Max to telecast film dedicated to R D Burman on his 75th birth anniversary

NEW DELHI: The genius maestro and singer Rahul Dev Burman aka Pancham Da, son of the veteran maestro Sachin Dev Burman, is being remembered by most radio and television channels this week to mark his 75^th birth anniversary.

While Big FM has already announced a concert, ‘Yaadon mein Pancham’ and is devoting some time to his films, other channels have planned similar programmes.

One of the most creative music directors of Bollywood, ‘Pancham Da’ is being featured on special programmes on Sony Max on 27 June at 9.00 pm, Sony Mix on 28 June at 9.00 pm and Max 2 on 29 June at 7.00 pm.

The programme ‘Pancham - Mujhey Chaltey Jaana Hai’ attempts to bring out hitherto never seen before nuggets.

R D Burman, probably the only composer who could play all the musical instruments available during that time; brought with him the colour of modern sound unlocking a path to new and original sounds which created history in Bollywood, despite the fact that his father Sachin Dev was steeped in folk music. 

The film will feature celebrities from the Bollywood industry who were an intrinsic part and had the opportunity to be up close and personal with the enigmatic Pancham Da. Stalwarts sharing the intricacies of what went into making a genius called RD Burman and will feature in the film are Gulzar, Javed Akhtar, Pyarelal, Asha Bhosle, Shantanu Moitra, Vishal Bharadwaj, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor and Manna Dey. 

The film will give viewers an insight into Pancham Da’s inner being through an incisive look into his genius artistry.

“R.D Burman was a legend who still rules the hearts of millions all across the globe. It is our honour to salute a man of such stature by showcasing his classic work and his journey to become an idol through the distinctive film ‘Puncham - Mujhey Chaltey Jaana Hai. I am certain that the visuals and anecdotes of the mega star will inspire audiences of all age groups,” said Sony Max senior EVP and business head Neeraj Vyas.

Rahul Dev Burman (27 June 1939 – 4 January 1994) composed musical scores for 331 films between the 1960s and the 1990s. The best songs of Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle, were composed by Pancham Da.

Perhaps Pancham Da is the only music director whose songs and music inspired the making two Hindi feature films, both following in quick succession. 

While Dil Vil Pyar Vyar directed by actor-filmmaker Anant Mahadevan came in 2002, Jhankaar Beats directed by Sujoy Ghosh came a year later. Both films are about aspiring musicians who owe their inspiration to Pancham Da and even gain fame singing his songs.