If RDB was so talented, why he was without work for many years before he died a broken heart. People talk so much about his contribution but he failed as his style of music not in demand in later date. Today all praise him. No one came to his support even Asha Bhosle or LM who talk so much now. As for Mohd.Rafi and Kishore Kumar, they cannot be any compared as both were great playback singers with KK having an edge in acting.
Re: R D Burman
by FAPS on Jun 29, 2014 08:26 AM
Have you seen the music quality in the 1980's. It was possibly the worst decade for Hindi music. Every movie producer and director was demanding Disco tunes. RD Burman was a creative man who was having a hard time complying with the third grade music demands of the audience and the movie-makers. That is why he was out of work. If you are an architect of the Taj Mahal and I ask you to build a slum colony, you will be out of work as well because your heart will not be in it.
Just because they are unknown does not mean that they are facts.At best, may be termed as certain information.Whether they are true or not is to be later on analysed.
The book is a fair effort no doubt but the funny thing is that all these so-called Pancham fans seem to have mushroomed only after the composer's death. Where were Mr. Aniruddha and Mr. Balaji when the composer had fallen into such bad days in the last few years of his life and career? If they really were hard-core Pancham fans, they should have been the first to come forward and mobilise support & opinion in the composer's favour at a time when he had been sidelined by almost the entire film industry in the late 80s and 90s.
We all know that in the last few years of his life, nobody cared a whit for Pancham. He was as much a forgotten person as his music. During his lean days, an artiste cherishes the support of his fans and admirers the most. But the fact is that nobody had heard about these characters during that period. Now, suddenly everyone seems to have woken up to the fact that Pancham was a genius after all. Of course, when a sympathy wave erupts in the wake of a composer's demise, the easiest thing is to exploit it to the full. Would Balaji and Aniruddha have cared to come forward to write a book on Pancham had he been alive today? Obviously no. Because there would have been no sympathy wave to encash upon.
How one wishes these admirers of Pancham had done something for the hapless composer when he needed it the most.
Re: On the book on Pancham by Aniruddha and Balaji
by Sri Ranjan on May 16, 2011 11:07 AM
Hi Jay,
I think you are missing the point here.In one of the articles published on RD, it was written that with RD's passing away - we suddenly came of age. Didn't we? RD was churning an average of 10 - 14 films an year for 16 years which in present times is unthinkable for any composer. In the 80s - the formulaic films dampened the quality aspect of story-telling and as such, RD was rather obligated by habit to generate outstanding music for mediocre films. Having said that, revisiting them all through the last 15 - 20 years in one form or the other, we have realized that the wine was already matured when we were being served and we dint know how to relish the taste. This guy was composing music ahead of his time and we are still trying to catch up even after this passing away.
This is the point the book tries to enlighten. No offence mate!
Re: On the book on Pancham by Aniruddha and Balaji
by Anirudha on May 18, 2011 05:28 PM
My Jay, when Pancham needed support from the industry, we were students. We were not members of the film fraternity - we still are not. I am not sure how a college student surviving on scholarship and tuitions would be able to help Pancham. Spreading the word, yes, we did. BTW, the idea of writing a book was there from the late 1980s. Two decades later, we could finally get down to actually writing the book, the plans of which were sowed during out 'chai' sessions in the college canteen.
Secondly, it is incorrect to state that 'nobody had heard about these characters'. We were pretty well known in the Calcutta college circuit for our music bhakti. You can check out contemporary people from the quiz / music circle in Calcutta colleges around that time. If you want names, I can provide you a few.
BTW, I think we know each other from the Salil C and the SJ yahoo group.
Re: Re: On the book on Pancham by Aniruddha and Balaji
by Jay Subramanyam on Jul 16, 2011 12:56 PM
Mr. Anirudha, I don't need any names to be provided. They would make little sense to me as I have absolutely no idea of the Calcutta college circuit. My point was that composers are hailed as demi-gods soon after they have passed away but nobody cares a whit for them when they are alive. This is a truth which cannot be denied, at least in our country. You claim that the idea to write the book germinated in the 1980s. I find this hard to believe but if it was so, then good luck to you.
