Shaan's 'Rimjhim Gire Sawan' tribute to R.D. Burman on his 87th birthday
Synopsis
On what would have been Pancham Da's 87th birthday, Shaan stepped into his rain-soaked courtyard and let 'Rimjhim Gire Saawan' do the talking. It's a reminder that R.D. Burman's monsoon classics aren't just nostalgia — they're the soundtrack India still reaches for every June.
Key Takeaways
Shaan shared a video tribute to R.D.
Burman on his 87th birth anniversary on 27 June 2026 .
He performed 'Rimjhim Gire Saawan' , from the 1979 film 'Manzil' starring Amitabh Bachchan and Moushumi Chatterjee .
Burman composed music for more than 300 films over nearly three decades .
Born in Kolkata on 27 June 1939 , Burman was the son of composer Sachin Dev Burman .
He passed away on 4 January 1994 at the age of 54 .
Playback singer Shaan marked the 87th birth anniversary of legendary composer Rahul Dev Burman — affectionately known as Pancham Da — on 27 June 2026 with a soulful home rendition of the monsoon classic 'Rimjhim Gire Saawan'. The heartfelt tribute, shared on Shaan's social media, captured the spirit of the season and the enduring legacy of one of Hindi cinema's most transformative composers.
The Tribute Video
In the clip, Shaan appeared casually dressed in a yellow T-shirt, standing in the enclosure of his home amid overcast monsoon skies. He opened with the words: 'It's beautiful, gloomy, monsoon weather. And on account of Pancham Da's birthday, here's a little tribute' — before breaking into a soulful rendition of the beloved track. The setting felt deliberately understated, letting the melody do the speaking.
About 'Rimjhim Gire Saawan'
'Rimjhim Gire Saawan' is from the 1979 Hindi film 'Manzil', starring Amitabh Bachchan and Moushumi Chatterjee. Composed by R.D. Burman, the song was immortalised in two distinct versions — one rendered by Kishore Kumar and another by Lata Mangeshkar — and continues to be regarded as one of the finest monsoon melodies in the history of Hindi cinema. Few songs have aged as gracefully, surfacing every June with the first rains.
R.D. Burman's Legacy
Born on 27 June 1939 in Kolkata, Rahul Dev Burman was the son of legendary composer Sachin Dev Burman and lyricist Meera Dev Burman. Over a career spanning nearly three decades, he composed music for more than 300 films, revolutionising Hindi film music by weaving together Indian classical melodies with jazz, rock, and Latin influences — a fusion that was audacious for its era.
His catalogue of timeless tracks includes 'Chura Liya Hai Tumne', 'Mehbooba Mehbooba', 'Dum Maro Dum', 'Yeh Shaam Mastani', 'Musafir Hoon Yaaron', and 'Tere Bina Zindagi Se', among many others. On the personal front, he was married to legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle. His father, S.D. Burman, was himself one of Indian cinema's greatest music directors, celebrated for scores in films such as 'Guide', 'Pyaasa', 'Bandini', 'Jewel Thief', and 'Aradhana'.
R.D. Burman passed away on 4 January 1994 at the age of 54, leaving behind a musical legacy that generations of artists — Shaan among them — continue to celebrate every monsoon.
Why Pancham Da Endures
Shaan's tribute is one of many that surface annually on Burman's birth anniversary, a testament to how deeply the composer's work is embedded in popular memory. Notably, 'Rimjhim Gire Saawan' has seen renewed virality in recent years with each monsoon season, reflecting a broader nostalgia for the 1970s golden era of Hindi film music. The song's dual versions — one upbeat, one melancholic — give it a rare emotional range that newer compositions rarely match.
Point of View
But the real story is the durability of Burman's catalogue — 'Rimjhim Gire Saawan' trends every monsoon without a marketing budget, which no streaming algorithm can fully explain. R.D. Burman's fusion of jazz and Indian classical was dismissed by some purists in his time; today it reads as visionary. The annual outpouring on his birth anniversary also exposes a gap: Hindi film music of the 1970s is being celebrated more loudly than most contemporary output, raising uncomfortable questions about whether the industry's current composers are building anything equally lasting.
NationPress
27 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Shaan sing 'Rimjhim Gire Saawan' on 27 June?
Shaan sang 'Rimjhim Gire Saawan' as a tribute to R.D. Burman on his 87th birth anniversary, which falls on 27 June. The song is one of Burman's most celebrated compositions and felt especially apt given the ongoing monsoon season.
Which film is 'Rimjhim Gire Saawan' from?
'Rimjhim Gire Saawan' is from the 1979 Hindi film 'Manzil', starring Amitabh Bachchan and Moushumi Chatterjee. The song was composed by R.D. Burman and recorded in two versions — one by Kishore Kumar and one by Lata Mangeshkar.
Who was R.D. Burman?
Rahul Dev Burman, known as Pancham Da, was a legendary Hindi film composer born on 27 June 1939 in Kolkata. He composed music for over 300 films across nearly three decades, blending Indian melodies with jazz, rock, and Latin influences, and passed away on 4 January 1994 at age 54.
Who were R.D. Burman's parents?
R.D. Burman was the son of legendary composer Sachin Dev Burman and lyricist Meera Dev Burman. His father S.D. Burman was one of Indian cinema's greatest music directors, known for films like 'Guide', 'Pyaasa', and 'Aradhana'.
Who was R.D. Burman married to?
R.D. Burman was married to legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle. The two collaborated extensively throughout his career, producing some of Hindi cinema's most iconic songs.
