Did R.D.Burman really preferred KK over Rafi?
This article is written by Mr.H.V.Guru Murthy.
A regular browser to web site mohdrafi.com, having gone through the letters of Rafi lovers would assume that R D Burman did not utilize Rafi properly, instead he preferred Kishore Kumar. Because of this reason, Rafi Fans are still upset with RDB even though he passed away a decade back.
Yes, it is true that RDB preferred KK over Rafi during early seventies. For that matter, which Music Director or Actor or Producer or Director will not have his preference. It was well known that Raj Kapoor always preferred Mukesh, Manoj Kumar preferred Mukesh or Mahendra Kapoor, B.R.Chopra films had Mahendra, MD Ravi also had plenty of songs with Mahendra so also O.P after he broke with Rafi. Similarly OP always had either Asha or Geetha Dutt and never Lata. Salil also used all other Singers. Director Subba Rao insisted on Mukesh for SAATHI even though the hero was Rajendra Kumar and MD Naushad, two Rafi Fans. Even Kalyanji Anandji had many films with Mahendra Kapoor, Mukesh and KK even though Rafi was instrumental in their raise through JAB JAB PHOOL KHILE, AAMNE SAAMNE, etc. LP, by all means Rafi Bhakts, used KK regularly in the early seventies even for Rafi heroes like Jeetendra, Dharmendra, etc. SJ also switched over to KK in movies like MAIN SUNDAR HOON, DIL DAULAT DUNIYA, KAL AAJ AUR KAL, etc. Of course, the music standard came down a notch or two in that period. But, well, it is their prerogative to have whomsoever they wanted though I am sure in heart of heart, why even openly, they would have admitted the superiority of Rafi over all other Singers. Similarly, RDB also used KK for almost all his movies in the early seventies as perhaps he had some special chemistry with him.
However, let us not forget that RDB used Rafi extensively during late sixties as his main playback singer right from the first movie. He gave hit music with Rafi in TEESRI MANZIL, NAQLI NAWAAB, CARAVAN, PYAAR KA MAUSAM, THE TRAIN, ABHILASHA, ADHIKAR, RATON KA RAAJA, etc. Later during late seventies he returned to Rafi and gave hits like SHAAN, HUM KISISE KUM NAHIN, ABDULLAH, ZAMANE KO DIKHANA HAI, etc. In between, he had Rafi in CHANDI SONA qawali with Mannadey (Ek Shok Hasina Se), YADON KI BAARAT (Title song and who can forget the duet with Asha Chura Liya Hai Tumne), DIL KA BAADSHAH (this Raj Kumar starrer had all songs by Rafi), THE GREAT GAMBLER (Raftasa Mera Naam), SHEHZADA (Solo Tere Attaroo and duet with Lata Kaahe Ko Bulaya), etc.
If a person cannot appreciate the greatness of Rafi, then it can be safely concluded that the person does not have a sense of music. Of course, RDB was a good MD though not a great MD like Naushad, Madan Mohan, OP Nayyar, SDB, etc. RD would have definitely known the great qualities of Rafi, the Singer. Just because he did not use Rafi extensively as one would expect, let us not degrade this MD who gave us some good songs in CHANDAN KA PALNA, PADOSAN, HARE RAMA HARE KRISHNA, MERE JEEVAN SAATHI, AJNABEE, AMAR PREM, SANAM TERI KASAM, BHOOT BANGLA, BAHARON KE SAPNE (Rafi solo Zamane Ne Maare), PARICHAY, KINAARA, APNA DESH, ZAHREELA INSAAN, RAMPUR KA LAKSHAMAN (Pyaar Ka Samay with Lata, KK and Rafi), 1942 – A LOVE STORY, KATI PATANG to certain extent, etc. though he gave some very mediocre music in films like DEEWAR, SHOLAY, KITAAB, ZAKHMEE, RAFOO CHAKKAR, NAMKEEN, DHARAM KARAM and BIWI O BIWI (so un-RK film like), etc. so many forgettable movies as for as music was concerned.
The irony of RDB was either he gave good music or petered out to a very mediocre music in so many films. I read some where that Shashi Kapoor called RD as National Anthem Music Director. In those days, theatres used to play National Anthem at the end of the movie and the Hall doors used to be shut till the completion of the Anthem. As soon as the Anthem used to commence, our in-disciplined people used to rush to the Hall Door and wait for the door opening. Similarly, whenever RDB songs commenced in most of the movies, people used to rush to toilet.
