Life of a true legend
© mohdrafi.com
Born in a middle class Muslim family with only a tender dream to sing, no one, not even Mohd Rafi himself would have thought about the glorious years to come and about the magic he would create for millions around him. At a young age, he moved to Lahore to train with Ghulam Ali Khan and learnt a lot from his teacher about Indian classical music. After satisfactorily learning, Mohd Rafi decided to make his career in play back singing.
Not many know, but he started his career with a Punjabi song for the film Gul Baloch. It was a duet with Zeenat Begum. Shyam Sunder, the composer, was impressed with this new voice and got the young man involved in his next project- Bazaar. From here there was no looking back as this was where the foundations were actually laid. Composer Firoz Nizami also recognized the potential in Rafi and together they created Rafi’s first ever hit- yaha badla wafa ka bewafai ke siva kya hai mohabbat karke bhi dekha mohabbat mein bhi dhoka hai for the film Jugnu and the line of producers started to grow longer over the years.
Though his future in playback singing was a sure shot hit, but his association with Naushad made it complete. Hindustan ke hum hain from the film Pehle Aap in 1944 marked their first hits together. From then on, they formed a formidable team and worked mostly with each other only. Naushad was criticized a number of times for having an almost exclusive arrangement with Rafi, but this left them unfazed. Tera khilona toota baalak tera khilona toota, hai kismet ne loota… from the film Anmol Khilona is one of the greatest hits that the two had together. Some other true jewels from the early days of their association are Ye zindagi ke mele from Mela, Suhani raat dhal chuki na jaane tum kab aaoge… from Dulari which is almost intoxicating, Tere kooche mein armanon ki duniya leke aaya hoon and Is duniya mein ae dilwalon dil ka lagaana khel nahin… both from the film Dillagi and Yahi armaan lekar aaj ghar se hum nikle… from the film Shabab.
During this time, Rafi proved that it was not only luck that made him Naushad’s blue eyed boy, because music directors and composers all over were beginning to acknowledge the fact that his talent was truly something. He began working on a regular basis with O.P. Nayyar, Shankar Jaikishen, S.D.Burman and other great directors of their time. Jin raaton mein neendh ud jaati hai… from the film Raat Ki Raani shows off Rafi in superb form, as does the song Akele mein woh ghabrate tho honge… from the film Beewee which shows Rafi in a different light altogether. Hum ishq mein barbad hain barbad rahenge… from the film Aankhen sows off a soulful side of the maestro and Mohabbat ke dhoke mein koi na aaye… from Badi Bahen depicts how he lends not only his voice to the actor, but also the right emotion.
Talking about lending emotions, there have been a variety of heroes who actually owe a huge chunk of their popularity to Mohd Rafi. The Indian film industry has always believed in dramatization and songs are the best medium it relies upon to communicate with the audience. So, in the given circumstances, a movie had greater chances of becoming a hit when the songs were popular. Rafi was a sure ticket to the box office lottery and with his innate talent, helped several leading men on their climb up to the epitome of success. One such actor is Dev Anand. Though a mega star of his times, the camaraderie that Dev Anand and Rafi shared showed on screen too as they slipped easily under each other’s skin. Dil ka bhanwar, Hum bekhudi mein, Khoya khoya chaand- all masterpieces showing Dev Anand as a romantic, an intoxicated heart throb and as a charismatic leading man making the hearts of the audience skip a beat - all this would not have the same magic were it not for Rafi’s mesmerizing voice.
Another very popular association was with the superstar Shammi Kapoor. Rafi’s voice and the actor’s pizzazz made a never seen before combination which the audience eagerly lapped up. Jawaaniyan yeh mast mast, Yun to humne lakh hansee dekhe hain, tumsa nahin dekha, Taareef karoon kya uski jisne tumhe banaya- numbers which are remembered and known even today for the sheer mastery of the song and actor- not easily achievable, but nothing out of the ordinary for the two experts.
