SD Burman, as he was affectionately known, belonged to the royal family of Tripura. It was quite a journey from being a crown prince of a state to being the uncrowned prince of Indian film. Presenting some of the best gems from his vast treasure trove on his 119th birth anniversary…

Tadbeer se bigdi hui taqdeer bana le

Singer: Geeta Dutt

Film: Baazi (1951)

A brooding Dev Anand’s mood is uplifted as Geeta Bali performs this song. Mind you, it was a ghazal that Dada Burman somehow converted into a cabaret song. True genius, this.

Yeh raat yeh chandni phir kahan

Singer: Hemant Kumar

Film: Jaal (1952)

Hemant Kumar’s haunting voice brought out both the pain of separation and the keenness of the lover pining to be
one with his beloved.

Jaaye to jaaye kahan

Singer: Talat Mehmood

Film: Taxi Driver (1954)

Dev Anand’s songs are usually frothy and fun, but this dirge must be one of the saddest ever to have been picturised on him. It speaks of the utter helplessness of the lover towards love and ultimately, towards life. 

Jeevan ke safar mein rahi 

Singer: Kishore Kumar

Film: Munimji (1955)

The situation was all about a cocky Dev Anand trying to impress a demure Nalini Jaywant and SD provided just the right touch through his tunes. 

Chhod do aanchal zamana kya kahega

Singers: Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle

Film: Paying Guest (1957)

This courting song had Dev Anand and Nutan playing coy lovers and its simple melody has stayed with us over the years. 

Jaane woh kaise log the jinke

Singer: Hemant Kumar

Film: Pyaasa (1957)

The heart is a lonely hunter and most times misses its prey. Guru Dutt forever pined for perfect love and his philosophy was perfectly penned by Sahir Ludhianvi and set to tune by SD Burman. 

Waqt ne kiya, kya haseen sitam

Singer: Geeta Dutt

Film: Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959)

Strangers become lovers and become strangers once more as time passes. This truth was brought to life by Kaifi Azmi’s lyrics, ably assisted by Dada Burman’s composition, which set the sombre mood of the song.

Tere mere sapne 

Singer: Mohammed Rafi

Film: Guide (1965)

Sometimes, it takes a while to know the one that complete you but once you arrive there, the hurdles of the journey no longer matter. This was the feeling that the song evoked and remains one of the best romantic compositions ever to emerge out of our films. 

Piya tose naina laage re

Singer: Lata Mangeshkar

Film: Guide (1965)

This folk tune emphasises the expectancy of a young woman caught in the first flush of love and never fails to touch your heart even now.

Mere sapno ki rani kab aayegi tu

Singer: Kishore Kumar

Film: Aradhana (1969)

This was the song which marked the ascendancy of Kishore Kumar in Hindi playback. Fast paced, frothy and fun, it gladdens your heart every time you listen to it. 

Also Read: Exclusive: Asha Bhosle Remembers SD Burman on His Birth Anniversary

The film brings together an ensemble of Indian and international actors, musicians and performers to recreate a moment when an entire generation began to discover that perhaps belonging wasn’t something they needed to ask permission for.

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Hanuman Ansh is witnessing massive music success in India and globally, with the album crossing 100 million streams and ‘Parvati’ surpassing 100 million YouTube views. The song is also dominating YouTube Music charts, ranking No. 1 on Weekly Top Songs in India and No. 2 globally, while its music video ranks No. 1 in India and No. 3 globally. Junglee Music, a division of Times Music, is aggressively driving the soundtrack across platforms as it continues to gain significant traction with audiences.

‘Parvati’ has crossed 1.5 million short form video creations and has found an organic presence through covers, performances, school prayers, devotional gatherings and social media. The song’s growing cultural presence was further highlighted when Sadhu Tiwari performed ‘Parvati’ at a Bhajan Clubbing event in Delhi attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while Vishal Chaturvedi also performed ‘Hriday Mein Jinke Sitaram’ and ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ at the event. Meanwhile, ‘Maine Tere Hi Bharose’, sung by Suneel Lodhi, has also gained massive traction. Other tracks, including ‘Jai Hanuman’, are also finding audiences across platforms.

Vishal Chaturvedi, Writer and Director of Hanuman Ansh, said, “It is wonderful to see these songs travel beyond the film and connect with audiences across nations. I have always believed in the power of raw, authentic voices and talent that may not always get the opportunity or visibility they deserve. With Hanuman Ansh, my intention was to give such artists a platform where their individuality and honesty could truly come through.”

Namrata Singh, Producer and Co-IP Owner, “We always believed in the strength of the music, but seeing it reach this scale has been extraordinary.”

Sadhu Tiwari, singer of ‘Parvati’, said, “Seeing ‘Parvati’ become a part of people’s everyday lives has been incredibly special.”

Mandar Thakur, CEO, Times Music, said, “The scale of this response tells its own story. This music has travelled well beyond its expected audience and found a place with listeners across generations, regions and listening habits.”

The Hanuman Ansh full album is now streaming on all major audio platforms. Watch all the songs from Hanuman Ansh on the Times Music YouTube channel.

Watch it on Youtube here:

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