R.D. Burman - Legacy

Legacy

Several Bollywood movies made after RD Burman's death contain his original songs or their remixed versions. Dil Vil Pyar Vyar (2002), which contains several re-arranged hit songs of Burman, was made as a tribute to him. Jhankaar Beats (2003), which catapulted the music director duo Vishal-Shekhar into the limelight, is also a tribute to him. In Khwahish (2003), Mallika Sherawat's character is an RD Burman fan; the movie features repeated references to RD Burman. In 2010, Brahmanand Singh released a 113-minute documentary titled Pancham Unmixed: Mujhe Chalte Jaana Hai, which received critical acclaim. Other films which credit RD Burman include Gang (2000) and Monsoon Wedding (2001, for Chura liya hai).

A number of Indian remix albums feature RD Burman's songs, which are also popular in the country's pubs and discos. Several of his compositions were re-mixed by the South Asian DJs in the United Kingdom and North America, and feature in popular albums such as Bally Sagoo's Bollywood Flashback. Kronos Quartet's You've Stolen My Heart (2005) contains RD Burman's compositions sung by his wife Asha Bhosle.

In, 1995, Filmfare Awards constituted the Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent in his memory. The award is given to upcoming music talent in Hindi cinema. In 2009, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation named a chowk (public square) in Santa Cruz after RD Burman.

RD Burman inspired many later Bollywood music composers, such as Vishal-Shekhar. Notable musical assistants to RD Burman include Manohari Singh and Sapan Chakraborty. His instrumentalists included Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Shiv Kumar Sharma, Louis Banks, Bhupinder and Kersy Lord. He is also noted for his partnership with the lyricist Gulzar, who wrote the words for several of his finest compositions.