Still, it is not fair that we use harsh and sometimes, un-parliamentary language against any body if they differ with our views. We cannot forget the contribution of all these MDs, Heroes, Singers, Directors, etc. in making the Indian Film Music so rich.
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Binu Sir:
It seems You’ve missed the sarcasm in my post (abt. KK fanatics). I was actually taking a dig at them (on a lighter side offcourse). Yes, We have nothing to worry abt, after all we all appreciate Kishoreda for what he is and how much he contributed to HFM and anyway we are not in a battlefield, we are all here to appreciate good music.
BTW, I’m anxiously waiting for your ‘questions’ and let me tell you I’m fully with you in this regard, one shouldn’t be afraid of the truth (even if it concerns legendry figures) and we should openly come out with our views, opinions and questions.
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:52 pm
REF 691,LET ME ADD FURTHER TO THE `PYAAR KA MAUSAM`, TAXI LOADED WITH THE COPIES OF THE LP OF THE FILM WERE DISTRIBUTED FOR FREE IN MUMBAI.
ANYHOW PEOPLE REMEMBER `PYAAR KA MAUSAM` FOR `NI SULTANA RE`
AND `TUM BIN JAON KAHAN `(RAFI SAAB VERSION`)
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:14 pm
ref 696,kk was popular in 70`s,no doubt about it,rafi saab was greatest,no doubts about that also.
TOO ALL KK FANS,BEING POULAR & BEING GREATEST ARE TWO SEPERATE TERMS,IN THE FILM INDUSTRY TODAY SHARUKH KHAN IS POPULAR AND IS BEING COMPARED WITH AMITABH BACHCHAN,WHO IN MY OPINION IS THE GRATEST,AND THAT EVERBODY KNOWS ,SHARUKH IS NOTHING COMPARED TO THE GREAT BACHCHAN,HAD KK SUNG SONGS LIKE RAFI SAAB DID,THEN COMPARISON CAN BE MADE.
SAME APPLIES HERE ALSO RAFI SAAB IS UNIVERSITY,MAXIMUM KK CAN BE A FACULTY MEMBER.
May 22nd, 2008 at 1:38 pm
rafi lovers : let me place it on record that i love the great songs of lata and asha ( didi and taai ) in industry songs besides all our great singers.
lata ji has kept her dignified silence in many matters and this must be appreciated. she has also almost stopped singing and recording according to our sources. we wish her good times ahead.
but , i have a few questions to be asked to asha b. and i would be doing it soon.
binu nair, mumbai
May 22nd, 2008 at 1:29 pm
post 690.. anil cherian: KK fans use the same language, true. but my point is - see the popularity of these singers and compare it with the mohd rafi site. there are atleast five active rafi sites and the one which other singers have are “weak” with not much attendance.
this is the popularity of rafi saaheb which some men and women find it disturbing. but they are few in numbers so not to worry.
binu nair, rafi foundation, mumbai.
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:51 am
Mr. Anil Cherian (Ref Post 681)
It is said that Rafi-saab was supposed to sing “Mere naina sawan bhadon” as per a Vividh Bharti interview by Pancham, Gulzar and Asha, but Rajesh Khanna insisted on taking Kishore for this song. I am not sure how true this story is, as I haven’t heard the interview myself, I’ve only read it somewhere on the net. Rafi was the perfect choice for this song. Had he sung it, he would have turned it into another milestone like “Hum bekhudi mein” or “Dekhi zamane ki yaari” and countless other dard songs. If you notice, the alaap that is in the Lata version is missing in the KK version due to his limitations. Also, the brilliant tabla in the last stanza of the Lata version is also missing in the KK version. Lata’s version is pure classical, whereas KK’s version is a modified version. Pancham could have retained everything that the Lata version had, if Rafi had sung the song. It would have been mndblowing, imagine Rafi singing that haunting alaap in the beginning. Pancham made a very wrong choice here and in the end had to work around the limitations of KK. I think Kishore sang “Musafir hoon yaaron” well, although the Rafi touch would have been better. As for “Chingari ki bhadke”, Rafi would have sang it better and turned into another “Pyar hai ik nishan qadmon ka”. These Pancham creations were all meant for Rafi.
———————–
Mr. Sanjay Arora,
The HKKN qawwali is outstanding, I agree with your write-up about it. Pancham was the best qawwali composer among his contemporaries (in my view), and with Rafi he was able to create amazing qawwali’s. The RD-Rafi combo is indeed very deadly and should get a lot of credit.
