SYNOPSIS for Ph.D.

Registration

CONTRIBUTIONS OF SACHIN DEV BURMAN TO

INDIAN CINEMA

SYNOPSIS SUBMITTED FOR THE AWARD OF DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF

PHILOSOPHY IN DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF
THE RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS.

SUBMITTED BY
PAHELI GOPE
DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC
TRIPURA UNIVERSITY

UNDER THE SUPERVISOR OF

DR.UTPAL BISWAS
DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC
FACULTY OF ARTS AND COMMERCE
TRIPURA UNIVERSITY
SURYAMANINAGAR, TRIPURA

YEAR OF SUBMISSION 2015

Contributions of S D Burman2
to
the north Indian Music
TITLE: CONTRIBUTIONS OF SACHIN DEV BURMAN TO INDIAN CINEMA.

INTRODUCTION
Sachin Dev Burman (s.d burman) the grandson of Maharaja Ishanchandra Manikya Dev Burman
of Tripura, was born on 1 October 1906 in Camilla (now in Bangladesh). He was an Indian
music composer of great repute. Although he is well known for contributing to Bollywood film
music numbering

over 100 movies, including Hindi and Bengali films,he also sang songs in

light semi classical and folk style of Bengal. Sachin.dev burman's compositions have been
mainly sung to a large extent by the likes of Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi, Geeta Dutt,
Manna Dey, Kishore Kumar, Hemant Kumar, Asha Bhosle and Shamshad Begum. Mukesh and
Talat Mahmood have also sang songs composed by him. Sachin dev burman also sang about 14
Hindi and 13 Bengali film songs.
Burman after completing his BA from Comilla Victoria College and Ma in English from Calcutta
University. But music was his destiny and he started his formal music education under the
musician K. C. Dey from 1925 to 1930; manna deys uncle as his guru. After in 1932 he came
under the tutelage of Bhismadev Chattopadhaya, who was only three years senior to him. This
was followed by training from Khalifa Badal Khan, a Sarangi player, and also Ustad Allauddin
Khan, s sarod player. He learnt banarasi thumri from shyemlal khetri and the process of making
baul.
Burman started working as a radio singer on Calcutta Radio Station in the late twenties, when his
work as a singer composer was based on Bengali folk and light Hindustani classical music.
Consequently, his compositions were mainly influenced by his huge repertory of folk-tunes from
present Bangladesh and later other parts of India and around the world. In 1934, he attended the
All India Music Conference, at the invitation of Allahabad University, where he presented his
Bengali Thumri, all to an illustrious audience, with the likes Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit and the
inimitable Abdul Karim Khan of Kirana Gharana. Later in the year, he was invited to Bengal

Contributions of S D Burman3
to
the north Indian Music

Music Conference, Kolkata, which was inaugurated by Rabindranath Tagore, here again he sang
his thumri, and was awarded a Gold Medal.

As a music composer, he started with Bengali plays, Sati Tirtha and Janani, and eventually
gave his first score in film, Rajgee in 1937, his second film Rajkumarer Nirbashan (1940)
became a hit, there was no turning back after that. He gave music in Bengali films like,
Protishodh (1941), Abhoyer Biye (1942), and Chaddobeshi (1944) and only one Bengali
film in 1969/70 after he permanently moved to Mumbai in 1946. He composed for over 20
Bengali films and 89 Hindi films in all. Early on in his career, Burman refused to allow his voice
be lip-synced on film by actors, as a result, even later on, in Hindi cinema, his thin yet powerful
voice was often used as bardic commentary to haunting results, as in Ore Majhi Mere Sajan Hai
Us Paar from Bandini (1963), Wahaan Kaun hai Tera from "Guide" (1965) and finally Safal
Hogi Teri Aradhana from Aradhana (1969), for which he received the National Film Award for
Best Male Playback Singer for the year, 1970.Having gone through the above, it is felt that a
study of such an important personality enriching our musical tradition and his contributions to
Indian music.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Many reputed authors have put pen to paper for exploring the contribution of Sachin dev burman
in the north Indian music. They have also focused on his colorful life journey in the realm of
their vast knowledge. But an in-depth scientific analysis of his music composition is
conspicuously missing. The vivid outline of the mystery of his vocal card and melodious
composition still remain untouched. The incomparable music of Sachin Dev Burman is related
with folklore of the east Bengal i.e. undivided triperra district. The vatiyali and palligeeti
influenced him inclusively in his boyhood. He combined a firm grounding in India classical
music with a mastery of Bengali and North Eastern folk music to produce a body of work that
had a lasting impact on the Hindi film industry. He was a great person to create mood, and that

