Yet another version is that when the veteran Indian actor Ashok Kumar saw a newborn Rahul uttering the syllable Pa repeatedly, he nicknamed the boy Pancham.

When he was seventeen years old, R. D. Burman composed his first song, Aye meri topi palat ke aa, which his father used in the film Funtoosh (1956).

The tune of the song Sar jo tera chakraaye was also composed by him as a child; his father included it in the soundtrack of Guru Dutt's Pyaasa (1957).

Burman also played mouth organ for his father's hit composition "Hai Apna Dil To Aawara", which was featured in the film Solva Saal, and sung by Hemanta Mukhopadhyay.

[16] R. D. Burman began his career as a music director with the 1961 film Chhote Nawab, which proved to be a lukewarm success and so his next three ventures, Bhoot Bungla (1965), Teesra Kaun (1965) and Pati Patni (1966).

[21] Burman's other notable work of the decade was the musical comedy Padosan (1968), whose songs like "Ek Chatur Naar", "Mere Samne Wali Khidki Mein", "Mere Bhole Balam" and "Kehna Hai Kehna Hai" remain popular till date and played a major part in making the film a commercial success.

[22] In 1969, while working as an assistant to his father in Shakti Samanta's Aradhana, he played an instrumental role in making Kishore Kumar the playback voice of Rajesh Khanna, who became a superstar with the film's blockbuster success and same for Kumar whose singing career got a major boost and he became the leading playback singer of Hindi cinema and remained at that position till his death in 1987.

At the box office, it went on to become a blockbuster with almost all of its songs, such as "Yeh Shaam Mastani", "Pyaar Deewana Hota Hai", "Yeh Jo Mohabbat Hai", all three solos by Kishore Kumar and "Jis Gali Mein Tera Ghar", a solo by Mukesh proving to be chartbuster and playing an important role in the box office success of Kati Patang and making its soundtrack one of the highest-selling Bollywood album of the 1970s.

[27] For the next three years he worked in highly successful films, such as Haré Rama Haré Krishna (1971), Caravan (1971), Amar Prem (1972), Mere Jeevan Saathi (1972), Apna Desh (1972), Jawani Diwani (1972), Raampur Ka Lakshman (1972), Parichay (1972), Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), Samadhi (1972), Heera Panna (1973), Anamika (1973), Aa Gale Lag Jaa (1973), Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973) and Namak Haraam (1973), all of which had superhit songs like "Chadti Jawani Meri Chaal Mastani", "Piya Tu Ab To Aaja" and "Kitna Pyara Wada Hai" (Caravan), "Dum Maro Dum", "Phoolon Ka Taron Ka" and "Kanchi Re Kanchi" (Hare Rama Hare Krishna), "Raina Beeti Jaye", "Chingari Koi Bhadke", "Kuchh Toh Log Kahenge" and "Yeh Kya Hua" (Amar Prem), "O Mere Dil Ke Chain", "Chala Jaata Hoon" and "Aao Na, Gale Laga Lo Na" (Mere Jeevan Saathi), "Duniya Mein Logon Ko", "Kajra Lagake Gajra Sajake" and "Ro Na Kabhi Nahin Rona" (Apna Desh), "Samne Yeh Kaun Aaya", "Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani" and "Jaan-E-Jaan Dhoondta Phir Raha Hoon Tumhe Raat Din" (Jawani Diwani), "Gum Hai Kisi Ke Pyar Mein Dil Subah Sham" and "Rampur Ka Vasi Hoon" (Raampur Ka Lakshman), "Musafir Hoon Yaaron" and "Sa Re Ke Sa Re" (Parichay), "O Saathi Chal" and "Koi Ladki Mujhe Kal Raat" (Seeta Aur Geeta), "Kaanta Laga", "Jab Tak Rahe" and "Jaan-E-Jaana Jao" (Samadhi), "Panna Ki Tamanna" (Heera Panna), "Meri Bheegi Bheegi Si" and "Bahon Mein Chale Aao" (Anamika), "Vaada Karo" and "Tera Mujhse Hain Pehle Ka Nata Koi" (Aa Gale Lag Jaa), "Yaadon Ki Baaraat Nikli Hai Aaj Dil Ke Dwaare", "Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko, Nazar Nahin Churana Sanam", "Lekar Hum Deewana Dil, Phirte Hai Manzil Manzil" and "Meri Soni, Meri Tamanna, Jhuth Nahin Hai Mera Pyar" (Yaadon Ki Baaraat), "Diye Jalte Hain Phool Khilte Hain" and "Main Shair Badnaam" (Namak Haraam).

[30] In 1974, his notable ventures, included Aap Ki Kasam, Ajanabee and Phir Kab Milogi, which had evergreen songs like "Karvatein Badalte Rahe", "Jai Jai Shiv Shankar", "Suno Kaho Kaha Suna", "Zindagi Ke Safar Mein, "Ek Ajanabee Haseena Se", "Hum Dono Do Premi", "Bheegi Bheegi Raaton Mein" and "Kahin Karti Hogi".