———————–
Mr. XXX,
I don’t have the link to the Rafi Kudrat song. It was on Youtube a while ago but its now been removed. I will try and find you a link to this song. “Ni sultana re” is an amazing folk song, definitely one of Pancham’s best in that genre. The song has a unique charm and freshness.
Choosing Rafi’s Top 10 songs from the 70’s is a very tough task. I have noticed that most of the lists have been only for solo songs so I will also choose only solos. My favourite lists keep on changing each time so here is my list for now:
1. Tum jo mil gaye ho - Hanste Zakhm - Madan Mohan
2. Pyar hai ik nishan qadmon ka - Mukti - R.D Burman
3. Likhar tera naam zamin par - Laila Majnu - MM/Jaidev (some say this song was composed by Jaidev after MM passed away)
4. Acha hi hua dil toot gaya - Maa Behen Aur Biwi - Sharda
5. Chand mera dil - HKKN - R.D Burman (this song is in my view Pancham’s best chord-based progression composition, with the amazing string guitar and bass guitar)
6. Aaj mausam bada beimaan hai - Loafer - Laxmikant Pyarelal
7. Dil ne pyar kiya hai - Shararat - Ganesh
8. Jhoomta sawan dekho aaya - Do Khiladi - Usha Khanna
9. Aaja tujhko pukare mere geet - Geet - Kalyanji Anandji
10. Kahin ek masoom - Shankar Hussain - Khayyam
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:51 am
ref 681,i fully endorse your observation on the above song,the song follows the super duper success of `laila majnu`.i listened to this qawwali after a gap of many years to be precise just before writing the mail,.
taking rdb on his home turf`hai agar dushman zamana,-koi aaye, -hum kisi se kum nahin.`
May 22nd, 2008 at 7:59 am
post 691:
the song “tum bin, jaoo kahan” was recorded in rafi’s voice first, the tape sent by rdb to kk and kk imrovised on it. the kk version was filmed on bharat bhooshan the older star and rafi version on shashi kapoor. the kk version was played again again again and again and made a hit, a music critic from filmfare mag. informs me. no, i have not filmed/taped this episode so some deewanes/doubters may not ask for - proof. no, i do not have it.
thank you,
binu nair, mumbai……
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:36 am
Re. Post # 680: No one can come close to Rafi Saheb, not even KK, who was very far behind to Rafi Saheb in singing, a true fact world knows!
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:14 am
Mr.Myk:
Thank you very much for the link to the sad version of ‘tum bin…’. Rafisahab’s singing is just phenomenal. That change in scale right at the end is a highlight, it’s also the most difficult part, he is actually raising the scale without orchestra support. ie, orchestra was still playing at the original scale and suddenly Rafisahab switches sclaes out of no where… amazing feat…
May 21st, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Mr.Rafian:
Nice of you to post your favs. Actually I haven’t listened to many of them, I’ll try to hear them out and come back to you.
Mr.XXX:
Yes, we do have many common favs. Actually my top 20 listing would contain almost all the songs in yours and I suppose your top 20 would contain most of my top 10s.
All:
It amazes me that all the KK fanatics speak the same language-almost word-by-word, with several jargons like ‘dethroning’, ‘history’, and off course ‘RDB’. Really amazing…
May 21st, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Post 676 : the whole world knows about it. lata wanted 10 percent royalties from producers and she formed a trade union of singers and asked rafi to support her.
rafi saaheb said : I am happy with the fees i receive for the song and thereafter its the producer who has to reap/gain/lose. lata disliked this and declared she will not sing with rafi ji any more.
lata began losing songs, her recordings came down and suman, mubarak,asha and others reaped the harvest during lata’s absence. rafi’s popularity remained untouched and later lata made moves with jaikishan, r.d.b and others to fend fences with rafi. they later patched up after three years.
her ego was hurt and her songs reduced. this is the “real” reason. pls read available books on music and the legends or write to me on my personal e.mail for more facts as there are some limitations here in., to write more which u may understand.
Binu Nair, binus2000@hotmail.com
May 21st, 2008 at 10:26 pm
correction ::
rdb’s best folk song came through pyar ka mausam(1969), and the song was ni sultana re
May 21st, 2008 at 10:20 pm
mr.myk,
iam also agree with you that carvan and mela were best folk albums by rdb but still i think his best folk songs came through the pkm(1969)…
May 21st, 2008 at 10:17 pm
mr.myk
thanks for the link, plz share with us your fav songs list of rafi sahab from 70s,
regarding that kudrat song, no iam really not aware of any of the film versions, plz provide me link for ths one too..
