For the purists, he was an anathema, for those born in the ’60s and the ’70s, he was God. You can only think of RD Burman in the extremes. He’s venerated by many as a composer who put Indian music on the international pedestal; he’s reviled by some as a plagiarist, in that most of his hits were alleged copies. Love him, hate him, there’s no denying his due place in the history of Indian film music. He single handedly managed to bridge the gap between Hindustani classical and Western tunes, mixing the best of both to create unique masterpieces. He was the son of a music legend, SD Burman, who is said to have never repeated a tune in his long career. It’s hard to carve your own niche being under such a huge influence. But Pancham was able to do so successfully and perhaps surpass his illustrious father in popularity. And at a time, when song programming wasn’t assisted by computers, he managed to create layered masterpieces. He’s said to be a composer’s composer in the sense that professionals still marvel at how he was able to squeeze out such output, given his limited resources. Despite his stature and immense following, Pancham died heartbroken and alone, rebuffed by the industry, which owed him so much. Presenting the highs and the lows of his chequered career…

With Asha Bhosle

PRODIGIOUS ’50s