Top Amitabh Bachchan Bollywood films with R. D. Burman tunes

Association of R. D. Burman for any Amitabh Bachchan film began with Pyar Ki Kahani in 1971, where the actor played parallel lead. R. D. Burman composed music for the first hit film of Big B – Bombay to Goa released in 1972. (Anand happened before that, and Sumita Sanyal played his female lead). Though he played parallel lead aside Asrani and Mehmood along with an ensemble cast, this low-budget comic action film is registered as the first hit film of the super star, and actress Aruna Irani is credited as Big B’s first hit screen heroine. The music was composed by R. D. Burman, with the popular fun song, Dekha Naa Haire Socha Na, filmed on Amitabh Bachchan and Aruna Irani in a tour bus, and the song sung by Kishore Kumar was a chartbuster.

R. D. Burman continued association with Amitabh movies, both in his worst and best times. Though a few in number R. D. owns the credit of composing some of his chartbuster songs in the 1970s and 1980s. When I made the list of top 100 chartbuster hits of R. D. Burman long back, only a few films of Amitabh Bachchan joined the list, and most of them can be tagged as melodies, while R. D. Burman – Amitabh association is best known for fast tracks and dance numbers, with a few exceptions. Through this column let us discuss more about their combination songs. Let me add, though Majrooh Sultanpuri frequently worked with Nasir Hussain and R. D. Burman in almost every film, as Amitabh has never worked with Hussain, we don’t have any song belonging this composer-lyricist combination. In the 1970s and early 1980s, for most of the compositions of R. D. Burman for Big B, he chose Anand Bakshi or Gulshan Bawra as lyricist. 

R. D. Burman’s tunes for Amitabh Bachchan in the first half of 1970s went unnoticed along with movies

1969! It was exactly the same year Amitabh made his screen debut through Saat Hindustani, and R. D. Burman had just started to earn fame and recognition in the film industry as a composer. The composer’s recordings for his father’s songs of Aradhana also got noticed the same year. In fact the composer was busy with a few film roles those days, the movies for which he composed music; the best instances being Bhoot Bangla and Pyar Ka Mausam. Read more. The association of Pancham da with Amitabh Bachchan started in 1971 with the film Pyar Ki Kahani which was a box office flop.

After Pyar Ki Kahani, R. D. Burman composed music for Amitabh starrer Sanjog, Bandhe Haath and Bombay to Goa. After Anand happened, Bombay to Goa became his first hit film as a lead actor and R. D. composed the music. It was followed by Namak Haram, when Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna played friends, and Anand Bakshi penned the well-known friendship song, Diye Jalte Hain.

R. D. Burman composed chartbuster songs of Deewar, but not belonging to Amitabh Bachchan

In 1975 R. D. Burman composed the songs of Deewar, which include chartbuster songs like Kehdo Tumhe and Maine Tujhe Manga. But both the romantic songs were filmed on Shashi Kapoor and Neetu Singh, who made a romantic pair. Interestingly the success of Deewar played a magnificent role in establishing Amitabh Bachchan as the new superstar of Bollywood.

‘Sholay’ is the first chartbuster musical album of the duo in all means

‘Yeh Dosti Hum Nahi Thodenge’ – no doubt – it’s the most popular friendship song ever made in Bollywood. This iconic friendship song of Sholay was filmed on Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan, who played friends in the movie, and the huge success of the movie with some of the popular songs like ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’, ‘Koi Haseena Jab’ and ‘Mehbooba O Mehbooba’ paved way to more hit songs of this combination.  But it’s to be noted that except ‘Yeh Dosti Hum Nahi Thodenge’, all other hit tracks were filmed on Dharmendra and others. Interestingly it was Anand Bakshi who penned lyrics for two of the popular friendship songs of Amitabh Bachchan – Diye Jalte Hain and Yeh Dosti Hum Nahi Thodenge, and R. D. Burman composed the tunes of both these songs.

Needless to say, post success of Sholay, R. D. Burman became a regular composer of Amitabh Bachchan, along with Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Kalyanji-Anandji. It was the same year songs of Mili got released. Along with some peppy numbers, R. D. Burman also reserved some melodious tunes for Big B. Jurmana, Satte Pe Satta, The Great Gambler, Barsat Ki Raat, Shaan, Kalia, Pukar, Shakti, Manzil, Bemisal, Mahaan and Kasme Wade are their memorable works together.

Mahaan and Pukar released in 1983 marked the end to their successful association

As far as I believe (I checked facts with the help of Wikipedia pages), Mahaan and Pukar, best known for their peppy numbers brought an end to the successful association of R. D. Burman with Amitabh Bachchan. It was exactly the same year when the megastar Amitabh met with the fatal incident, which risked his life as well. Amitabh took a small break, and later went through a down phase in his career. It was the same with the case of R. D. Burman as well, whose demand of melodies went down in the mid-1980s, and he was not at all willing to compromise his work with low quality disco numbers.

Though Amitabh continued with his work with mixed success and failures, R. D. Burman never got opportunity to work with him. Most of Big B’s songs were composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal in the 1980s. Thus the successful association of Big B and R. D. Burman happened between 1975 and 1983 for a short period, though the composer has been associated with the actor earlier. I forget to add, like many other composers, R. D. Burman predominantly used Kishore Kumar’s voice to record Amitabh Bachchan songs. Anand Bakshi and Gulshan Bawra penned majority of these popular songs (told earlier).

