SD Burman's 115th birth anniversary: Some lesser-known facts about the music legend

If Indian music is known globally today, many composers played a major role when the film industry was at its nascent stage. One of them was Sachin Dev Burman who delivered timeless classics in a career that spanned over four decades. Apart from mesmerising listeners with his music, the music composer and singer won laurels galore, including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and two National Awards. 

The late legend was born on this day 115 years. On his birth anniversary, here's looking at some of the lesser-known facts about SD Burman, who created classics like Chhod Do Anchal, Haal Kaisa Hai, Mere Sapno Ki Rani, Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna Hain, Tere Mere Milan Ki Raina, Khoya Khoya Chand, Roop Tera Mastana, Dil Ka Bhanwar, and Hothon Mein Aisi Baat.

Lesser-known facts about SD Burman 

SD Burman was born in Comilla, Bengal Presidency, present-day Bangladesh. He was born to a royal family, son of Maharaja of Tripura Ishanachandra Manikya Dev Burman, and his mother Rajkumari Nirmala Devi was the princess of Manipur. 

SD Burman had started his career as a singer on Calcutta Radio Station, when he was in his 20s, where he used to perform Bengali folk songs. 

SD Burman's first composition that was heard widely was in the Bengali film. Sanjher Pidim (1935), in which he also acted. His first Hindi film was Shikari (1946), which starred Ashok Kumar, and his brother Kishore Kumar too made his debut in the film. 

SD Burman used to consider Kishore Kumar like his son and was one of the first to bank on him. It was after rehearsing for Badi Sooni Sooni sung by Kishore Kumar for Mili that he went into coma and later died in Mumbai. 

SD Burman fell out with Lata Mangeshkar in the 50s, after which he collaborated with her younger sister Asha Bhosle. Bhosle later became his daughter-in-law. SD and Lata patched up in the early 60s and then delivered many hits later. He had also famously said, “Give me Lata and a harmonium, I will make music.”

Burman had decided to move back to Calcutta from Mumbai in the early 50s and decided to leave the film Mashaal. However, he was persuaded to stay on by S Mukherjee and Ashok Kumar.

SD Burman did not know Hindi. He would ask the lyricists to explain to him the meaning of their words before creating his music on it. 

SD Burman married a Bengali film musician Meera Dasgupta. However, he never used her voice in any of his compositions. He used to say that she was taking care of his accounts and taxes.

Their son RD Burman followed in his father's footsteps and arguably became more popular. Before his rise to fame, RD had played the harmonica in his father's Mere Sapno Ki Rani. 

One of the iconic villains of the film industry, Danny Denzongpa's first break in singing was given by SD Burman. Around the time of his acting debut in the early 70s, Danny, who was a trained singer, crooned the song Mera Naam Aao in Yeh Gulistan Hamara.

Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has been named after SD Burman. The Master Blaster's father, Ramesh Tendulkar, was a big fan of Sachin Dev Burman.