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{{short description|Indian singer and composer}}
{{Short description|Indian singer and composer (1906–1975)}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2021}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2021}}
{{EngvarB|date=December 2020}}
{{EngvarB|date=December 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox musical artist
{{Infobox musical artist
| name         = S. D. Burman
| name             = S. D. Burman
| image       = Sachin Dev Burman 2007 stamp of India.jpg
| image           = Sachin Dev Burman 2007 stamp of India.jpg
| caption     = Burman on a 2007 stamp of India
| caption         = Burman on a 2007 stamp of India, commemorating his 101st birth anniversary
| birth_date   = {{Birth date|df=y|1906|10|1}}
| birth_date       = {{birth date|df=y|1906|10|1}}
| birth_place = [[Comilla]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British Raj|British India]], (present-day [[Comilla]], [[Bangladesh]])
| birth_name      = Sachin Dev Burman
| death_date   = {{death date and age|df=y|1975|10|31|1906|10|1}}
| birth_place     = [[Cumilla]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British Raj|British India]], (present-day [[Bangladesh]])
| death_place = [[Bombay]], [[Maharashtra]], [[India]] (present-day [[Mumbai]])
| death_date       = {{death date and age|df=y|1975|10|31|1906|10|1}}
| instrument   = {{hlist|Vocals|[[sarod]]|[[tabla]]|[[sarangi]]|[[sitar]]}}
| death_place     = [[Bombay]], [[Maharashtra]], [[India]] (present-day [[Mumbai]])
| genre       = {{flatlist|
| instrument       = {{hlist|Vocals|[[sarod]]|[[tabla]]|[[sarangi]]|[[sitar]]}}
* Lite classical
| genre           = {{flatlist|
* Bengal folk
* [[Indian Classical music|Indian classical]]
* Bengali folk music
* [[Folk music|Folk]]
* [[Folk music|Folk]]
* Pop
* [[Indian music]]
* [[Filmi]]
* [[Filmi]]
}}
}}
| occupation   = {{flatlist|
| occupation       = {{flatlist|
* Music director
* Music director
* Folk artist
* Folk artist
Line 26: Line 27:
* Musician
* Musician
}}
}}
| years_active = 1932–1975
| years_active     = 1932–1975
}}
}}


'''Sachin Dev Burman''' (1 October 1906 – 31 October 1975) was an Indian music director and singer. A member of the [[Manikya dynasty|Tripura royal family]], he started his career with [[Bengali language|Bengali]] films in 1937. He later began composing for [[Hindi]] movies and became one of the most successful and influential [[Bollywood]] film music composers. Burman composed the soundtracks for over 100 movies, including [[Cinema of West Bengal|Bengali films]] and Hindi.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sachin Dev Burman: Epitomising the East Bengali lilt |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=111978 |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=30 October 2009 |access-date=29 May 2015}}</ref> Apart from being a versatile composer, he also sang songs in the light semi-classical and folk style of [[Bengal]]. His son, [[R. D. Burman]], was also a celebrated music composer for Bollywood films.
'''Sachin Dev Burman''' (1 October 1906 – 31 October 1975) was an Indian music director and singer. A member of the [[Manikya dynasty|Tripura royal family]], he started his career with [[Bengali language|Bengali]] films in 1937. He later began composing for [[Hindi]] movies and became one of the most successful and influential Indian film music composers. Burman composed the soundtracks for over 100 movies, including [[Cinema of West Bengal|Bengali films]] and Hindi.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sachin Dev Burman: Epitomising the East Bengali lilt |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=111978 |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=30 October 2009 |access-date=29 May 2015}}</ref> Apart from being a versatile composer, he also sang songs in the light semi-classical and folk style of [[Bengal]]. His son, [[R. D. Burman]], was also a celebrated music composer for Bollywood films.


Burman's compositions were sung by the leading singers of the era, including [[Lata Mangeshkar]], [[Mohammed Rafi]], [[Geeta Dutt]], [[Manna Dey]], [[Kishore Kumar]], [[Hemant Kumar]], [[Asha Bhosle]], [[Shamshad Begum]], [[Mukesh (singer)|Mukesh]] and [[Talat Mahmood]]. As a playback singer, Burman sang 14 Hindi and 13 Bengali film songs.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/sd-burman-344268-2016-10-01 |title=Remembering SD Burman: 10 lesser-known facts about Sachin Dev Burman |newspaper=India Today  |access-date=10 January 2019 |date=1 October 2016}}</ref>
Burman's compositions were sung by the leading singers of the era, including [[Kishore Kumar]], [[Lata Mangeshkar]], [[Mohammed Rafi]], [[Geeta Dutt]], [[Manna Dey]], [[Hemant Kumar]], [[Asha Bhosle]], [[Shamshad Begum]], [[Mukesh (singer)|Mukesh]] and [[Talat Mahmood]]. As a playback singer, Burman sang 14 Hindi and 13 Bengali film songs.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/sd-burman-344268-2016-10-01 |title=Remembering SD Burman: 10 lesser-known facts about Sachin Dev Burman |newspaper=India Today  |access-date=10 January 2019 |date=1 October 2016}}</ref>


==Background==
==Background==
[[File:SD Burman abandoned house in Comilla.jpg|thumbnail|right|Sachin's abandoned house in Comilla]]
[[File:SD Burman abandoned house in Comilla.jpg|thumbnail|right|Sachin's abandoned house in Comilla]]
Burman was born on 1 October 1906, in [[Comilla]], [[Bengal Presidency]] (in present-day Bangladesh) to Rajkumari Nirmala Devi,<ref>{{cite news |last=Sarma |first=Ramya |date=2 September 2013 |title=The magic in the music |url=http://www.thehindu.com/books/books-reviews/the-magic-in-the-music/article5086264.ece |newspaper=The Hindu |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130905192857/https://www.thehindu.com/books/books-reviews/the-magic-in-the-music/article5086264.ece|archive-date=5 September 2013|access-date=5 October 2020}}</ref> the royal princess of [[Manipur (princely state)|Manipur]] and [[Nabadwipchandra Dev Burman|Mahamanyabar Rajkumar Nabadwipchandra Dev Burman]] of [[Tripura (princely state)|Tripura]], son of [[Ishan Chandra Manikya|Maharaja Ishanachandra Manikya Dev Burman]], the [[List of Tripuri Kings|Maharaja of Tripura]]. Sachin was the youngest of the five sons of his parents, who had nine children in all. His mother died when he was just two years of age.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mathur |first1=Megha |title=Give me Lata and a Harmonium, I'll make Music: S.D. Burman |url=https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/give-me-lata-and-a-harmonium-and-ill-make-music-s-d-burman |website=The Quint |access-date=10 January 2019|date=October 2015 }}</ref>
Burman was born on 1 October 1906, in [[Comilla]], [[Bengal Presidency]] (in present-day Bangladesh) to Rajkumari Nirmala Devi,<ref>{{cite news |last=Sarma |first=Ramya |date=2 September 2013 |title=The magic in the music |url=http://www.thehindu.com/books/books-reviews/the-magic-in-the-music/article5086264.ece |newspaper=The Hindu |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130905192857/https://www.thehindu.com/books/books-reviews/the-magic-in-the-music/article5086264.ece|archive-date=5 September 2013|access-date=5 October 2020}}</ref> the royal princess of [[Manipur (princely state)|Manipur]] and [[Nabadwipchandra Dev Burman]] of [[Tripura (princely state)|Tripura]], son of [[Ishan Chandra Manikya]], the [[List of Tripuri Kings|Maharaja of Tripura]]. Sachin was the youngest of the five sons of his parents, who had nine children in all. His mother died when he was just two years of age.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mathur |first1=Megha |title=Give me Lata and a Harmonium, I'll make Music: S.D. Burman |url=https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/give-me-lata-and-a-harmonium-and-ill-make-music-s-d-burman |website=The Quint |access-date=10 January 2019|date=October 2015 }}</ref>