Here I list some of the popular songs of R. D. Burman – Amitabh Bachchan combination

1. Dekha Na Haye Re Socha Na from Bombay to Goa (1972) – Playback Singers: Kishore Kumar

2. Yeh Dosti Hum Nahi Todenge from Sholay (1975) – Playback Singers: Kishore Kumar and Manna Dey

3. Badi Suni Suni Hai Zindagi from Mili (1975) – Playback Singers: Kishore Kumar

4. Aaye Tum Yaad Mujhe from Mili (1975) – Playback Singers: Kishore Kumar

5. Aati Rehengi Bahaarein from Kasme Vaade (1978) – Playback Singers: Asha Bhosle, Amit Kumar and Kishore Kumar

6. Kasme Vaade Nibhaenge Hum from Kasme Vaade (1978) – Playback Singers: Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar

7. Rhim Jhim Gire Sawan from Manzil (1979)  – Playback Singers: Kishore Kumar/Lata Mangeshkar

8. Yamma Yamma from Shaan (1980) – Playback Singers: R. D. Burman and Mohammed Rafi

9. Jaanu Meri Jaan from Shaan (1980) – Playback Singers: Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhosle and Usha Mangeshkar

10. Jahan Teri Yeh Nazar Hai from Kaalia (1981) – Playback Singers: Kishore Kumar

11. Tum Saath Ho Jab Apne from Kaalia (1981) – Playback Singers: Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle

12. Jab Se Tumko Dekha from Kaalia (1981) – Playback Singers: Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle

13. Apne Pyar Ke Sapne from Barsat Ki Ek  Raat (1981) – Playback Singers: Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar

14. Jane Kaise Kab Kahan from Shakti (1982) – Playback Singers: Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar

15. Mein Tumko Kya Kahoo from The Great Gambler (1979)  – Playback Singers: Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle

16. Dilbar Mere of Satte Pe Satta (1982)  – Playback Singers: Kishore Kumar

17. Dukhi Pe Dukhi Ho from Satte Pe Satta (1982) – Playback Singers: Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhosle, R. D. Burman, Sapan Chakraborty and Bhupendra

18. Pyar Hamen Kis Mod Pe from Satte Pe Satta (1982) – Playback Singers: Kishore Kumar, R. D. Burman, Gulshan Bawra, Sapan Chakraborty, Bhupendra

19. Ek Roz Main Tadapkar from Bemisal (1982) – Playback Singers: Kishore Kumar

20. Kitna Khoobsurat from Bemisaal (1982) – Playback Singers: Kishore Kumar, Suresh Wadkar and Lata Mangeshkar

21. Bachke Rehna Re Baba from Pukar (1983)  – Playback Singers: Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle

22. Samundar Mein Naha Ke from Pukar (1983)  – Playback Singers: R. D. Burman

23. Pyar Mein Dil Pe Maar De Goli from Mahaan (1983) – Playback Singers: Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle

A few more songs of this combination, but only female solos

R. D. Burman has recorded several melodious solos in Asha Bhosle and Lata Mangeshkar’s voices in Amitabh Bachchan movies. Among such heroines, Rakhee Gulzar tops the list followed by Zeenat Aman. There are a few actresses more, who have been featured with Amitabh for its song picturization. Here I list a few such memorable songs.

1. Tum Kitne Din Baad Mile from The Great Gambler (1979) –  Playback Singers: Asha Bhosle

2. O Diwaano Dil Sambhalo from The Great Gambler (1979) – Playback Singers: Asha Bhosle

3. Do Lafzon Ki Hai Dil Ki Kahaani from The Great Gambler (1979) – Playback Singers: Asha Bhosle

4. Sawan Ke Jhoole Pade Hai from Jurmana (1979) –  Playback Singers: Lata Mangeshkar

5. Pyar Karne Wale Pyar Karte Hain from Shaan (1980) – Playback Singers: Asha Bhosle

6. A Ri Pawan Dhunde Kise Tera Mann from Bemisaal (1982) – Playback Singers: Lata Mangeshkar

7. Humne Sanam Ko Khat Likha from Shakti (1982) – Playback Singers: Lata Mangeshkar

10 of my favourite songs of Amitabh Bachchan – R. D. Burman combination

If someone asks me to choose some of my top favourites from the above list of songs, I would prefer to choose melodies, rather than fast ones. So some of my hot favourites are Lata Mangeshkar & Asha Bhosle songs, are not sync-lipped by Amitabh on screen. Dilbar Mere from Satte Pe Satta filmed on Amitabh and Hema malini is definitely my top favourite song. Do Lafzon Ki Hai Dil Ki Kahaani, Rhim Jhim Gire Sawan, Sawan Ke Jhoole Pade Hai and A Ri Pawan are a few more.

1. Dilbar Mere of Satte Pe Satta (1982)

2. Apne Pyar Ke Sapne from Barsat Ki Ek  Raat (1981)

3. Tum Saath Ho Jab Apne from Kaalia (1981)

4. Do Lafzon Ki Hai Dil Ki Kahaani from The Great Gambler (1979)

5. Pyar Karne Wale Pyar Karte Hain from Shaan (1980)

6. Sawan Ke Jhoole Pade Hai from Jurmana (1979)

7. Dekha Na Haye Re Socha Na from Bombay to Goa (1972)

8. Rhim Jhim Gire Sawan from Manzil (1979)

9. A Ri Pawan Dhunde Kise Tera Mann from Bemisaal (1982)

10. Kasme Vaade Nibhaenge Hum from Kasme Vaade (1978)

Please go through the gallery below, and click on the links to read a few interesting topics of this iconic composer. Here is the page link. You can also read a few posts below.