Iconic composer-singer R D Burman ( Pancham) got a ‘kick’ out of watching ‘football matches’

Iconic ‘futuristic’ Bollywood composer-singer Rahul Dev Burman ( Pancham-Da) whose 83rd birth anniversary is being globally observed today by millions of his loyal Indian and NRIs fans, (on 27th June) had various fetish favorites that included playing the harmonica (mouth organ) , relishing pungent food, growing chillies (mirchi), playing chess, cooking sumptuous food, driving fast, making people laugh and so on - Chaitanya Padukone

But what mentally excited the versatile sangeetkaar was watching football matches especially when the ‘FIFA World Cup’ matches were on. During his life-time Pancham-Da once reacted to me (am the author of ‘R D BurMania memoirs best-seller book) during the late 80’s and said, “Watching football at home on TV or ‘live’ in the stadium gives me an inspirational ‘kick’ . Just as in music you write the ‘score’, in football, here you cheer for the goal ‘score’.”

The caring, friendly genius R D Burman was close to me and treated me like his younger brother, sometimes giving me a lift in his Fiat car, sometimes sharing food cooked by him with me, at times peppering me with gaalis ( in a fond way).

Besides song recordings and background-song recordings, I would frequently personally meet Pancham-da at filmy parties and movie premieres events.

We shared a warm rapport and close bonding for TEN years from 1983 up to end 1993. Had RDB still been alive, he would have possibly been exuberantly cheering for the ‘Brazilian’ football team, which was his favourite.

That’s because the innovative composer was also very fond of Brazilian folk music, their carnivals, their racy rhythms like ‘bossa nova’ ( which he used in several of his Hindi film songs) and of course the legendary Brazilian ‘forward’ footballer Pele.

An uncanny coincidence, to figure out, for die-hard Pancham-and-football fans is that in the same year (1994-January ) during which Rahul-Da suddenly passed away, it was ‘Brazil’ which won the FIFA World Cup in July 1994.

R D Burman (Pancham) Twelve Top musical movies milestones : Teesri Manzil, Padosan, Caravan, Bombay To Goa, Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Aandhi, Amar Prem, Kati Patang, Jawani Diwani, Sanam Teri Kasam, Masoom and 1942—A Love Story.