Re: Re: Re: On the book on Pancham by Aniruddha and Balaji
by Mainbola on Jun 27, 2014 04:21 PM
Jay, u r right..but this is not about composers only..it is about good people in music, direction, acting, politics too... I mean look at the way rajiv gandhi was demonised when he was alive, and now it seems he was the greatest PM ever! When the fact is that niether is true...We Indians first put people on pedestals and then love to see them fall...it is only after the time has passed and the person gone, that we probably appreciate his true genius...Pancham was a victim of this tendency of ours!No wonder we are a people of missed oppurtinities!
Re: Re: Re: On the book on Pancham by Aniruddha and Balaji
by FAPS on Jun 29, 2014 08:30 AM
Jay: Do you realize that Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson are worth a lot more today, after their deaths, then when they were alive.
Re: Re: SD and RD both were greats and were Original in their wor
by lucyama on May 14, 2011 12:48 PM
but RD used to take Kishore more than Rafi sahab...I guess he didnt give much chance to Rafi who was way ahead of Kishore and the greatest singer
Re: Re: Re: SD and RD both were greats and were Original in their
by FAPS on Jun 29, 2014 08:48 AM
What is better chocolate or vanilla; SRK or Salman; Amitabh or Vinod; Kareena or Deepika. It is all personal preference. Kishore and Rafi were both exceptional.
Re: Re: Re: SD and RD both were greats and were Original in their
by Jay Subramanyam on May 14, 2011 03:48 PM
It is a matter of opinion. Rafi was a great singer but if one goes strictly by the term 'playback singing', Kishore was as good if not better than Rafi.
Re: Re: Re: Re: SD and RD both were greats and were Original in t
by surya das on May 15, 2011 08:11 AM
If someone says Rafi is way ahead than Kishore.. it is a fake nothing else.. On any given days Kishore is more vesatile, his songs are more popular than put all Rafi songs together..
Check all those songs do remix ..are Kishore da songs..
it is a joke when someone says Kishore da was good.. WTF..
Its like after Sachin or Amitabh retired from their profession.. someone says Sachin was a good cricketer or Amitabh was a good actor..lol
It says this guy does not know the meaning of GOOD.. They are not good.. they are the best.. Nobody means nobody will ever match Sachin in cricket, Amitabh in Indian cinema, Kishore and Rafi as Singers.. All are legends.. and a f00l like us to compare two legends..
"Rafi was way ahead of Kishore..in which angle.. it shows u are fan of Rafi..thats it.. In my knowledge .. Top 20 music charts ..will be filled with Kishore da and R D Burman.. Most popular songs in hindi cinema are filled with Kishore da songs.. The GREATEST singer India has ever produced.. And if u compare with versatility.. no one means no one can match Kishore.. start listening his all songs.. and apart from Singer, he is a great entertianer (Rafi not even 20% comparable to Kishore), and fine actor too.. RIP
Re: Re: Re: Re: SD and RD both were greats and were Original in t
by surya das on May 15, 2011 08:13 AM
If someone says Rafi was way ahead than Kishore.. it is a fake nothing else.. On any given days Kishore was more vesatile, his songs are more popular than put all Rafi songs incl other singers together..
Check all those songs do remix ..are Kishore da songs..
it is a joke when someone says Kishore da was good.. WTF..
Its like after Sachin or Amitabh retired from their profession.. someone says Sachin was a good cricketer or Amitabh was a good actor..lol
It says this guy does not know the meaning of GOOD.. They are not good.. they are the best.. Nobody means nobody will ever match Sachin in cricket, Amitabh in Indian cinema, Kishore and Rafi as Singers.. All are legends.. and a f00l like us to compare two legends..
"Rafi was way ahead of Kishore..in which angle.. it shows u are fan of Rafi..thats it.. In my knowledge .. Top 20 music charts ..will be filled with Kishore da and R D Burman.. Most popular songs in hindi cinema are filled with Kishore da songs.. The GREATEST singer India has ever produced.. And if u compare with versatility.. no one means no one can match Kishore.. start listening his all songs.. and apart from Singer, he is a great entertianer (Rafi not even 20% comparable to Kishore), and fine actor too.. RIP
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: SD and RD both were greats and were Original
by Sri Ranjan on May 16, 2011 10:52 AM
Rafi - technically is amuch superior singer than kishore but the success of Kishore stems from the fact that his voice represented the metamorphosis of youth in India - courtesy Rajesh Khanna & RD. From 71-75, they swung the game oin their favor.
