Biography of R.D. Burman

Born: 27 June 1939, Kolkata

Died: 4 January 1994, Mumbai

R.D. Burman was a great music director. He was born on June 27, 1939. To him, music came easy and early. He learnt to play Sarod from the legendary Ustad Akbar Khan at a very early age. His father S.D. Burman was an established music director.

R.D. Burman's first film as a music director was Mehmood's ‘Chote Nawab' in 1961. The first song in the film was recorded with Lata Mangeshkar. Burman's music for ‘Teesri Manzil’ was a resounding success.

His constant efforts to break musical typecasts and explore new possibilities came through in the music he made. But it was the poignant tunes of 'Kati Patang', the fun numbers of Padosan' or the soulful melodies of Amar Prem', which made him popular among the masses. He sang occasionally, and when he did, it never went unnoticed. R.D. Burman died in 1994. He will always live through his music.