Those were Rafi’s golden years. As many years before he had risen to stardom, it was someone else’s turn. This someone else turned out to be Kishore Kumar who became the first set back and actual threat to Rafi. All this began with the onset of another star in the horizon- Rajesh Khanna, who became the total rage with the film Aradhana. From then on, it was all the way up for the actor and his most popular voice- Kishore Kumar.
Another set back that reduced the popularity of the great singer Rafi was that most of his associates and music directors were also being slowly displaced by the influx of newer talent like R.D Burman, who incidentally was also a major cause for the falling demand for Rafi. Most of the older Rafi loyalists too had to go in for other options because of pressures from producers and the audience.
Still, the magic might have become dusty, but was far from being extinguished. Even in the late seventies, Rafi gave some master performances in films like Karz, Hum Kisise Kum Nahi, Amar Akbar Anthony and Sargam.
The last recording that Rafi ever did was for the movie Aas Paas. He passed away on the 31st of July, 1980 after having a massive heart attack. His death created shock waves throughout the nation and many could not believe that a veteran, a true talent was no longer there.
But for all those who miss him and missed his glory years, we have innumerable records and albums marking his genius and revel in something that can never be taken from us- his music and his magical voice.
April 30th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
LOVERAFI IS COMPARING DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLAYER. SACHIN IS MAINLY A BATSMAN, WASIM AKRAM IS A BOWLER, SACHIN WAS A BETTER BATTER IN YESTERYEARS BUT NOT NOW, PONTING IS A MATCH WINNER AND TODAY’S NO.1 BATSMAN, LARA IS A LEGEND. SOBER’S WAS AN ALLROUNDER AND SO FAR THE BEST ONE. NO ONE HAS COME EVEN CLOSE TO HIM, NOT EVEN IMRAN KHAN. RAFI SAHAB WAS AN ALLROUNDER. HE COULD SING ALL. NOT EVEN LATA CAN COME CLOSE TO HIM.
April 28th, 2007 at 11:05 pm
That what I want to Clear to Mr. Pearl that there is no one in any field of the world who can reach this popularity.
I love Rafi Sahab.
April 28th, 2007 at 5:59 pm
Please do not compare the cricketers with Rafi Saheb…. Rafi Saheb apne aap ek misaal hai…… No one can touch Rafi Saheb.
April 28th, 2007 at 11:43 am
If Sachin tendulker is legend, There is wasim akram,brain lara, Ricky pointing and many more. I found everyone has someone more than him. But there is no one who is more than Rafi Sahab. If someone says he/she is foooool.
April 28th, 2007 at 1:52 am
Rafi Saheb jaisa koi nahin hai……..
rafi saheb ne sab ke liye gaya………..zindagi ke har roop ko gaya…
un ki aawaz ka jadu har jaga shaya….
April 28th, 2007 at 12:00 am
I fully agree with sayed zaka, Rafi Saheb jaisa koi nahin hai……..
April 27th, 2007 at 11:04 pm
dear pearl u r wrong there is only one legend he is rafi and only rafi forever
sayedzakarahim@yahoo.com
April 27th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
Sir Pearl,
offourse Mohd Rafi is not legend in India but he is only one of so few in India he didn’t got he should,If u compare SJ or naushand or madan Mohan with RD u will see how they made RD a legend.
Do u think that Lata ji got Bharat Ratna award is it right u don’t think this award should gave before Lata ji to many other Legend?
April 27th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Dear Unknown,
Who said bad about Rafi ? no one I guess, it’s your love, respect for Rafi that you are saying
all these. “We can’t do this, can’t do that only Rafi can do that. God and all.”
Believe me, there are so many great people in India, we are just ignoring them.
My point is Rafi is a great singer and a legend but not the only legend.
Don’t critise Sachin or others.
April 27th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
Rafi is indeed a legend, so are Sir Donald Bradman and Sachin.
But it is unfortunate that “Sachin is never regarded as great as Don”. Same thing can
be applied to Zidane and Pele. Zidane is no less than Pele in sheer skills. Same goes for
Sachin and Don. It’s time that makes it a difference. 30, 40s cricket were quite different
from 90s and 00s cricket.