==Education==
==Education==
S. D. Burman's first school was at Kumar Boarding in [[Agartala]], [[Tripura]]. It was a boarding school in the likes of [[Harrow School|Harrow]] and [[Eton College|Eton]] for sons of the royalty and the very rich.{{Citation needed|reason=a reference is needed for these statements|date=January 2017}} Burman's father, Raja Nabadweepchandra Deb Burman noticed the teachers were more busy with pampering the sons of the nobility than educating them. Burman's father took him from Kumar Boarding and admitted him at [[Yusuf School]] in [[Comilla]], before he was admitted in Class V in [[Comilla Zilla School]]. He completed his Matriculation in 1920 at the age of 14. He then got admitted at Victoria College, Comilla, which is presently [[Comilla Victoria Government College]] from where he passed his IA in 1922 and then BA in 1924. Burman left for Kolkata to start an MA in [[Calcutta University]], which he did not finish as music got the better of him for good.<ref name="gen">[http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/t/tripura.html Tripura Genealogy at Queensland Univ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110821004621/http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/t/tripura.html |date=21 August 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=S.D.Burman: The Prince Musician |last=Bhattacharjee |first=Anirudha |publisher=Westland Publications |year=2018 |isbn=9789387578180 |location=Chennai |pages=10–13}}</ref> He started his formal music education by training under the musician [[K. C. Dey]] from 1925 to 1930; thereafter in 1932 he came under the tutelage of [[Bhishmadev Chattopadhyay]], who was only three years his senior. This was followed by training from Khalifa Badal Khan, the [[sarangi]] maestro, and [[Ustad Allauddin Khan]], the sarodist. He brought K.C. Dey, Khalifa Badal Khan and Allauddin Khan to Agartala. The noted Bengal poet laureate, [[Kazi Nazrul Islam]] also spent time in their family home in Comilla in the early '20s.{{Citation needed|reason=a reference is needed for these statements|date=January 2017}}
S. D. Burman's first school was at Kumar Boarding in [[Agartala]], [[Tripura]]. It was a boarding school for sons of the royalty and the very rich.<ref name="TNIE">{{cite news |title=Master who learnt from beggar, baul |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/books/2013/jul/28/Master-who-learnt-from-beggar-baul-501042.html |access-date=7 March 2022 |work=The New Indian Express |date=28 July 2013}}</ref> Burman's father, Raja Nabadweepchandra Deb Burman noticed the teachers were more busy with pampering the sons of the nobility than educating them. Burman's father took him from Kumar Boarding and admitted him at [[Yusuf School]] in [[Comilla]],<ref name="TNIE"/> before he was admitted in Class V in [[Comilla Zilla School]]. He completed his Matriculation in 1920 at the age of 14. He then got admitted at Victoria College, Comilla, which is presently [[Comilla Victoria Government College]] from where he passed his IA in 1922 and then BA in 1924. Burman left for Kolkata to start an MA in [[Calcutta University]], which he did not finish as music got the better of him for good.<ref name="gen">[http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/t/tripura.html Tripura Genealogy at Queensland Univ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110821004621/http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/t/tripura.html |date=21 August 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=S.D.Burman: The Prince Musician |last=Bhattacharjee |first=Anirudha |publisher=Westland Publications |year=2018 |isbn=9789387578180 |location=Chennai |pages=10–13}}</ref> He started his formal music education by training under the musician [[K. C. Dey]] from 1925 to 1930; thereafter in 1932 he came under the tutelage of [[Bhishmadev Chattopadhyay]], who was only three years his senior. This was followed by training from Khalifa Badal Khan, the [[sarangi]] maestro, and [[Ustad Allauddin Khan]], the sarodist. He brought K.C. Dey, Khalifa Badal Khan and Allauddin Khan to Agartala. The noted Bengal poet laureate, [[Kazi Nazrul Islam]] also spent time in their family home in Comilla in the early '20s.{{Citation needed|reason=a reference is needed for these statements|date=January 2017}}


==1930s==
==1930s==
[[File:Kumar_Sahindra_Dev_Burman.jpg|thumb|left|c. 1937]]
Burman started working as a radio singer on Calcutta Radio Station in the late 20s, when his work as a singer-composer was based on Bengali folk and light Hindustani classical music. Consequently, his compositions were mainly influenced by his huge repertoire of folk-tunes from present Bangladesh and later other parts of India and around the world. His first record was also released in 1932 (Hindustan Musical Product), with "Khamaj" (semi classical), "E Pathey Aaj Eso Priyo" on one side and the folk "Dakle Kokil Roj Bihane" on the reverse side, on 78 rpm for Hindustan Records.<ref>[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-2055482,prtpage-1.cms Soul composer...] ''[[The Times of India]]'', 1 October 2006.</ref> In the following decade, he reached his peak as a singer, cutting as many as 131 songs in [[Bengali language|Bengali]], and also sang for composers like Himangsu Dutta (8), RC Boral (1), Nazrul Islam (4), Sailesh Das Gupta (2) and Subal Das Gupta (1).<ref name=karta/> He also sang for Madhavlal Master (1) and his son [[R. D. Burman|R.D. Burman]] (1).
Burman started working as a radio singer on Calcutta Radio Station in the late 20s, when his work as a singer-composer was based on Bengali folk and light Hindustani classical music. Consequently, his compositions were mainly influenced by his huge repertoire of folk-tunes from present Bangladesh and later other parts of India and around the world. His first record was also released in 1932 (Hindustan Musical Product), with "Khamaj" (semi classical), "E Pathey Aaj Eso Priyo" on one side and the folk "Dakle Kokil Roj Bihane" on the reverse side, on 78 rpm for Hindustan Records.<ref>[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-2055482,prtpage-1.cms Soul composer...] ''[[The Times of India]]'', 1 October 2006.</ref> In the following decade, he reached his peak as a singer, cutting as many as 131 songs in [[Bengali language|Bengali]], and also sang for composers like Himangsu Dutta (8), RC Boral (1), Nazrul Islam (4), Sailesh Das Gupta (2) and Subal Das Gupta (1).<ref name=karta/> He also sang for Madhavlal Master (1) and his son [[R. D. Burman|R.D. Burman]] (1).