May 21st, 2008 at 9:37 pm
mr. anil cherian and mr.rafian1,
thanks for your list of songs, songs mentioned by both of you are really gems, mr.rafian1, nazar aati nahin manzil is a great song by ravindra jain, rj was one of the best from 70s, by the way here is my list of rafi solo songs from 70s for this day. mr.cherian, we do have few common favs::
1. barbaad-e-mohabbat ki dua sath liye jaa
2.likhkar tera naam
3.tum jo mil gaye ho
4.tumse kahu ek baat
5.kahin ek masoom
6.pyar hai ik nishan
7.mehbooba teri tasveer
8.mujhe mat roko
9.nazar aati nahi manzil
10.jina to hai usi ka jisne ye raaz jana…
……………… …………………. …………………..
May 21st, 2008 at 8:59 pm
ref to 680::
kishore never dethroned rafi as far as singing is concerned, yes kk was popular bcoz rdb tagged him with the two superstars of 70s(rajesh k and amitab b). kishore was great singer but never close to the vocals of rafi, listen to lala-majnu(super melodious album) and decide yourself whether kishore was able to sing these types of songs or not …
kishore was never able to sing these type of songs:: likhkar tera naam, nav kalpana nav roop, hai agar dushman and many others but rafi could easily sing the songs belonging to the genre of “o mere dil ke chain” “ye kya hua” etc …
rafi sung superhit song from almost every genre(even in 70s), but kishore didn’t, but if you still think that kishore dethroned rafi than you must have been suffering with ear problems buddy..
but still i consider kishore among the one of the six great singers we ever had(which he was), and i don’t want to unnecessarily bring down kishore, who always showed his great respect for rafi…
May 21st, 2008 at 8:24 pm
REF : MAIL 680,KK NEVER DETHRONED RAFI SAAB,DO NOT LIVE IN A FOOL`S PARADISE,AFTER RAFI SAAB`S DEATH KK COULD NOT EVEN OVERTOOK RAFI SAAB`S CLONE SHABBIR KUMAR & MOHD.AZIZ.EVEN HIS MENTOR RDB HAD TO INCLUDE A SONG IN `ITHIHAAS`TO MAKE HIS ALBUM COMMERCIALLY VIABLE.MOHD.AZIZ WAS RECORDING FOR RDB `EK MAIN AUR EK TU`& `BELAGAAM`EVEN THOUGH THE ALBUMS HAD KK & AK.IT IS PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO ARE DAY DREAMING,AND IN THE LAST DAYS OF RAFI SAAB ,RDB WAS RECORDING MORE WITH RAFI SAAB`THE BURNING TRAIN`,`SHAAN`ETC.
IF YOU REMOVE RDB KK IS A BIG ZERO.KK WAS CREATED MORE BY MEDIA AND FIXING OF BGM,WHERE A CRAP LIKE `DO BICHARE BIN SAHARE`WAS RULING BGM.AND MORE BECAUSE OF RAFI HATERS
BY THE WAY HOW MANY FILMFARE AWARDS KK WON BEFORE RAFI SAAB`S DEATH AND AFTER RAFI SAAB`S DEATH.KK IN THOSE 4 YEARS OF SO CALLED PHASE HAD TO BE CONTENED WITH AFTER MK & MUKESH.
PLEASE SEE THE STATUS OF KK AFTER 80`S,REFUSING TO RECORD WITH SHABBIR KUMAR WHO HAPPENED TO BE RAFI CLONE,KK AFTER RAFI SAAB`S WAS IN TOP LEAGUE BECAUSE OF BEING THE ONLY SINGER LEFT BEHIND.
HOPE THIS CLARIFIES WHO RULED HINDI FIL MUSIC IT WAS ONLY ONE & ONE RAFI SAAB TILL HIS DEATH.
May 21st, 2008 at 6:02 pm
To Mr xxx and ANil
Here is my top-20(I have included only solos and that too light /Sentimental songs only) between in the so called lean phase(1972-75).
