Burman signed up as a music director for the film Raaz, directed
by Guru Dutt's assistant Niranjan. However, the film was never completed. The ly rics of this Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman-starrer film were written by Shailendr a. R. D. Burman recorded two songs for the film, before it was shelved. The firs t song was sung by Geeta Dutt and Asha Bhosle, and the second one had vocals by Shamshad Begum.[11] R. D. Burman's first released film as an independent music director was Chhote N awab (1961). When the noted Bollywood comedian Mehmood decided to produce Chhote Nawab, he first approached R. D. Burman's father Sachin Dev Burman for the musi c. However, S. D. Burman turned down the offer, saying that he did not have any free dates. At this meeting, Mehmood noticed Rahul playing tabla, and signed him up as the music director for Chhote Nawab.[11] R. D. Burman later developed a c lose association with Mehmood, and did a cameo (apart from composing the music) in Mehmood's Bhoot Bangla (1965).[11] Initial successes[edit] Burman's first hit movie as a film music director was Teesri Manzil (1966). Burm an gave credit to lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri for recommending him to Nasir Huss ain, the producer and writer of the film.[12] Vijay Anand also said that he had arranged a music session for Burman before Nasir Hussain.[13] Teesri Manzil had six songs, all of which were written by Majrooh Sultanpuri, and sung by Mohammed Rafi. Four of these were duets with Asha Bhosle, whom Burman later married. Nas ir Hussain went on to sign R. D. Burman and lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri for six of his films including Baharon Ke Sapne (1967), Pyar Ka Mausam (1969) and Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973). Burman's score forzsos Padosan (1968) was well received. Mea nwhile, he continued to work as his father's assistant for movies like Jewel Thi ef (1967) and Prem Pujari (1970). 4 Januar Rahul Dev Burman (Bengali pronunciation: [Rahul Deb Brmon]; 27 June 1939 y 1994) was an Indian film score composer, who is considered one of the seminal music directors of the Indian film industry.[1] Nicknamed Pancham da, he was the only son of the composer Sachin Dev Burman. From the 1960s to the 1990s, R. D. Burman composed musical scores for 331 movies .[2] He was mainly active in the Hindi film industry as a composer, and also pro vided vocals for a few of compositions.[3] R. D. Burman did major work with Asha Bhosle (his wife) and Kishore Kumar, and scored many of the songs that made the se singers famous.[3] He also scored many songs sung by Lata Mangeshkar. He serv ed as an influence to the next generation of Indian music directors Rahul Dev Burman (Bengali pronunciation: [Rahul Deb Brmon]; 27 June 1939 4 Januar y 1994) was an Indian film score composer, who is considered one of the seminal music directors of the Indian film industry.[1] Nicknamed Pancham da, he was the only son of the composer Sachin Dev Burman. R. D. Burman was born to the Bollywood composer/singer Sachin Dev Burman and his lyricist wife Meera Dev Burman (ne Dasgupta), in Kolkata.[5] Initially, he was n icknamed Tublu by his maternal grandmother although he later became known by the nickname of Pancham. According to some stories, he was nicknamed as Pancham bec ause, as a child, whenever he cried, it sounded in the fifth note (Pa), G scale, of music notation. The word Pancham means five (or fifth) in Bengali, his mothe r tongue. Another theory says that the baby was nicknamed Pancham because he cou ld cry in five different notes. Yet another version is that when the veteran Ind ian actor Ashok Kumar saw a newborn Rahul uttering the syllable Pa repeatedly, h e nicknamed the boy Pancham.[6] R. D. Burman received his early education in Kolkata. His father S. D. Burman wa s a noted music director in Bollywood, the Mumbai-based Hindi film industry. Whe n he was nine years old, R. D. Burman composed his first song, Aye meri topi pal at ke aa, which his father used in the film Funtoosh (1956). The tune of the son g Sar jo tera chakraaye was also composed by him as a child; his father included it in the soundtrack of Guru Dutt's Pyaasa (1957).[7] In Mumbai, R. D. Burman was trained by Ustad Ali Akbar Khan (sarod) and Samta Pr asad (tabla).[8] He also considered Salil Chowdhury as his guru.[9] He served as
an assistant to his father, and often played harmonica in his orchestras.[3]
Some of the notable films in which R. D. Burman is credited as the music assista nt include Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958), Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), Tere Ghar Ke Sam ne (1963), Bandini (1963), Ziddi (1964), Guide (1965) and Teen Devian (1965). R. D. Burman also played mouth organ for his father's hit composition Hai Apna Dil To Aawara which was featured in the movie Solva Saal (1958).[10]