R. D. Burman — Pancham to generations of listeners — scored Hindi films for more than three decades, and his soundtracks are among the most sought-after Bollywood records on vinyl. Many of them are back in print as reissues. This guide is a practical way into his work on record: where to start, what each soundtrack is known for, and which of them are on the Velorex shelf right now. For every R. D. Burman record we stock, see our R. D. Burman collection.

If you buy one record first

There is no single right answer, but three soundtracks show three different sides of him and make a good start:

• Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971) — the record with "Dum Maro Dum", sung by Asha Bhosle, one of the most recognisable songs in Hindi film music. It shows the Western rock and pop influences he brought into film scoring.
• Aandhi (1975) — a quieter, more reflective score for Gulzar's film, including "Tere Bina Zindagi Se". A good contrast to the energy of his dance numbers.
• Ijaazat (1987) — another collaboration with Gulzar, including "Mera Kuchh Samaan", which won National Film Awards for Asha Bhosle's singing and Gulzar's lyrics. This pressing includes the songs with their film dialogues.

The 1960s and early 1970s

• Baharon Ke Sapne (1967) — an early score, from before his run of hits in the 1970s.
• Buddha Mil Gaya (1971) — includes "Raat Kali Ek Khwab Mein Aayi", sung by Kishore Kumar.
• Gomti Ke Kinare (1972) — one of Meena Kumari's final films; the soundtrack includes "Aaj To Meri Hansi Udai".

The late 1970s

• Sholay (1975) — the soundtrack to one of the best-known Hindi films ever made. We have a pre-owned copy of the 50th anniversary edition, which includes dialogue and background music from the film.
• The Great Gambler (1979) — includes "Do Lafzon Ki Hai Dil Ki Kahani".

The 1980s

• Alibaba Aur 40 Chor (1980) — a fantasy-adventure score, including "Khatouba".
• Abdullah (1980) — includes "Maine Poochha Chand Se", sung by Mohammed Rafi.
• Rocky (1981) — Sanjay Dutt's debut film, with "Kya Yahi Pyar Hai" by Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar. We stock two separate runs of the reissue: the 1st edition and the 2nd edition.
• Yeh Vaada Raha (1982).
• Saagar (1985) — includes "Saagar Kinare" by Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar. Our copy is pre-owned.

Working with Gulzar

Two of the records above, Aandhi and Ijaazat, come from R. D. Burman's partnership with the lyricist and director Gulzar. If you like one, try the other: they share a gentler, more conversational style than his better-known dance tracks.

A compilation to start with

If you would rather hear a range of songs than one film's soundtrack, Romance by R. D. Burman collects romantic songs across his career — including "Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko", "Bade Achhe Lagte Hain" and "Yeh Shaam Mastani".

A note on the pressings

Almost all R. D. Burman records you can buy new today are reissues, mostly from Saregama and Universal, pressed in the last decade. They are made from the original recordings, but the sleeves and pressings are modern. "1st edition" or "2nd edition" on a listing refers to the reissue's production runs, not to the original 1970s release. Our guide to vinyl pressings and editions explains the terms, and our guide to checking a used record's condition helps with pre-owned copies.

Every R. D. Burman record we stock, with its label, year and track listing, is in the R. D. Burman collection. For more soundtracks from the same era, browse Hindi and Bollywood vinyl.