Kismat Phuti Hui Thi: Khul Ja Sim-Sim
Wednesday, May 28th, 2008This article is written by Mr. Rajesh Singh
More than 90% of the people who are reading this know that this has something to do with Alibaba and the 40 thieves. But more than “Open Sesame”, what do today’s people know about this story? Think and see…it seems strangely blurred up, does it not? Well, that is nothing out of the ordinary and here is a chance for you to refresh your memory. This fantastic tale from the Arabian Nights is about a young man named Alibaba. Upon his father’s death, he and his elder brother Kasim were left with little. While his brother went on and married a rich woman, Alibaba became a woodcutter. (more…)
Dev Anand was called evergreen hero because of his looks, boyish charm, his style, his positive energy and perhaps also due to the fact that he acted with maximum heroines in his career. The songs he sang on screen added to his romantic image whether the Singer was Rafi or KK or Talat or Hemant or even Mannadey (‘Chale Ja Rahe Hain, Mohabbat Ke Maare’ from Meena Kumari starrer Kinare Kinare). Songs from his fiftees and especially early sixties were mainly instrumental in popularising his movies. 
Among the many boisterous fast songs sung by Mohd. Rafi Sahab, one song stands out as kingly as any can be. That song is the title song from the film RAAJKUMAR – Jaane Wale Zara Hoshiyar Yahan Ke Hum Hain Raajkumar. The song is picturised on the return of the prince to his kingdom from studies abroad and is so wonderfully picturised that one feels totally immersed in the sequence of events. Shammi Kapoor, the prince is atop a fully bedecked royal elephant, what with an entire band of trumpeteering band and scores of royal guards and aides in attendance. The setting is perfect for a royal entourage – the costumes, the glittering ornaments, the perfect lyrics and the fast paced music. 
It was a CLASSIC rain song sung by Rafi Saheb with beautiful composition by Roshan Saheb on extraordinary lyrics by Sahir Ludhyanvi from the film Barsat Ki Raat with perfect lip harmonization by Bharat Bhushan on whom good numbers of Rafi gems had been picturized and who came to spotlight of stardom with golden voice of Rafi Saheb. The said song was twice in the film, one solo by Rafi Saheb and one duet by RafI-Lata picturised on Bharat Bhushan and Madhubala. There was another classical rain song in the film “Garjat Barsat Sawan Aayo Re” which was sung by Suman Kalyanpur and Kamal Barot. 
MUSIC, Melody and Mohd Rafi begs to be said in the same breath say ardent Mohd Rafi fans who have formed the Rafi Foundation - a platform to bring Rafi lovers of the world together and take forward the unparalled singers ‘great works of art’ to the next generation of music lovers. Mr.Binu Nair, an NRI from Dubai formed the Rafi Foundation a year ago and within a year the unit has spread to many states in India and to cities like New York, London and the Gulf states. 
Mohammed Rafi Sahab has sung plenty of duets with many female Singers, but quantity-wise, duets with Asha and Lata stand out. It is gathered that Rafiji has sung about 903 duets with Asha and about 447 with Lata. The huge difference was perhaps due to Rafi-Lata’s rift for about three years and consequently the higher number of duets of Rafi- Asha during that period. One more reason was the preference of MDs like OPN to have only Rafi and Asha.