In 1934, he attended the All India Music Conference, at the invitation of [[Allahabad University]], where he presented his Bengali [[Thumri]], all to an illustrious audience, with the likes of [[Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit]] and the inimitable [[Abdul Karim Khan]] of [[Kirana Gharana]]. Later in the year, he was invited to Bengal Music Conference, Kolkata, which was inaugurated by [[Rabindranath Tagore]], here again he sang his Thumri, and was awarded a Gold Medal.<ref name="karta">HQ Chowdhury. [https://web.archive.org/web/20160305040906/http://www.sdburman.net/sachin_karta.html Sachin Karta]. sdburman.net</ref>
In 1934, he attended the All India Music Conference, at the invitation of [[Allahabad University]], where he presented his Bengali [[Thumri]], all to an illustrious audience, with the likes of [[Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit]] and the inimitable [[Abdul Karim Khan]] of [[Kirana Gharana]]. Later in the year, he was invited to Bengal Music Conference, Kolkata, which was inaugurated by [[Rabindranath Tagore]], here again he sang his Thumri, and was awarded a Gold Medal.<ref name="karta">HQ Chowdhury. [https://web.archive.org/web/20160305040906/http://www.sdburman.net/sachin_karta.html Sachin Karta]. sdburman.net</ref>


He built a house in Southend Park, [[Ballygunge]], [[Kolkata]]. He married his student, [[Meera Dev Burman|Meera Das Gupta]] (1920–2007), the granddaughter of Magistrate Raibahadur Kamalnath Dasgupta from [[Dhaka]] on 10 February 1938 in [[Calcutta]] (now Kolkata),<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071017210403/http://hindu.com/2007/10/17/stories/2007101753250500.htm S.D. Burman’s wife dead] ''[[The Hindu]]'', 17 October 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.musicindiaonline.com/n/i/top_stories/2396/ S.D. Burman's wife Meera dead] 'Music India OnLine'. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090815130639/http://www.musicindiaonline.com/n/i/top_stories/2396/ |date=15 August 2009 }}</ref> though according to some, having married a non-royal, created a furore within the royal family, and subsequently he severed ties with his family, and forfeited his inheritance.<ref>[http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050224/asp/northeast/story_4415412.asp How Tripura lost an icon] ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', 24 February 2005.</ref><ref>[http://www.tripurainfo.com/opinion/feature/panna1502075.htm ''Sachin Karta'' by Pannalal Roy] ''tripurainfo.com''. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101118044014/http://www.tripurainfo.com/opinion/feature/panna1502075.htm |date=18 November 2010 }}</ref> According to some others, S.D. Burman severed ties with his royal family because he was frustrated with the unjust and unfair treatment meted out to his father and his brothers by the royal family of Tripura. The couple's only child, [[Rahul Dev Burman]] was born in 1939, and later, both Meera Devi and Rahul assisted S.D. Burman with some of the musical compositions.<ref>[http://www.themusicmagazine.com/sdburmantrib.html Bondhu rangila re – a tribute to S D Burman] ''theemusic magazine'', 31 October 2002.</ref><ref>[http://www.rediff.com/entertai/2002/nov/30dinesh.htm The minimilistic melody of Sachin Dev Burman – Biography] [[Rediff.com]].</ref> S. D. Burman also did a singing role in the [[Urdu]] film ''Selima'' (1934) and another role in Dhiren Ganguli's film ''Bidrohi'' (1935).<ref name="ref">[http://www.filmreference.com/Writers-and-Production-Artists-Bo-Ce/Burman-S-D.html SD Burman] "filmreference.com".</ref>
He built a house in Southend Park, [[Ballygunge]], [[Kolkata]]. He married his student, [[Meera Dev Burman|Meera Das Gupta]] (1920–2007), the granddaughter of Magistrate Raibahadur Kamalnath Dasgupta from [[Dhaka]] on 10 February 1938 in [[Calcutta]] (now Kolkata),<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071017210403/http://hindu.com/2007/10/17/stories/2007101753250500.htm S.D. Burman’s wife dead] ''[[The Hindu]]'', 17 October 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.musicindiaonline.com/n/i/top_stories/2396/ S.D. Burman's wife Meera dead] 'Music India OnLine'. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090815130639/http://www.musicindiaonline.com/n/i/top_stories/2396/ |date=15 August 2009 }}</ref> though according to some, having married a non-royal, created a furore within the royal family, and subsequently he severed ties with his family, and forfeited his inheritance.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110526002816/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050224/asp/northeast/story_4415412.asp How Tripura lost an icon] ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', 24 February 2005.</ref><ref>[http://www.tripurainfo.com/opinion/feature/panna1502075.htm ''Sachin Karta'' by Pannalal Roy] ''tripurainfo.com''. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101118044014/http://www.tripurainfo.com/opinion/feature/panna1502075.htm |date=18 November 2010 }}</ref> According to some others, S.D. Burman severed ties with his royal family because he was frustrated with the unjust and unfair treatment meted out to his father and his brothers by the royal family of Tripura. The couple's only child, [[Rahul Dev Burman]] was born in 1939, and later, both Meera Devi and Rahul assisted S.D. Burman with some of the musical compositions.<ref>[http://www.themusicmagazine.com/sdburmantrib.html Bondhu rangila re – a tribute to S D Burman] ''theemusic magazine'', 31 October 2002.</ref><ref>[http://www.rediff.com/entertai/2002/nov/30dinesh.htm The minimilistic melody of Sachin Dev Burman – Biography] [[Rediff.com]].</ref> S. D. Burman also did a singing role in the [[Urdu]] film ''Selima'' (1934) and another role in Dhiren Ganguli's film ''Bidrohi'' (1935).<ref name="ref">[http://www.filmreference.com/Writers-and-Production-Artists-Bo-Ce/Burman-S-D.html SD Burman] "filmreference.com".</ref>


As a music composer, he started with the Bengali plays ''Sati Tirtha'' and ''Janani'', and eventually gave his first score in the film ''Rajgee''. In 1937, his second film ''Rajkumarer Nirbashan'' (1940) became a hit. He gave music in [[Cinema of West Bengal|Bengali]] films such as ''Protishodh'' (1941), ''Abhoyer Biye'' (1942) and ''Chaddobeshi'' (1944) and only one Bengali film in 1969/70 after he permanently moved to Mumbai in 1946. He composed for over 20 Bengali films and 89 Hindi films in all.<ref name=karta/>
As a music composer, he started with the Bengali plays ''Sati Tirtha'' and ''Janani'', and eventually gave his first score in the film ''Rajgee''. In 1937, his second film ''Rajkumarer Nirbashan'' (1940) became a hit. He gave music in [[Cinema of West Bengal|Bengali]] films such as ''Protishodh'' (1941), ''Abhoyer Biye'' (1942) and ''Chaddobeshi'' (1944) and only one Bengali film in 1969/70 after he permanently moved to Mumbai in 1946. He composed for over 20 Bengali films and 89 Hindi films in all.<ref name=karta/>
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==1940s==
==1940s==
In 1944, Burman moved to Mumbai, at the request of Sasadhar Mukherjee of [[Filmistan]], who asked him to give score for two [[Ashok Kumar]] starrers, ''Shikari'' (1946) and ''Aath Din'', but his first major breakthrough came the following year with the company's ''[[Do Bhai]]'' (1947). The song ''Mera Sundar Sapna Beet Gaya'' sung by [[Geeta Dutt]] was his breakthrough song into the film industry. In 1949 came ''[[Shabnam (1949 film)|Shabnam]]'', his biggest hit yet with Filmistan, especially noticeable for its multi-lingual hit song ''Yeh Duniya Roop ki Chor'', by Shamshad Begum, which became a rage in those days.<ref>[http://www.upperstall.com/people/sd-burman SD Burman] ''Upperstall.com''.</ref>
In 1944, Burman moved to Mumbai, at the request of Sasadhar Mukherjee of [[Filmistan]], who asked him to give score for two [[Ashok Kumar]] starrers, ''Shikari'' (1946) and ''Aath Din'', but his first major breakthrough came the following year with the company's ''[[Do Bhai (1947 film)|Do Bhai]]'' (1947). The song ''Mera Sundar Sapna Beet Gaya'' sung by [[Geeta Dutt]] was his breakthrough song into the film industry. In 1949 came ''[[Shabnam (1949 film)|Shabnam]]'', his biggest hit yet with Filmistan, especially noticeable for its multi-lingual hit song ''Yeh Duniya Roop ki Chor'', by Shamshad Begum, which became a rage in those days.<ref>[http://www.upperstall.com/people/sd-burman SD Burman] ''Upperstall.com''.</ref>


