A Tribute to the Great Legend: Mohammad Rafi
This article is written by Mr. Shashank Chickermane
It was 31st July 1980, exactly 28 years ago, we have lost a great legend and most versatile playback singer of film industry where he sang innumerable songs in every language in the industry. He is indeed Mohammad Rafi. He passed away in the age of 56 in Mumbai.
He started his singing career in 1940 in a Punjabi film under a music composer baton Shyam sunder and got a opportunity to sing in hindi also. His voice was commandable and sang different types of songs like sad, romantic, happy, devotional as well as other type of songs. In his 40 years of career in the film industry, he was the singer who sang under every music directors whether he is young or old. His ever smiling charming face made everyone happy.
Music composer like Naushad gave him a good break in the film “Baiju Bawra” where he sang his turning point of his life, the song was “O Duniya ke Rakhwale” with a high pitch. Also he sang more songs under Shankar-Jaikishan, laxmikant-Pyarelal, as well as he sang more duets with Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosale and Suman Kalyanpur. As a playback singer, he was a humble and god fearing person who helped many people in his life. But when he was in a peak, he suddenly died with heart attack. His last film was “Aas Paas” where he sang with Lata Mangeshkar.
The Rafi foundation will pay a homage to this dedicated playback singer of our film music industry. May god keep his soul in peace.
September 16th, 2008 at 7:17 am
it does not feel like rafi saab has been gone for 28 years. he is still very much alive in his songs & his beautiful voice and he will continue to live forever in the hearts and souls of all his fans and everyone who appreciates the beautiful old songs.
August 25th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
I have been sending small articles for Rafi Young Brigade. I am just 19 years. But I tasted the flavour of old melodies from my dad. He more or less remembers all the evergreen songs of his younger years sung by Late Legend Rafi Sahab( solos as well as duets). I learnt all of those songs(may be I can hum atleast 50% of them) from my dad. But one thing is for sure I cannot hum even say 0.001% like the legend. The songs are so extremely difficult to hum and the voice pitch is impossible to reach. But maximum number of songs of Rafi Sahab are at high pitch only. But the ease with which they have been sung is simply superb. They cannot be another Mohd.Rafi….. that is for sure. Such musical genius with velvet voice are born rarely. We will continue to miss him…….. miss him….. for ever.
August 22nd, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Oh! Great Soul, we salute U. Where are U? In which world? When will you take reincarnation and be back on this globe again? The Indian music scene is incomplete without U. Do come back….. come back again…… we miss U as always we do……
August 1st, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Rafi sahab continues to hold me in sway. just imagine, youngsters like sidduji who says he is just 18 years of age (born almost a decade after rafi sahab left us) being so much inspired by the golden voice of the modern era. i have seen even still younger lot of rafi-bhakts and am sure the coming generations will also be drawn to his voice just as we have all been. there can be no music without rafi sahab, for he was the voice of “god” as rightly said earlier by sidduji. many more have voiced the same feeling umpteen times on this site and elsewhere.
August 1st, 2008 at 5:43 pm
The smiling photo graph in this article there is a small anecdote.
the interviewer asks rafi sahab , ‘ accha to rafi sahab ab aap ye batayiye ki aapki shaadi kaisey hui ? aapke maa baap ki pasandse ya aap ki khud ki pasand se.
rafi sahab replies, yeh ajeeb sawaal kiya appne. kamaal. ye to na maa baap ki pasand thi , na meri pasand thi. he gives a small pause then tells , meri bibine mujhey khud pasand karliya.
then he gives this smile which persisits for a few seconds but remains in our hearts for ever.
great rafi sahab.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Rafi sahab you will remain the best forever that there was.
Khalid Rashid
July 31st, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Mohammed Rafi -THE GOD OF SINGING!!!
We love you Rafi Saaheb!! Even though I am 18 where people of my age listen to newer hip hop songs.. but I think your songs are THE BEST!! Better than kishore da, manna da and mukesh bhai!!!
The winner of voice of India passed away recently.. please see him and talk to him.. he will be delighted.
Again - YOU ARE THE BEST!!
July 31st, 2008 at 4:58 pm
Mohd. Rafi Saab aaj ke din ish duniya se chale gaye the par unki awaj aaj bhi har gali , chaurahe, ghar me zinda hai aur hamesha amar rahegi.
I salute you, you are Great ,Sir. Nobody can take place of Rafi Saab.
Maine Rafi saab ki ish sit me bahut kuch paya but i want to know about his family i.e. his wife, children etc. If you have any current update then pl let me know, i will be graetful to you.
With Regards
Rajiv Sharma
July 31st, 2008 at 3:59 pm
My most humble tributes to the greatest playback singer of India , Mohd Rafi saab.As usual on every 31st of July , I am saddened by death of Mohd rafi saab.And also the fact that how the best singer is ignored by all media .Today the first thing I did in the morning was search The Times of India ,Ahmedabad edition as to wether there is any article on Rafi saab , but as usual there is no mention, whereas I clearly remember of Kishore ’s birthday there was an article showering praises on the second best singer .But no one remembers the best.
Any way I feel satisfied by reading the comments and articles on this site which shows that there are still lot of Rafi bhakts like me who cherish his golden voice .Not a single day passes without hearing or humming his sons.
LONG LIVE RAFI SAAB . KAASH AAP ZINDA HOTE.