‘Showman’ Ramesh Sippy’s ‘yeh-dosti-hum-nahin-todenge’ bonding with genius R D Burman

‘Showman' director Ramesh (Sholay) Sippy just celebrated his 75th B'Day (January 23 ) with his family and select close friends . While many well-wisher celeb-actors like star-actress-M.P. Hema Malini sent him their fond greetings - Chaitanya Padukone

The 'perfectionist' film-maker Ramesh shared a terrific-tuning with musical genius Pancham-Da (Rahul Dev Burman). Their fabulous collaboration RS-RDB gave us musical milestone movies like Seeta Aur Geeta, Sholay , Shaan, Saagar , and Shakti coincidentally all titles starting with "S".

In my authored memoirs book R D BurMania, the modest, music-savvy Ramesh-jee explains how and why (after ‘Andaaz’ with Shankar Jaikishan) ) for the first time he signed Pancham-da for 'Seeta Aur Geeta'. Also he shared that they always had a close-bonding as Buddies ( like Jai and Veeru) even after pack-up.

Reveals Ramesh-jee, " It was a classic blending of 'kaam-dosti-aur pyaar' and RDB gave me his Best in terms of innovating and Indo-Western fusion as is evident in the awesome title-music of 'Sholay'.

Since Pancham-da was also a harmonica-maestro he incorporated brilliant mouth-organ(harmonica) notes-tunes both in the instrumental solo theme picturised on Amitabh Bachchan and all thru the 'Yeh Dosti Hum Nahin'' song.

Even for the background score of the movies he went out-of-his way and made optimum use of the stereophonic sound ," recalled Ramesh Sippy who 'blessed' my book R D BurMania.

Continues Ramesh-jee, “ By nature, Pancham-da had that enthusiastic flair to re-invent and experiment and composing and listening to Indian and Western (world) music was his all-day-long passion.

In fact, ‘foodie’ Rahul-da was also excellent at cooking and loved to ‘treat’ all his close friends, “ smiles Sippy who had urged ‘futuristic’ Pancham-da to adapt a foreign tune ‘Say You Love Me’, for the ‘mukhdaa’, Indianise it and sing it in his high-pitched voice for ‘Sholay’.

That iconic song is ‘Mehbooba, Mehbooba’ picturised on Jalal Agha with legendary Helen cavorting around gracefully. Jiyo Hazaaron Saal,-- Ramesh Sippy-saab !