==1950s==
==1950s==
Disillusioned with the materialism of Mumbai, Burman left the [[Ashok Kumar]] starred ''Mashaal'' (1950) incomplete and decided to board the first train back to Calcutta. Fortunately, he was dissuaded from doing so.
Disillusioned with the materialism of Mumbai, Burman left the [[Ashok Kumar]] starred ''Mashaal'' (1950) incomplete and decided to board the first train back to Calcutta. Fortunately, he was dissuaded from doing so.


In the 1950s, Burman teamed up with [[Dev Anand]]'s [[Navketan Films]] to create musical hits like ''[[Taxi Driver (1954 film)|Taxi Driver]]'', ''[[Nau Do Gyarah]]'' (1957) and [[Kala Pani (1958 film)|''Kala Pani'']] (1958). In addition, he gave music for ''[[Munimji]]'' (1955) and ''[[Paying Guest]]'' (1957). His songs sung by [[Mohammed Rafi]] and [[Kishore Kumar]] became popular. Burman composed the music for ''Afsar'' (1950). With the success of their second film ''[[Baazi (1951 film)|Baazi]]'' (1951), he made it to the top and a long association with Navketan and Dev Anand was on its way. ''Baazi'''s jazzy musical score revealed a new facet of singer [[Geeta Dutt]], who was mainly known for melancholy songs and [[bhajan]]s. One song from the film stood out – "Tadbeer Se Bigdi Hui Taqdeer", a [[ghazal]] that was occidentalised into a seductive song.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}} The ''[[Jaal (1952 film)|Jaal]]'' song "Yeh Raat Yeh Chandni" sung by Hemant Kumar is an all-time great classic.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}} The song "Thandi Hawain" from the film ''[[Naujawan (1951 film)|Naujawan]]'' (1951) sung by Lata Mangeshkar was one of his first major hits.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}} It made Lata very famous as also poet Sahir.{{Citation needed|date=December 2020}}
In the 1950s, Burman teamed up with [[Dev Anand]]'s [[Navketan Films]] to create musical hits like ''[[Taxi Driver (1954 film)|Taxi Driver]]'', ''[[Nau Do Gyarah]]'' (1957) and [[Kala Pani (1958 film)|''Kala Pani'']] (1958). In addition, he gave music for ''[[Munimji]]'' (1955) and ''[[Paying Guest]]'' (1957). His songs sung by [[Kishore Kumar]] and [[Mohammed Rafi]] became popular. Burman composed the music for ''Afsar'' (1950). With the success of their second film ''[[Baazi (1951 film)|Baazi]]'' (1951), he made it to the top and a long association with Navketan and Dev Anand was on its way. ''Baazi'''s jazzy musical score revealed a new facet of singer [[Geeta Dutt]], who was mainly known for melancholy songs and [[bhajan]]s. One song from the film stood out – "Tadbeer Se Bigdi Hui Taqdeer", a [[ghazal]] that was occidentalised into a seductive song.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}} The ''[[Jaal (1952 film)|Jaal]]'' song "Yeh Raat Yeh Chandni" sung by Hemant Kumar is an all-time great classic.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}} The song "Thandi Hawain" from the film ''[[Naujawan (1951 film)|Naujawan]]'' (1951) sung by Lata Mangeshkar was one of his first major hits.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}} It made Lata very famous as also poet Sahir.{{Citation needed|date=December 2020}}


He also wrote music for [[Guru Dutt]]'s films ''[[Pyaasa]]'' (1957) and ''[[Kaagaz Ke Phool]]'' (1959). The soundtracks of ''[[Devdas (1955 film)|Devdas]]'' (1955), ''[[House No. 44]]'' (1955), ''[[Funtoosh]]'' (1956), and ''[[Solva Saal]]'' (1958) were other S. D. Burman hits. In 1959 came ''[[Sujata (1959 film)|Sujata]]'', and S. D. created magic again with "Jalte hai Jiske Liye" by [[Talat Mahmood]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}
He also wrote music for [[Guru Dutt]]'s films ''[[Pyaasa]]'' (1957) and ''[[Kaagaz Ke Phool]]'' (1959). The soundtracks of ''[[Devdas (1955 film)|Devdas]]'' (1955), ''[[House No. 44]]'' (1955), ''[[Funtoosh]]'' (1956), and ''[[Solva Saal]]'' (1958) were other S. D. Burman hits. In 1959 came ''[[Sujata (1959 film)|Sujata]]'', and S. D. created magic again with "Jalte hai Jiske Liye" by [[Talat Mahmood]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}
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==1960s==
==1960s==
Early on in his career, Burman refused to allow his voice to be lip-synced on film by actors;<ref name=karta/> as a result, even later on, in [[Hindi cinema]], his thin yet powerful voice was often used as [[bard]]ic commentary to haunting results, as in "O Re Majhi Mere Sajan Hai Us Paar" from ''[[Bandini (1963 film)|Bandini]]'' (1963), "Wahan Kaun Hai Tera" from ''[[Guide (film)|Guide]]'' (1965), and "Saphal Hogi Teri Aradhana" from ''[[Aradhana (1969 film)|Aradhana]]'' (1969),<ref>[http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/fr/2006/07/28/stories/2006072801380100.htm Agartala palace is lit – Centenary celebrations] ''[[The Hindu]]'', 28 July 2006. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080622171622/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/fr/2006/07/28/stories/2006072801380100.htm |date=22 June 2008 }}</ref> for which he received the [[National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer]] in 1970.
Early on in his career, Burman refused to allow his voice to be lip-synced on film by actors;<ref name=karta/> as a result, even later on, in [[Hindi cinema]], his thin yet powerful voice was often used as [[bard]]ic commentary to haunting results, as in "O Re Majhi Mere Sajan Hai Us Paar" from ''[[Bandini (1963 film)|Bandini]]'' (1963), "Wahan Kaun Hai Tera" from ''[[Guide (film)|Guide]]'' (1965), and "Saphal Hogi Teri Aradhana" from ''[[Aradhana (1969 film)|Aradhana]]'' (1969),<ref>{{usurped|[https://web.archive.org/web/20080622171622/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/fr/2006/07/28/stories/2006072801380100.htm Agartala palace is lit – Centenary celebrations]}} ''[[The Hindu]]'', 28 July 2006.</ref> for which he received the [[National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer]] in 1970.


