How R.D.Burman got Dev Anand’s film HARE RAM HARE KRISHNA, accidently!

Music director R.D.Burman was perhaps a true genius that Indian cinema has ever produced. He was the first the music composer who introduced western beats with super hit rock numbers like Dum Maro Dum… or Piya Tu Ab To Aaja… and later stunned his critics with Hindustani classical numbers like Raina Beeti Jaaye … and Raat kali ek khwab mein… His music spoke a million languages, talked to generations of followers and captures the imagination of people even today, several years after he passed away on January 4, 1994, R.D.Burman continues to live in the hearts of his several music lovers. 

Raaga.Com pays homage to this legendary music director on his death anniversary.

R.D.Burman better known as Pancham in film industry was indeed a music director who was far ahead of his times. Though Pancham was instrumental in giving boost to western music but few know that the first song that he independently composed and won the credit for the same on the screen is a classical number that he recorded for comedian Mehmood’s home production CHHOTE NAWAB (1961). The song ‘Ghar aaja ghir aayee badra…’ sung by legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar had established Pancham as a music director who was here to stay. However since the movie failed hence despite good music, Pancham had to struggle for many years until he proved his genius with TEESRI MANZIL (1966) AND PADOSAN (1968). 

Though both the above movies made Pancham a name to reckon but the movie that made Pancham a star music director was Dev Anand’s HARE RAM HARE KRISHNA.

Interestingly Dev Anand had approached S.D. Burman, Pancham’s father and the legendary music director for the film’s music composer. But when Dev Anand narrated the script and told him that it was about drugs and westernized Hippie culture, S.D. Burman was quit annoyed at bluntly rejected the movie. He recommended Dev Anand to sign Pancham, instead. Pancham was very happy as western music was his forte and he did wonders with title track Dum Maro Dum…; the song till date remains the signature tune of the genius music director.