon Bhare Hain stood out. Gulzar recalled, “I asked Pancham to recreate a Bengali tune. He thought I was mad.”

When Lata sang the song beautifully, Gulzar found it too loud for a lullaby scene and asked her to record it again without orchestration. She did so, flawlessly. This wasn’t the only time Pancham hesitated. In Ghar, he protested against using the word ‘badmaashiyon’. Lata sang it with a smile, even adding a giggle defining the song’s mood perfectly.

Mamata Banerjee Pays Tribute: 

On the birth anniversary of the legend RD Burman, Banerjee pays tribute. Posting on X, “Fondly remembering R. D. Barman on his birth anniversary. A genius in music, his melodies will live on for ever. The great music director’s legacy reminds us of the abiding and influential contributions of the Bengali-speaking people and the people from Bengal in Indian and international culture.”

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