Ill health caused a slump in his career in the early 1960s, but he gave many hit films in the late 1960s. In 1961, Burman and [[Lata Mangeshkar]] came together during the recording of [[R.D. Burman]]'s first song for the movie ''Chhote Nawab'' (1961). They reconciled their differences and started working again in 1962.
Ill health caused a slump in his career in the early 1960s, but he gave many hit films in the late 1960s. In 1961, Burman and [[Lata Mangeshkar]] came together during the recording of [[R.D. Burman]]'s first song for the movie ''Chhote Nawab'' (1961). They reconciled their differences and started working again in 1962.
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''[[Tere Mere Sapne (1971 film)|Tere Mere Sapne]]'' (1971), ''[[Ishq Par Zor Nahin]]'' (1970), ''[[Sharmeelee]]'' (1971), ''[[Abhimaan (1973 film)|Abhimaan]]'' (1973), ''[[Prem Nagar (1974 film)|Prem Nagar]]'' (1974), ''[[Sagina (film)|Sagina]]'' (1974), ''[[Chupke Chupke (film)|Chupke Chupke]]'' (1975), and ''[[Mili (1975 film)|Mili]]'' (1975) are some of Burman's classics from this decade.
''[[Tere Mere Sapne (1971 film)|Tere Mere Sapne]]'' (1971), ''[[Ishq Par Zor Nahin]]'' (1970), ''[[Sharmeelee]]'' (1971), ''[[Abhimaan (1973 film)|Abhimaan]]'' (1973), ''[[Prem Nagar (1974 film)|Prem Nagar]]'' (1974), ''[[Sagina (film)|Sagina]]'' (1974), ''[[Chupke Chupke (film)|Chupke Chupke]]'' (1975), and ''[[Mili (1975 film)|Mili]]'' (1975) are some of Burman's classics from this decade.


S. D. Burman went into a coma soon after rehearsing the song "Badi Sooni Sooni Hai" (sung by [[Kishore Kumar]]) for the film ''Mili''. He died on 31 October 1975 in [[Mumbai]].
==Personal life==
S. D. Burman married Bengali Film Lyricist and Musician, [[Meera Dev Burman|Meera Dasgupta]] on 10 February 1938. They had only one son, famous music composer, [[R. D. Burman]] who was born on 27 June 1939.


==Relationship with Kishore Kumar==
==Relationship with Kishore Kumar==
Burman was the only composer who had used both Rafi and Kishore in an almost equal number of songs. He regarded Kishore as his second son. Kishore confessed that it was Sachin Da, who had given him the first chance. Even after the rehearsal of "Badi Sooni Sooni" from ''Milli'', when Sachin had a stroke, Kishore went up to the hospital and said to him "Dada, please don't worry, your recording is after three days, you just see how well it goes." The song is considered one of the best of Kishore Kumar. Sachin also used to telephone Kishore in the dead of night, and on the telephone, he would start to sing the new tunes which he composed and ask Kishore to sing with him.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}
Burman was the only composer who had used both Kishore and Rafi in an almost equal number of songs. He regarded Kishore as his second son. Kishore confessed that it was Sachin Da, who had given him the first chance. Even after the rehearsal of "Badi Sooni Sooni" from ''Milli'', when Sachin had a stroke, Kishore went up to the hospital and said to him "Dada, please don't worry, your recording is after three days, you just see how well it goes." The song is considered one of the best of Kishore Kumar. Sachin also used to telephone Kishore in the dead of night, and on the telephone, he would start to sing the new tunes which he composed and ask Kishore to sing with him.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}
 
==Death==
S. D. Burman went into a coma soon after rehearsing the song "Badi Sooni Sooni Hai" (sung by [[Kishore Kumar]]) for the film [[Mili (1975 film)|Mili]]. After lingering in a coma for some days, he died on 31 October 1975 in [[Mumbai]].


== Legacy ==
== Legacy ==
British singer of South Asian heritage [[Najma Akhtar]], recorded a [[Shanachie Records]] CD of Burman's work, ''Forbidden Kiss: The Music of S.D. Burman,'' an album of covers of Burman compositions.
British singer of South Asian heritage [[Najma Akhtar]], recorded a [[Shanachie Records]] CD of Burman's work, ''Forbidden Kiss: The Music of S.D. Burman,'' an album of covers of Burman compositions.


The Indian cricketer [[Sachin Tendulkar]] was named after the composer by Sachin's grandfather, who was an ardent fan of Burman.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}
The Indian cricketer [[Sachin Tendulkar]] was named after the composer by Sachin's father, who was an ardent fan of Burman.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}


The singer and mimicry artist [[Sudesh Bhonsle]] frequently parodies the nasal high-pitched voice and quixotic singing style of S. D. Burman.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}
The singer and mimicry artist [[Sudesh Bhonsle]] frequently parodies the nasal high-pitched voice and quixotic singing style of S. D. Burman.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}
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On 1 October 2007, marking his 101st birth anniversary, the [[Indian Postal Service]] released a commemorative postage stamp, in [[Agartala]], where an exhibition on his life and work was also inaugurated; the state government of [[Tripura]] also confers the yearly "Sachin Dev Burman Memorial Award" in music.<ref>[http://www.indiapost.gov.in/Stamps2007.html 2007 stamps] ''[[Indian Postal Service]] Official website''. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120131152355/http://www.indiapost.gov.in/Stamps2007.html|date=31 January 2012}}</ref><ref>[http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=508198 Postage stamp brought out on Sachin Karta's birth anniversary] ''[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]]'', 1 October 2008.</ref>
On 1 October 2007, marking his 101st birth anniversary, the [[Indian Postal Service]] released a commemorative postage stamp, in [[Agartala]], where an exhibition on his life and work was also inaugurated; the state government of [[Tripura]] also confers the yearly "Sachin Dev Burman Memorial Award" in music.<ref>[http://www.indiapost.gov.in/Stamps2007.html 2007 stamps] ''[[Indian Postal Service]] Official website''. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120131152355/http://www.indiapost.gov.in/Stamps2007.html|date=31 January 2012}}</ref><ref>[http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=508198 Postage stamp brought out on Sachin Karta's birth anniversary] ''[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]]'', 1 October 2008.</ref>
[[Sachin Debbarman Memorial Government Music College, Agartala|Sachin Dev Barman Memorial Government Music college]] was built in Agartala, Tripura in memory of him which is also affiliated by [[Tripura University]] and recognised by [[University Grants Commission (India)|University Grant Commission]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sachin Dev Barman Memorial Government Music College|url=https://sdmgovtmusiccollege.in/}}</ref>


