Kamal Haasan's tribute to RD Burman will tear you up

We used to call him Research and Development Burman when we were in our teens.

At the time, I was torn between Western music and Indian classical music.

A part of my dilemma was peer pressure, forcing me to choose what the in-thing was. The other pressure came from my classical dance training and an uprbinging in a family that was deeply immersed in Indian music.

Also read - How RD Burman transformed Hindi cinema music not once but twice

Naturally the sounds that attracted me the most came from the Burmans.

I used to also cherish the music of English composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, The Who, The Beatles, Deep Purple, and it somehow seemed seamless and, without embarrassment, how we could include the Burmans [SD and RD] in that international repertoire.

The Burmans somehow escaped the scorn that we would reserve for the tinny Indian music by the West-loving children of Woodstock.

I was just a wannabe hippie. I liked the philosophy, but couldn't dare to tread the final mile to "Hippiedom".

I had also not been initiated to pot or weed. I was that middle class clear-headed happy camper who never went camping. I was slowly but steadily learning to respect my own traditions as they were introduced to me by foreigners.

The Beatles introduced us to Ravi Shankar, Rajneesh to our yoga, and Fjord Capra and George Gurdjieff to our Vedas. Yet, Burmans never needed a foreign translator for us. Their songs became the anthem of the nation.

Also read - Why RD Burman gave his best songs to Lata Mangeshkar, not muse Asha Bhosle

I am fortunate to have lived at a time that shared theirs. I could understand their music at the time when both father and son were rocking the industry.

I remember how I would mimic the instrumentation of "Honto Pe Aisi Baat" from Jewel Thief. I was later told by Asha [Bhosle] ji that it was an assignment that the father had given his son to compose the beginning score of that song. Like a lion allowing his cubs to play with the hunted game.

My connect with RD was complete with that story.

Indian film composer Illayaraja with who I have worked with in nearly a hundred films or more never liked to take a brief for composing from others.

The only exceptions were SD and RD. With them, he would join in sing-alongs and produce a rare gem that even SD and RD would be proud of.

During Sagar I played a song by Illayaraja to RD. He heard it with such great attention, and such was his appreciation for the music, it made me feel as if I had composed it.

RD Burman's music has not only featured in my films, but my life.

If I close my eyes and picture my teens, RD's music will no doubt be the background score to it. And it isn't just my life alone his music touched, but many others.

I remember how I would sing to a secret girlfriend at that time, "Khullam khulla pyar karenge hum dono..."

Also read - When SD Burman paid his son Pancham the biggest compliment of his life

Tamil Nadu, I remember, took to Hindi films with RD's music. I started watching Hindi films late into my teens with Padosan.

I am so happy that RD today is an icon. Someone I knew, who I personally shook hands with, and worked along, and how fondly he would call me by my name.

Thank you Pancham da. You added that spice my life needed. Some artists can never be considered dead.

Mr Burman Jr is one such.