Contributions of S D Burman4
to
the north Indian Music

mood can penetrate to the listeners mind tune, this is the main DNA of his music, where he
relentlessly searched new tunes or finger print of extraordinary music compositions. In search of
the books published on Sachin dev burman, it can say we will able to discover a new about
Sachin dev burman.
Having family link with Sachin dev burman The Musical World of S. D. Burman was
written by khagesh bev burman (year?) gives an insight outline about lifes and works of sachin
karta. He has written more about genesis of major compositions and singings.
Chakraborty (year), in his book titled Bhati Ganga Baiya has elaborated a complete picture of
the life and works of S.D. Barman.
In the book Bhati Gang Baiya written by Shymal Chakraborty (year?) documented a
complete picture of S.D BURMANS life and works. Indeed we got a clear idea about the
tradition of S.D BURMANS versatility as a composer and singer.
The book In comparable Sachin Dev Burman written by H.Q.Chowdhury is a truely
informative and scholarly work. The book sets out to achieve its desired goal,which is spelt out
by chowdhury at the very start..He states that his aim was to put together in one package he
information available to listeners from different sources.... there is no attempt at a musicologist
analysis of individual songs,barring a few. Burmans life and creative works are presented is a
methodical manner. The serious readers
The Musical World of S.D BURMAN: sun Mere Bandhu Re by Sathya Saran is very
interesting book. The good part is that the book reveal a lot about the man S.D BURMAN
Sachin Karta was. It shows us not just his works, but the diligence, the love for music and the
personality.

OBJECTIVES
1. To describe the life history of sachin dev burman that definitely has an imprint on his

Contributions of S D Burman5
to
the north Indian Music

musical compositions.
2. To describe the history of the musical socialization of sachin dev burman.
3. To describe the contributions of sachin dev burman to various genres of north Indian
music.
4. Compilation classification, description and analysis of music compositions of sachin dev
burman.

METHODOLOGY
The information or data regarding life history of S.D BURMAN will be collected from
different sources available either in printed from or on the basis of several interviews on his
living associates, descendants and relatives. This work will be followed by preparing a
catalogue of his contributions to the north Indian music. An evaluation of his contributions
will be made by tracing the sources which he tapped while composing different types genres
of songs in order to have an understanding of his creative potentiality as music composers
and his imprint on them.

TENTATIVE CHAPTERS
The proposed research work shall tentatively be distributed in six chapters. The first chapter
will briefly introduce the work along with the proposed problem of study. Chapter two will
concentrate on life and grooming of S.D. Barman. The third chapter will analyse the
compilation of background music composed by S.D. Barman as a musician followed by
chapter four, which will compare he music composed by S.D. Barman with his contemporary
musicians. Chapter five will conclude the work. Hence, the proposed chapter plan is as
follows

Contributions of S D Burman6
to
the north Indian Music

Chapter I: Introduction
Chapter II: Life history and grooming of S.D BURMAN
Chapter III: Analysis of Classification, description and compilation of the background
music composed by S.D. Barman

Chapter IV: Comparison of the music composed by S.D BURMAN with those of his
contemporary musicians.

Chapter V: Conclusion

Reference

1. Chakroborty, Shyamal. 2001. Bhatialigangabaiya, Sachin Kartar Jeeban-o-Gan. Kolkata:

Akshar Publishers.
2. Courtney, David. 1998.BIOGRAPHY OF SD BURMAN (From Wikipedia, the Free
Encyclopedia).
3. Dev Burman, Khagesh. 2008. The Musical World of S. D. Burman. Kolkata:Penguin
India Ltd.
4. Ghosh, Late Pandit Nikhil. 2011. The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Music of India.
Oxford University Press.
5. Sharma, Das Amal 1993. Musicians of India: Past and Present Gharanas of Hindustani
Music and Genealogies. Calcutta: Nayaprokash.
6. Chowdhury, Narayan ND.nd. Ragsangeet o Loksangeet. Culcutta: A Mukharjee and

Contributions of S D Burman7
to
the north Indian Music

Company Private Limited.