==Filmography==
==Filmography==
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* ''[[Shikari (1946 film)|Shikari]]'' (1946)
* ''[[Shikari (1946 film)|Shikari]]'' (1946)
* ''[[Dil Ki Rani]]'' (1947)
* ''[[Dil Ki Rani]]'' (1947)
* ''[[Do Bhai]]'' (1947)
* ''[[Do Bhai (1947 film)|Do Bhai]]'' (1947)
* ''[[Chittor Vijay]]'' (1947)
* ''[[Chittor Vijay]]'' (1947)
* ''[[Vidya (film)|Vidya]]'' (1948)
* ''[[Vidya (film)|Vidya]]'' (1948)
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* ''[[Anuraag (1973 film)|Anuraag]]'' (1972)
* ''[[Anuraag (1973 film)|Anuraag]]'' (1972)
* ''[[Abhimaan (1973 film)|Abhimaan]]'' (1973)
* ''[[Abhimaan (1973 film)|Abhimaan]]'' (1973)
* ''[[Jugnu]]'' (1973)
* ''[[Jugnu (1973 film)|Jugnu]]'' (1973)
* ''[[Chhupa Rustam]]'' (1973)
* ''[[Chhupa Rustam]]'' (1973)
* ''[[Phagun (1973 film)|Phagun]]'' (1973)
* ''[[Phagun (1973 film)|Phagun]]'' (1973)
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* ''[[Barood (1976 film)|Barood]]'' (1976)
* ''[[Barood (1976 film)|Barood]]'' (1976)
* ''[[Arjun Pandit (1976 film)|Arjun Pandit]]'' (1976)
* ''[[Arjun Pandit (1976 film)|Arjun Pandit]]'' (1976)
* ''[[Tyaag (1977 film)|Tyaag]]'' (1976)
* ''[[Deewaangee]]'' (1976) only one song, remaining songs were composed by [[Ravindra Jain]]
* ''[[Deewaangee]]'' (1976) only one song, remaining songs were composed by [[Ravindra Jain]]
* ''Saaz'' (Unreleased)
* ''[[Tyaag (1977 film)|Tyaag]]'' (1977)
}}
}}


==Awards and recognitions==
==Awards and recognitions==
* 1934: Gold Medal, Bengal All India Music Conference, Kolkata 1934
* 1934: Gold Medal, Bengal All India Music Conference, Calcutta 1934
* 1958: [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]]
* 1958: [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]]
* 1959: Asia Film Society Award
* 1959: Asia Film Society Award
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==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons category|Sachin Dev Burman}}
 
* {{IMDb name | id=0005984 | name = Sachin Dev Burman }}
* {{IMDb name | id=0005984 | name = Sachin Dev Burman }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20170701072430/http://www.bollango.com/cgi-bin/akf_search.tcl?key=song&singer=s+d+burman S. D. Burman songs]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20170701072430/http://www.bollango.com/cgi-bin/akf_search.tcl?key=song&singer=s+d+burman S. D. Burman songs]
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[[Category:Hindi film score composers]]
[[Category:Hindi film score composers]]
[[Category:Hindustani singers]]
[[Category:Hindustani singers]]
[[Category:Indian film score composers]]
[[Category:Indian male folk singers]]
[[Category:Indian male folk singers]]
[[Category:Musicians from Kolkata]]
[[Category:Musicians from Mumbai]]
[[Category:People from Comilla District]]
[[Category:People from Comilla District]]
[[Category:Performers of Hindu music]]
[[Category:Performers of Hindu music]]
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[[Category:Tripuri people]]
[[Category:Tripuri people]]
[[Category:University of Calcutta alumni]]
[[Category:University of Calcutta alumni]]
[[Category:Indian male film singers]]
[[Category:Indian male playback singers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian singers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian singers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian composers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian composers]]
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[[Category:Music of Bengal]]
[[Category:Music of Bengal]]
[[Category:Indian male film score composers]]
[[Category:Indian male film score composers]]
[[Category:20th-century male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male singers]]
[[Category:Kokborok playback singers]]
[[Category:Comilla Zilla School alumni]]

Latest revision as of 11:50, 22 July 2023


S. D. Burman
Error creating thumbnail: File missing
Burman on a 2007 stamp of India, commemorating his 101st birth anniversary
Background information
Birth nameSachin Dev Burman
Born(1906-10-01)1 October 1906
Cumilla, Bengal Presidency, British India, (present-day Bangladesh)
Died31 October 1975(1975-10-31) (aged 69)
Bombay, Maharashtra, India (present-day Mumbai)
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Music director
  • Folk artist
  • Singer
  • Composer
  • Musician
Instruments
Years active1932–1975

Sachin Dev Burman (1 October 1906 – 31 October 1975) was an Indian music director and singer. A member of the Tripura royal family, he started his career with Bengali films in 1937. He later began composing for Hindi movies and became one of the most successful and influential Indian film music composers. Burman composed the soundtracks for over 100 movies, including Bengali films and Hindi.[1] Apart from being a versatile composer, he also sang songs in the light semi-classical and folk style of Bengal. His son, R. D. Burman, was also a celebrated music composer for Bollywood films.

Burman's compositions were sung by the leading singers of the era, including Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi, Geeta Dutt, Manna Dey, Hemant Kumar, Asha Bhosle, Shamshad Begum, Mukesh and Talat Mahmood. As a playback singer, Burman sang 14 Hindi and 13 Bengali film songs.[2]

Background[edit | edit source]

Error creating thumbnail: File missing
Sachin's abandoned house in Comilla

Burman was born on 1 October 1906, in Comilla, Bengal Presidency (in present-day Bangladesh) to Rajkumari Nirmala Devi,[3] the royal princess of Manipur and Nabadwipchandra Dev Burman of Tripura, son of Ishan Chandra Manikya, the Maharaja of Tripura. Sachin was the youngest of the five sons of his parents, who had nine children in all. His mother died when he was just two years of age.[4]

Education[edit | edit source]

S. D. Burman's first school was at Kumar Boarding in Agartala, Tripura. It was a boarding school for sons of the royalty and the very rich.[5] Burman's father, Raja Nabadweepchandra Deb Burman noticed the teachers were more busy with pampering the sons of the nobility than educating them. Burman's father took him from Kumar Boarding and admitted him at Yusuf School in Comilla,[5] before he was admitted in Class V in Comilla Zilla School. He completed his Matriculation in 1920 at the age of 14. He then got admitted at Victoria College, Comilla, which is presently Comilla Victoria Government College from where he passed his IA in 1922 and then BA in 1924. Burman left for Kolkata to start an MA in Calcutta University, which he did not finish as music got the better of him for good.[6][7] He started his formal music education by training under the musician K. C. Dey from 1925 to 1930; thereafter in 1932 he came under the tutelage of Bhishmadev Chattopadhyay, who was only three years his senior. This was followed by training from Khalifa Badal Khan, the sarangi maestro, and Ustad Allauddin Khan, the sarodist. He brought K.C. Dey, Khalifa Badal Khan and Allauddin Khan to Agartala. The noted Bengal poet laureate, Kazi Nazrul Islam also spent time in their family home in Comilla in the early '20s.[citation needed]

1930s[edit | edit source]

c. 1937

Burman started working as a radio singer on Calcutta Radio Station in the late 20s, when his work as a singer-composer was based on Bengali folk and light Hindustani classical music. Consequently, his compositions were mainly influenced by his huge repertoire of folk-tunes from present Bangladesh and later other parts of India and around the world. His first record was also released in 1932 (Hindustan Musical Product), with "Khamaj" (semi classical), "E Pathey Aaj Eso Priyo" on one side and the folk "Dakle Kokil Roj Bihane" on the reverse side, on 78 rpm for Hindustan Records.[8] In the following decade, he reached his peak as a singer, cutting as many as 131 songs in Bengali, and also sang for composers like Himangsu Dutta (8), RC Boral (1), Nazrul Islam (4), Sailesh Das Gupta (2) and Subal Das Gupta (1).[9] He also sang for Madhavlal Master (1) and his son R.D. Burman (1).

