A while ago, Sanjay Leela Bhansali penned a heart-warming foreword for 'R.D.BurMania' -- a memoirs book on R.D. Burman authored by eminent senior film-journalist Chaitanya Padukone, who shared a personal rapport with Burman.

In his candid foreword, the Padmaavat director reveals, "As a young boy, I would 'refuse' to have dinner at my rich cousin's house, unless I heard that racy R.D.Burman track Jab Andhera Hota Hai from the film Raja Rani. Honestly, with RDB's repertoire, I imbibed the joy of listening to music."


Few are aware, that the music-savvy Bhansali was present when the legendary music maestro composed the iconic song Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga from 1942 A Love Story. Bhansali was in fact in charge of it as a 'songs director'.


"It must have taken Pancham-da hardly fifteen minutes to compose that entire masterpiece along with the musical interludes," recalls Bhansali in the book's foreword. "He did not have to make any effort, it just came to him."

"While scoring music for my home productions, I subconsciously keep thinking -- what if RDB had done it. How would he execute it. How would I achieve the Pancham-wala level of perfection," Bhansali confides.