Rishi Kapoor’s Spectacular Partnership With RD Burman

When we think of the best  composer-actor partnerships of  all times, the names that  come to mind are Raj Kapoor-Shankar-Jaikishan,Shammi Kapoor-Shankar-Jaikishan,  and  Rajesh  Khanna- RD Burman. 

But what  about  Rishi Kapoor and R D Burman? Think Rishi. Think young. Think R D Burman’s Oh hanseeni(Zehreela Insaan),  Humein tumko dekha(Khel Khel Mein), Dil lena khel  hai dildar ka(Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai),  Poocho na yaar kya hua (Hum  Kisikse Kum Nahin) ,Tu tu hai wohi(Yeh Vada Raha)….

 Rishi Kapoor  did seventeen  films with music by R.D Burman . Although  Rishi’s  first film as  a leading man Bobby had music by Laxmikant-Pyarelal(and outstanding  music too)  his maximum hit songs were composed by RD .  RD’s  youthful music was for Rishi Kapoor. The other heroes for whom  RD did chartbusters  like Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan were older. But for Rishi Kapoor, Pancham could really unplug the grooviest sounds. There were filmmakers like Nasir  Hussain, Ravi Tandon, Ramesh Behl and Ramesh Sippy who made the kind of films where Rishi Kapoor and R.D. Burman fitted in.

R.D. Burman was  family to  Rishi. Both were   very fond of eating and drinking. After  Bobby  propelled  Rishi into superstardom he  wanted to work with  RD. Rishi admitted  to me that   he  vibed with RD much better than with Laxmikant-Pyarelal  who did Bobby. Rishi believed RD’s  music suited his  age and image.

Incidentally, RD  loved watching Rishi  shoot RD’s   songs. On the sets of Nasir Husain’s films Hum Kissise Kum Nahin and Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai  RD  would  have lunch with the  director   Nasir Hussain  and then watch RD  dance.

RD’s decline  as  a prime force  in the Hindi cinema saddened Rishi  Kapoor. He  was very disturbed to see  other  music composers take over  the musical compositions from his  films  . But there was little Rishi could do about it. Even in the flop films  of Rishi Kapoor , RD  composed inspired song.

In  The  Rishi Kapoor-Danny Denzongpa starrer   Naya Daur  RD  used empty glass bottles to create a special effect in the song Paani ke badle peekar sharaab sung by Kishore Kumar and Danny Denzongpa.

The last  film  of Rishi that RD composed the songs for was  Gurudev(actor Vinod Mehra’s only  directorial) in 1993.The  song Jaipur se  nikli gadi has recall-value to this day. Some other outstanding RD-Rishi songs that deserve to be  pulled out of anonymity include Hum kitne naadaan the  yaaron(Sitamgar), Ek Baat dil mein aaye hai(Rahi Badal Gaye),  Aisa kabhi hua nahin(Yeh Vada Raha)  , Khudkhushi  karne ka dil mein  iraada kar liya(Dhan Daulat) and  Dil mein  jo mere  samaa gayi(Jhootha  Kahin Ka).