In 1934, he attended the All India Music Conference, at the invitation of Allahabad University, where he presented his Bengali Thumri, all to an illustrious audience, with the likes of Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit and the inimitable Abdul Karim Khan of Kirana Gharana. Later in the year, he was invited to Bengal Music Conference, Kolkata, which was inaugurated by Rabindranath Tagore, here again he sang his Thumri, and was awarded a Gold Medal.[9]

He built a house in Southend Park, Ballygunge, Kolkata. He married his student, Meera Das Gupta (1920–2007), the granddaughter of Magistrate Raibahadur Kamalnath Dasgupta from Dhaka on 10 February 1938 in Calcutta (now Kolkata),[10][11] though according to some, having married a non-royal, created a furore within the royal family, and subsequently he severed ties with his family, and forfeited his inheritance.[12][13] According to some others, S.D. Burman severed ties with his royal family because he was frustrated with the unjust and unfair treatment meted out to his father and his brothers by the royal family of Tripura. The couple's only child, Rahul Dev Burman was born in 1939, and later, both Meera Devi and Rahul assisted S.D. Burman with some of the musical compositions.[14][15] S. D. Burman also did a singing role in the Urdu film Selima (1934) and another role in Dhiren Ganguli's film Bidrohi (1935).[16]

As a music composer, he started with the Bengali plays Sati Tirtha and Janani, and eventually gave his first score in the film Rajgee. In 1937, his second film Rajkumarer Nirbashan (1940) became a hit. He gave music in Bengali films such as Protishodh (1941), Abhoyer Biye (1942) and Chaddobeshi (1944) and only one Bengali film in 1969/70 after he permanently moved to Mumbai in 1946. He composed for over 20 Bengali films and 89 Hindi films in all.[9]

He made his film debut singing in Yahudi ki Ladki (1933) but the songs were scrapped and re-sung by Pahari Sanyal. His first film as a singer was finally Sanjher Pidim (1935).

1940s[edit | edit source]

In 1944, Burman moved to Mumbai, at the request of Sasadhar Mukherjee of Filmistan, who asked him to give score for two Ashok Kumar starrers, Shikari (1946) and Aath Din, but his first major breakthrough came the following year with the company's Do Bhai (1947). The song Mera Sundar Sapna Beet Gaya sung by Geeta Dutt was his breakthrough song into the film industry. In 1949 came Shabnam, his biggest hit yet with Filmistan, especially noticeable for its multi-lingual hit song Yeh Duniya Roop ki Chor, by Shamshad Begum, which became a rage in those days.[17]

1950s[edit | edit source]

Disillusioned with the materialism of Mumbai, Burman left the Ashok Kumar starred Mashaal (1950) incomplete and decided to board the first train back to Calcutta. Fortunately, he was dissuaded from doing so.

In the 1950s, Burman teamed up with Dev Anand's Navketan Films to create musical hits like Taxi Driver, Nau Do Gyarah (1957) and Kala Pani (1958). In addition, he gave music for Munimji (1955) and Paying Guest (1957). His songs sung by Kishore Kumar and Mohammed Rafi became popular. Burman composed the music for Afsar (1950). With the success of their second film Baazi (1951), he made it to the top and a long association with Navketan and Dev Anand was on its way. Baazi's jazzy musical score revealed a new facet of singer Geeta Dutt, who was mainly known for melancholy songs and bhajans. One song from the film stood out – "Tadbeer Se Bigdi Hui Taqdeer", a ghazal that was occidentalised into a seductive song.[citation needed] The Jaal song "Yeh Raat Yeh Chandni" sung by Hemant Kumar is an all-time great classic.[citation needed] The song "Thandi Hawain" from the film Naujawan (1951) sung by Lata Mangeshkar was one of his first major hits.[citation needed] It made Lata very famous as also poet Sahir.[citation needed]

He also wrote music for Guru Dutt's films Pyaasa (1957) and Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959). The soundtracks of Devdas (1955), House No. 44 (1955), Funtoosh (1956), and Solva Saal (1958) were other S. D. Burman hits. In 1959 came Sujata, and S. D. created magic again with "Jalte hai Jiske Liye" by Talat Mahmood.[citation needed]

When Guru Dutt made comparatively light-weight films like Baazi and Jaal (1952), Burman reflected their mood with compositions like "Suno Gajar Kya Gaye" or "De Bhi Chuke Hum" and when Guru Dutt made his sombre masterpieces – Pyaasa (1957) and Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), he was right on target with "Jinhe Naaz Hai Hind" and "Waqt Ne Kiya Kya Haseen Sitam." In 2004, the soundtrack of Pyaasa was chosen as one of "The Best Music in Film" by Sight & Sound, the British Film Institute magazine.[18]

In 1957, S. D. Burman fell out with Lata Mangeshkar and adopted her younger sister Asha Bhosle as his lead female singer. The team of S. D. Burman, Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhosle and lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri became popular for their duet songs. Bhosle later became his daughter-in-law after her marriage to R. D. Burman.

In 1958, S. D. Burman gave music for Kishore Kumar's house production Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi. The same year, he was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for his compositions in Sujata and remains the only music director to have won this prestigious award.[19] S. D. Burman often took inspiration from folk music, Hindustani classical music as well as the more mundane day to day sounds of life. For example, in a later interview, he discussed how he had composed the Kala Pani tune for the Majrooh Sultanpuri / Md. Rafi / Dev Anand song "Hum bekhudi mein tum" based upon the Hindustani Raga "Raag Chayyanat" and the Muslim Muezzin's call for prayers that one hears daily near a mosque.[20]

1960s[edit | edit source]

Early on in his career, Burman refused to allow his voice to be lip-synced on film by actors;[9] as a result, even later on, in Hindi cinema, his thin yet powerful voice was often used as bardic commentary to haunting results, as in "O Re Majhi Mere Sajan Hai Us Paar" from Bandini (1963), "Wahan Kaun Hai Tera" from Guide (1965), and "Saphal Hogi Teri Aradhana" from Aradhana (1969),[21] for which he received the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer in 1970.

Ill health caused a slump in his career in the early 1960s, but he gave many hit films in the late 1960s. In 1961, Burman and Lata Mangeshkar came together during the recording of R.D. Burman's first song for the movie Chhote Nawab (1961). They reconciled their differences and started working again in 1962.

The Dev Anand-S. D. Burman partnership, under the Navketan banner, continued to churn out musical hits like Bombai Ka Babu (1960), Tere Ghar Ke Samne (1963), Guide (1965) and Jewel Thief (1967). In 1963, he composed the soundtrack of Meri Surat Teri Aankhen (1963), in which Manna Dey sang the song "Poocho Na Kaise Maine" in raga Ahir Bhairav. This song was inspired by the song "Arun kanti ke go yogi", a masterpiece that was created by Bidhrohi Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam and a Ustad Mushtaq Hussain Khan's Khayal which was based on raga Ahir bhairav (morning ragaa). That movie also had a song "Nache Mon Mora Magan", sung by Mohammad Rafi; these became landmarks in Hindi film songs.

