Jackie Shroff pays tribute to SD Burman, Majrooh Sultanpuri on birth anniversaries
Synopsis
Jackie Shroff turned his social media into a vintage concert hall on 1 October, saluting SD Burman with 'Khoya Khoya Chand' and Majrooh Sultanpuri with 'Teri Aankho Ke Siva' — a quiet but resonant reminder that the golden era of Hindi film music still echoes through its heirs.
Key Takeaways
Jackie Shroff paid tribute to SD Burman and Majrooh Sultanpuri on their birth anniversaries on 1 October .
Shroff shared a monochrome image of SD Burman with the song 'Khoya Khoya Chand' from the 1960 film Kala Bazar as background.
SD Burman , born into the Tripura royal family , began his career in 1937 and passed away in 1975 after falling into a coma.
Shroff captioned Sultanpuri's tribute with his birth and death dates: 1 October 1919 – 24 May 2000 , pairing it with 'Teri Aankho Ke Siva' from Chirag (1969) .
Majrooh Sultanpuri was a key figure in the Progressive Writers' Movement and is considered one of the finest avant-garde Urdu poets of the 20th century.
Veteran Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff marked 1 October by paying musical tributes to two towering figures of Indian cinema — legendary composer SD Burman and celebrated Urdu lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri — on their respective birth anniversaries. Shroff shared the homages through his social media stories, pairing archival images with classic songs from each artist's catalogue.
Remembering SD Burman
Shroff posted a monochrome photograph of SD Burman — also fondly remembered as 'Sachin Karta' and 'Burman Dada' — accompanied by the timeless track 'Khoya Khoya Chand' from the 1960 Hindi film Kala Bazar. Alongside the image, he wrote: 'Remembering SD Burman ji on his birth anniversary.'
Born into the Tripura royal family, Burman began his career with Bengali films in 1937 before transitioning to Hindi cinema, where he became one of its most influential composers. His prolific body of work featured vocals from an extraordinary roster of singers, including Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi, Geeta Dutt, Manna Dey, Hemant Kumar, Asha Bhosle, Shamshad Begum, Mukesh, and Talat Mahmood. Burman also lent his own voice to 14 Hindi and 13 Bengali film songs as a playback singer.
Notably, Burman fell into a coma shortly after rehearsing the song 'Badi Sooni Sooni Hai' — sung by Kishore Kumar for the film Mili — and passed away in 1975 after lingering in that state for several days, leaving behind an enduring musical legacy.
Honouring Majrooh Sultanpuri
Shroff also paid homage to Majrooh Sultanpuri, sharing his portrait alongside the song 'Teri Aankho Ke Siva' from the 1969 film Chirag. He simply captioned the post: 'Majrooh Sultanpuri ji (1 October 1919 – 24 May 2000).'
Born on 1 October 1919, Sultanpuri was a dominant force in Indian film music through the 1950s and early 1960s and a prominent figure in the Progressive Writers' Movement. He is widely regarded as one of the finest avant-garde Urdu poets of 20th-century literature, having penned lyrics for countless Hindi film soundtracks that have endured across generations.
Sultanpuri had been suffering from a prolonged lung ailment and succumbed to a severe bout of pneumonia in 2000, at the age of 80.
A Legacy That Endures
Both Burman and Sultanpuri shaped the golden era of Hindi film music, and tributes from artists like Shroff serve as a reminder of how deeply their work continues to resonate. This comes amid a broader cultural moment where the Hindi film industry increasingly acknowledges the foundational contributions of composers and lyricists who defined its identity across decades.
As anniversaries of these legends are observed, their catalogues continue to find new audiences on streaming platforms, ensuring their influence stretches well into the present century.
Point of View
But it also underscores a gap — Hindi cinema rarely institutionalises its musical memory in any formal sense. SD Burman's arc, from Tripura royalty to Bollywood immortality, and Sultanpuri's journey through the Progressive Writers' Movement to mainstream lyrical dominance, represent stories that deserve far more than anniversary social media posts. That a living actor's Instagram story is among the more visible acts of remembrance says something about how the industry treats its foundational figures. These legacies deserve museum-grade documentation, not just yearly reposts.
NationPress
1 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Jackie Shroff pay tribute to SD Burman and Majrooh Sultanpuri?
Jackie Shroff paid tribute to both legends because 1 October marks their birth anniversaries. He shared monochrome images paired with classic songs from each artist's catalogue on his social media stories.
Who was SD Burman and why is he significant?
SD Burman, also known as 'Sachin Karta' and 'Burman Dada', was a legendary Hindi and Bengali film music composer born into the Tripura royal family who began his career in 1937. He worked with virtually every major playback singer of his era and remains one of the most influential composers in Indian film history.
What song did Jackie Shroff use to honour SD Burman?
Shroff chose 'Khoya Khoya Chand' from the 1960 Hindi film Kala Bazar as the background score for his tribute to SD Burman. He paired it with a monochrome photograph of the composer.
Who was Majrooh Sultanpuri?
Majrooh Sultanpuri, born on 1 October 1919, was a celebrated Urdu poet and lyricist who wrote lyrics for numerous Hindi film soundtracks, particularly in the 1950s and early 1960s. He was also a prominent figure in the Progressive Writers' Movement and is regarded as one of the finest avant-garde Urdu poets of the 20th century.
How did SD Burman and Majrooh Sultanpuri die?
SD Burman fell into a coma shortly after rehearsing 'Badi Sooni Sooni Hai' for the film Mili and passed away in 1975. Majrooh Sultanpuri, who had long suffered from a lung disease, died following a severe pneumonia attack in 2000 at the age of 80.