Please tell me which one among them is not a ‘gem’
Haseen Dilruba(Roop tera Mstana-1972)
Na tu zameen keliye(Dastan-1972)
Ik na ik din yeh(Gora or Kala-1972)
Dil ne pyar kiya(Shararat-1972)
Dil ka soona saaz(Ek nari do roop-1973)
Tere naam ka deewana(Suraj or Chanda-1973)
Tum jo milgaye(Hnste Zakhm-1973)
Koi nahi hain mera(Samjotha-1973)
Din hain yeh bahaar(Love marriage-1973)
Apni amkhom mein(Toakkar-1973)
Aaj mousam(Loafer-1973)
Hum ko to jan se pyari(Naina-1973)
Nazar aati nahi manzil(Kanch or heera-1974) (I love to love this song for ever)
Teri galiyom mein(Hawaz-1974)
Zindagi abto tere naam se(Shantar-1974)
Koi phool na khila(Pap ki Gudiya-1974)
Mein vohi vohi baat(Nayadin naya raat-1974)
Yeh duniya nahi jaagir(Chawkidar-1974)
Aisa na hoke in wadiyom mein(Aakhri dao-1975)
Dostom mein koi baat chal jaati hain(Prem Kahani-1975)
Zindagi zinda dili ka naam(Zinda dil-1975)
May 21st, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Mr.Myk:
Thanks for replying. Could you tell us your views on how ‘chingarie….’, musafir hu yarron..’ and ‘mere naina…’ would have sounded if sung by Rafi sahab? Would they have been as popular?
Mr. Sanjay:
The song in question is ‘hai agar dushman…’, right? Have you noticed the voice modulation by Rafisahab in this song? The voice is quite heavy and a bit husky (the ideal tone/texture for a quawwali) while retaining the customary smoothness.
May 21st, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Arrora,
Stop day dreaming! RD preffered KK over Rafi because KK could deliver better than Rafi! In 60’s KK was way behind Rafi but in 70’s KK just dethroned Rafi. So don’t be jealous of KK. History cannot be changed with your day dreams. KK-Lata-RD-Asha combo ruled the 70’s and 80’s and Rafi ruled 50’s & 60’s. I love Rafi but i hate somebody disrespecting KK! Talking big things are always easy but no body yet can sing like Rafi or KK!
May 21st, 2008 at 1:56 pm
mr.myk i fuly endorse your views and in my opinion the rafi/rdb combo was more dealier and lethal than kk/rdb combo.
My only regret for pancham da,is that he did not give more ammunation to this deadly combo.
Just listen to the qawwali by rafi saab,in hum kisi se kum nahin ,it is rendered in such a way by rafi saab,it can safely be presumed that a qawwal who has done nothing but sung qawwalis in his entire life has rendered that qawwali.it is such a perfect melody starting with the taditional alaap of the qawwals.
hats off to the deadly rafi/rdb combo.
May 21st, 2008 at 1:48 pm
ref 676,it is simple human physcology,rafi saab is the greatest singer of all times,if you say lata ji is the greatest,than the question comes greater than rafi?it starts from here and everybody knows the answer.
May 21st, 2008 at 10:13 am
Mr. XXX,
Here is the link to the Rafi sad version of ‘Tum Bin Jaun Kahan’. You can download the song from the same page:
http://www.mohdrafi.com/meri-awaaz-suno/tum-bin-jaavun-kahan.html
In regards to folk music, I think Pancham was very talented in this aspect too. Dada Burman, LP and SJ were masters at this genre, but Pancham also composed beautiful folk-based songs. His songs with Rafi-saab in this genre as you mentioned are all fantastic. I don’t think Pancham gets as much credit when it comes to composing folk songs. Remember the start of the duet version of ‘Pucho na yaar kya hua’ with the Nepali chants, that gives you a picture of the hills and mountains, this song has a folk touch as well. ‘Deewana mujhsa nahin’ was also based on a Nepali folk song and Pancham turned it into a great song. There are many other folk type songs composed by Pancham but I think Caravan and Mela are his two best folk-based albums. They have a lot of variety in songs, melody, orchestration etc.
What do you think of the song “Dukh sukh ki har ik mala” by Rafi-saab from Kudrat ?. This version was again only in the film (like the Rafi sad version of “Tum bin jaun kahan”). The other version that released on albums was sung by Chandrashekhar Gadgil. I think the Rafi version is much better, its more soulful, and it has better music as well, with the haunting electric guitar, and the great rhythm.
——————
Mr. Anil Cherian,
I think it is because of unnecessary over-hype of the KK-RD combo that the Rafi-RD combo doesn’t quite get its due. If you look at the Rafi-RD combo, there is a lot of gold in it, and the quality to quantity ratio is very high. You can’t say the same about the KK-RD combo, they had a great run for a few years, but after 1975, RD’s tunes for KK began to dry up. Whereas for Rafi-RD, the gems are spread across time, the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, and their combo never dried up, it was always fresh, soothing, and everlasting.
May 21st, 2008 at 1:46 am
Could any body please explain me? about the messy thing happened between rafi saab and both sister lata and asha. what was reason why these sisters hate rafi saab…