Other S. D. Burman hits from this period were Bandini (1963), Ziddi (1964), and Teen Devian (1965). In Bandini, Sampooran Singh (well known as Gulzar), made his debut as a lyricist with the song "Mora Gora Ang Lai Le", though the other songs were written by Shailendra. Guide (1965) starring Dev Anand, was probably the best [citation needed] of his work during the time with all the songs super-hits as well as the film; however, it did not receive the Filmfare Award in the best music director category for that year, which remained always a discussion among the Bollywood film pandits.

Aradhana (1969) is considered another landmark score in Bollywood history. The music of the movie shaped the careers of singer Kishore Kumar, lyricist Anand Bakshi and filmmaker Shakti Samanta. According to the director Shakti Samanta, originally, Mohammed Rafi was supposed to have sung all the songs in the film (he sang only two song), but he was on 2 month long tour and they didn't want to wait for 2 months. So, he suggested Burman to use Kishore Kumar instead as Rajesh Khanna was a newcomer and he agreed. All the songs became chartbuster which made Kishore Kumar an overnight sensation.

References[22] For the song "Mere Sapno ki raani", Sachin Dev made R. D. play the mouth organ.[citation needed] Dev Anand and S. D. Burman continued their musical partnership in Prem Pujari (1969).

1970s[edit | edit source]

Tere Mere Sapne (1971), Ishq Par Zor Nahin (1970), Sharmeelee (1971), Abhimaan (1973), Prem Nagar (1974), Sagina (1974), Chupke Chupke (1975), and Mili (1975) are some of Burman's classics from this decade.

Personal life[edit | edit source]

S. D. Burman married Bengali Film Lyricist and Musician, Meera Dasgupta on 10 February 1938. They had only one son, famous music composer, R. D. Burman who was born on 27 June 1939.

Relationship with Kishore Kumar[edit | edit source]

Burman was the only composer who had used both Kishore and Rafi in an almost equal number of songs. He regarded Kishore as his second son. Kishore confessed that it was Sachin Da, who had given him the first chance. Even after the rehearsal of "Badi Sooni Sooni" from Milli, when Sachin had a stroke, Kishore went up to the hospital and said to him "Dada, please don't worry, your recording is after three days, you just see how well it goes." The song is considered one of the best of Kishore Kumar. Sachin also used to telephone Kishore in the dead of night, and on the telephone, he would start to sing the new tunes which he composed and ask Kishore to sing with him.[citation needed]

Death[edit | edit source]

S. D. Burman went into a coma soon after rehearsing the song "Badi Sooni Sooni Hai" (sung by Kishore Kumar) for the film Mili. After lingering in a coma for some days, he died on 31 October 1975 in Mumbai.

Legacy[edit | edit source]

British singer of South Asian heritage Najma Akhtar, recorded a Shanachie Records CD of Burman's work, Forbidden Kiss: The Music of S.D. Burman, an album of covers of Burman compositions.

The Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar was named after the composer by Sachin's father, who was an ardent fan of Burman.[citation needed]

The singer and mimicry artist Sudesh Bhonsle frequently parodies the nasal high-pitched voice and quixotic singing style of S. D. Burman.[citation needed]

Burman paired with tabla maestro late Brajen Biswas for his Bengali songs. The beats or "thekas" created by Brajen Babu for these songs are unique and no one in the world can sing these songs in the original "thekas". All the "thekas" are according to the mood of the songs. But recently, painter, sculptor and singer Ramita Bhaduri sang the tough songs of Burman such as "Ami chhinu aka", "Rangeela", "Aankhi Duti Jhare" etc. in the original "theka" on the taleem of Brajen Biswas. The CD from "Raga Music" (Symphony) was released at Kolkata Press Club. The CDs are available in M. Biswas & Symphony.[citation needed]

Burman had a unique style of composing film songs. While most of the composers used a harmonium or piano to compose the tune, he composed tunes using rhythm such as clapping hands. He was very fond of "Paan" which was specially made by his wife with a piece of dried orange peel and "kevda" flower (Odoratissimus flower) for flavour and taste. In addition, there were his chosen paanwalas (paan vendors) near Khar Station, his bungalow "The Jet" and Bharati Vidya Bhavan from where he could get paans to his liking. That was the reason that he would not share his paan with anyone as he will run short of his paans. He would carry only few extra paana which he would give as a reward to the one whom he appreciated for his work.[citation needed]

SD Burman's first biography in English is "Incomparable Sachin Dev Burman". Written by HQ Chowdhury. It was published by Toitoomber from Dhaka, Bangladesh.

On 1 October 2007, marking his 101st birth anniversary, the Indian Postal Service released a commemorative postage stamp, in Agartala, where an exhibition on his life and work was also inaugurated; the state government of Tripura also confers the yearly "Sachin Dev Burman Memorial Award" in music.[23][24]

Sachin Dev Barman Memorial Government Music college was built in Agartala, Tripura in memory of him which is also affiliated by Tripura University and recognised by University Grant Commission.[25]

Filmography[edit | edit source]

Awards and recognitions[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "Sachin Dev Burman: Epitomising the East Bengali lilt". The Daily Star. 30 October 2009. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  2. ↑ "Remembering SD Burman: 10 lesser-known facts about Sachin Dev Burman". India Today. 1 October 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  3. ↑ Sarma, Ramya (2 September 2013). "The magic in the music". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 5 September 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  4. ↑ Mathur, Megha (October 2015). "Give me Lata and a Harmonium, I'll make Music: S.D. Burman". The Quint. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Master who learnt from beggar, baul". The New Indian Express. 28 July 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  6. ↑ Tripura Genealogy at Queensland Univ Archived 21 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ Bhattacharjee, Anirudha (2018). S.D.Burman: The Prince Musician. Chennai: Westland Publications. pp. 10–13. ISBN 9789387578180.
  8. ↑ Soul composer... The Times of India, 1 October 2006.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 HQ Chowdhury. Sachin Karta. sdburman.net
  10. ↑ S.D. Burman’s wife dead The Hindu, 17 October 2007.
  11. ↑ S.D. Burman's wife Meera dead 'Music India OnLine'. Archived 15 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ↑ How Tripura lost an icon The Daily Telegraph, 24 February 2005.
  13. ↑ Sachin Karta by Pannalal Roy tripurainfo.com. Archived 18 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ↑ Bondhu rangila re – a tribute to S D Burman theemusic magazine, 31 October 2002.
  15. ↑ The minimilistic melody of Sachin Dev Burman – Biography Rediff.com.
  16. ↑ SD Burman "filmreference.com".
  17. ↑ SD Burman Upperstall.com.
  18. ↑ Olivier Assayas (September 2004). "The Best Music in Film". Sight & Sound. Retrieved 26 April 2009.
  19. ↑ Music Direction Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Official listing. Archived 16 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  20. ↑ Bharatan, Raju. "The Aradhna Syndrome". Rediff. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  21. ↑ Agartala palace is lit – Centenary celebrations[usurped] The Hindu, 28 July 2006.
  22. ↑ Chowdhury, H.Q. (1 January 2011). Incomparable Sachin Dev Burman (First ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Toitomboor. ISBN 978-9848869154.
  23. ↑ 2007 stamps Indian Postal Service Official website. Archived 31 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  24. ↑ Postage stamp brought out on Sachin Karta's birth anniversary Outlook, 1 October 2008.
  25. ↑ "Sachin Dev Barman Memorial Government Music College".

External links[edit | edit source]

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