Book excerpts of The History Of Indian Film Music : Bollywood News

Anandji also adds, We could deliver because the old-time legends had made so many great singers taiyyar (Well groomed) for our generation. We could enhance our songs with their skills. And Kalyanjibhai and I decided that we should try and do the same for the coming generations, Not just K-A but also L-P and to an extent R.D. Burman enriched music with several new talents in vocals and lyrics.

R.D Burman, some of whose songs were filched by his father under the pretext of testing them on the public, also assisted his dad in a major way especially in films like Jewel Thief and Aradhana. He was backed by Nasir Husain when Shammi Kapoor wanted S-J for Teesri Manzil. Shammi heard the tunes and was hooked - and RD started an association with filmmaker Nasir Husain that lasted till the mid-80s.

All the five composers were thick friends in real life even as they competed professionally. Tales of their friendship abounded. L-P had been arrangers, assistants and associates to K-A and Pyarelal had even declared after becoming a major force that he would leave his own recording and give priority to K-A if they ever needed him as an arranger. R.D Burman played the mouth-organ for L-P in the chartbuster songs of Dosti and L-P arranged his debut film Chhote Nawabs score.

In the 1980s, Laxmikant made a special appearance as himself in the R.D Burman film Teri Kasam wherein the hero was shown as an aspiring singer at a song recording, while the former planned to employ R.D Burman as a singer in Samraat, which, however, did not happen.

K-A also recalled the day when Kishore Kumar fell ill at the last moment for a Kishore-K-A show and R.D. Burman came in with Asha Bhosle to sing K-A numbers.

But the most fascinating tale, as told by the R.D Burman personally to this writer, was how the six legends of their time would meet frequently at his home and have their own three corners in Pancham;s vast drawing room. As he revealed, The fourth corner would be occupied by my father (S.D Burman) and we would chat on music and everything else and have a great time.

And then RD went on to reveal the high-point of their friendship: We would even complete each others songs, or create them for each other, in all the combinations possible between us. The beauty was that whichever of us did so would do it in the style of the name in whose name it was supposed to go. So if Kalyanjibhai completed my song, it would sound like mine!

Author: Rajiv Vijayakar

Book excerpts of 'The History Of Indian Film Music'