[32][26] Other notable songs composed by him that year were - "Kehdoon Tumhe Ya Chup Rahoon" (Deewaar), "Humne Tumko Dekha", "Ek Main Aur Ek Tu, Dono Mile Is Tarah", "Khullam Khulla Pyar Karenge Hum Dono" (Khel Khel Mein), "Sun Bhai Baarati", "Ruk Jana O Jana Humse" (Warrant), "Tere Bina Zindagi Se", "Tum Aa Gaye Ho Noor Aa Gaya", "Is Mod Se Jate Hain" (Aandhi), "O Majhi Re Apna Kinara" (Khushboo), "Ek Din Bik Jayega Mati Ke Mol", "Tere Humsafar Geet Hain Tere" (Dharam Karam).

[33][34] With Rajesh Khanna losing superstardom and change of box office equation from romantic musicals to action oriented multi-starrers, Burman suffered a setback in 1976 as almost his releases that year didn't do well commercially, with notable exceptions being Nehle Pe Dehla, Balika Badhu and Mehbooba, all three of which were successful and their songs, such as "Sawan Ka Mahina Aa Gaya", "Bade Acche Lagte Hain" and "Mere Naina Sawan Bhadon" respectively were superhits.

[35] This changed the following year with Nasir Hussain's Hum Kisise Kum Naheen, which was a musical blockbuster and had a number of chartbusters, including "Bachna Ae Haseeno", "Mil Gaya, Hum Ko Saathi Mil Gaya", "Hai Agar Dushman Zamana, Gham Nahin", "Yeh Ladka Haay Allah Kaisa Hai Deewana", "Kya Hua Tera Vaada, Woh Kasam, Woh Iraada", "Chand Mera Dil, Chandni Ho Tum" and "Tum Kya Jaano Mohabbat Kya Hai".

[37][24] From 1978 to 1980, Burman was the music director for critically and commercially successful films like Kasme Vaade (1978), Azaad (1978), Gol Maal (1979), Nauker (1979), Khubsoorat (1980), Aanchal (1980) and Shaan (1980).

The songs from these films, such as "Kasme Vaade Nibhayenge Hum", "Raju Chal Raju", "Jaan Ki Kasam", "Aanewala Pal", "Gol Maal Hai Bhai Sab Gol Maal Hai", "Pallo Latke Re Mharo Pallo Latke", "Piya Bawri, Piya Bawri", "Sun Sun Sun Didi" "Bhor Bhaye Panchi", "Aisa Rangeen Sama", "Yamma Yamma", "Aate Jaate Hue Main" and "Jaanu Meri Jaan", topped the year-end annual list of Binaca Geetmala.

[28] In 1981, Burman composed music for six notable ventures which were - Love Story, Kaalia, Barsaat Ki Ek Raat, Rocky, Kudrat and Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai.

[43][40] However, his contemporaries, including Laxmikant–Pyarelal and Bappi Lahiri had bigger hits in their kitty, such as Prem Rog, Farz Aur Kanoon and Namak Halaal, Disco Dancer, respectively.

[44] The following year, Burman again had five major releases - Pukar, Mahaan, Betaab, Masoom and Agar Tum Na Hote, all of which had songs that dominated the year-end annual list of Binaca Geetmala, such as "Jab Hum Jawan Honge", "Teri Tasveer Mil Gayee", "Lakdi Ki Kaathi Kaathi Pe Ghoda", "Do Naina Aur Ek Kahani", "Tujhse Naraz Nahin Zindagi", "Agar Tum Na Hote", "Bachke Rehna Re Baba", "Pyar Mein Dil Pe Maar De Goli" and "Jidhar Dekhoon Teri Tasveer Nazar Aati Hai".

The soundtrack of Betaab emerged as the ninth best-selling Hindi film album of the 1980s and for Masoom, Burman won his second and consecutive Filmfare Best Music Director Award.

[46][40] In the latter-half of the 1980s, Burman's notable ventures, included Gulzar's romantic drama Ijaazat (1987) and Vidhu Vinod Chopra's crime thriller Parinda (1989).

[1] Biswarup Sen describes his popular music as one featuring multicultural influences, and characterized by "frenetic pacing, youthful exuberance and upbeat rhythms".

Similarly, he used cups and saucers to create the tinkling sound for the song "Chura Liya Hai" from the film Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973).

Other examples of Burman songs inspired by foreign songs including "Aao twist karein" from Bhoot Bangla (Chubby Checker's "Let's Twist Again"), "Tumse milke" (Leo Sayer's "When I Need You"), and "Zindagi milke bitaayenge" (Paul Anka's "The Longest Day") and "Jahan teri yeh nazar hai" (Persian artist Zia Atabi's "Heleh maali") and "Dilbar mere" (Alexandra's "Zigeunerjunge").

[67] In 2010, Brahmanand Singh released a 113-minute documentary titled Pancham Unmixed: Mujhe Chalte Jaana Hai, which received critical acclaim.

A coffee-table book, co-authored by Brahmanand Siingh and Gaurav Sharma titled "Strings of Eternity" was released with Pancham Unmixed by Shemaroo.

The launch was at prestigious venue Blue Frog in Mumbai and was graced by Manoj Bajpayee, Ashutosh Gowariker, Dolly Thakore, Sachin, Atul Tiwari, Ketan Mehta, Deepa Sahi amongst others.

[5] 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.

His instrumentalists included Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Shiv Kumar Sharma, Louis Banks, Bhupinder Singh and Kersi Lord.