I regard Zidane as a great soccer player as I do Pele, I regard Sachin as a great player
as I do Don. Just statistics can’t prove one is greater than the other. There are so many
points to consider.
April 26th, 2007 at 10:31 pm
Anmol - very right…
I will need many tablets for headache if I have to hear new
tuneless, soul-less, made in a hurry songs.
so i do not listen to them….
binu nair
April 26th, 2007 at 9:30 pm
Please for God’s sake, do not compare Sachin to Rafi Saheb.
April 26th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
THE COMPLETE NAME IS MOHAMMAD RAFI NOT MOHD RAFI. MOHAMMAD RAFI IS GREAT SINGER, NO ONE CAN ACHEIVE THAT SINGING STYLE OR VOICE IN WHICH HIDDEN MANY DISTINCT FACES — HAPPINESS, SORROW, MADNESS IN LOVE, AND MANY MORE WITHIN ORIGINALITY
April 26th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
Dear Sir
As I think u should not compare Mohd Rafi with Sachin or any one,as i think Sachin should get Bharat Ratna award he is playing great role for his country,he is one of the best in world why not to be great in his country yes agree is not great as before but still be is good.
when we speak about Mohd Rafi he is almost great the real greatness of Mohd Rafi was he singed for any one poor or rich,great actor or unknow actor and new MD or famous MD,when people spoke bad about Mohd Rafi he didn’t answer them and also worked for them but Sachin can’t do that, not only Sachin can’t as u human we all can’t but Mohd Rafi is something else made once by God maybe………
April 26th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
Well said Mehtab Ji.
Today’s songs cause headaches. Well driving when I listen to FM radio, except for screaming and shouting there is nothing to hear.
April 26th, 2007 at 10:35 am
All the Respected fans of Rafi Sahib,
I am fully agreed with Mr. Binu Nair that we should not compare the great singer Rafi sahib with Sachin. Rafi Sahib is (not was) all time the Greatest. None would never be able to imitate him. The sweetness like Rafi Sahib’s voice is/will be unavailable in this Universe. Such personality, as Rafi sahib had, is also rare in this selfish world. A friend of mine Mr. K. G. Anand met Rafi Sahib in 1967. According to Mr. Anand,”We, the four friends, while doing Chemical Engineering, went to a studio. Rafi sahib came a little later. Rafi sahib then didn’t know, which song to sing/record that day. He rehearsed only for half an hour and the recording was OK. The song was for the film (….?…) of I.S. Johar & the Music Director was Ram Lal. I had a Sikh friend with me. On seeing him, Rafi sahib talked with us in pure Punjabi language. We told him about us in brief. I asked the Great singer ‘which song of himself, he likes most’, he answered ‘O Duniya ke Rakhwale’ (Baiju Bawra). He said,”I sang a song today with only half an hour rehearsel. But I rehearsed the song ‘O Duniya ke Rakhwale’ for a month. As the song had a ultra high pitch, the blood got secreted from my throat. Today, I can’t even repeat that song.”
Such dedication is absolutely absent in today’s singers. Recently, a so-called modern singer (who always copy another singer of yesteryears and at present is permanently sitting idle at his home) boasted before the press that he has the world-record of 39 songs, which he got recorded in a single day. I want to tell that copy-singer that it is not a world-record at all, rather it is a tragedy for all of us and for the Indian music as well. How can such singers talk of hardwork or distinctive minuteness or extraordinary art? We should say that world is running very fast towards to become ultra-modern but when the world hears the songs of Rafi sahib, everything is forced to go standstill only due to the great hardwork done by the Music Directors, Lyricists & Rafi Sahib himself. May God provide such ‘modern singers’ such a brain to understand the toilsomeness for the sake of Music, Lyrics & Rafi Sahib.
–MEHTAB (Chandigarh, India), +919815703226, E-Mail : mehtabmasih@yahoo.co.in
April 26th, 2007 at 12:33 am
Dear irony 81,
Sachin is losing form regularly hence pls do not compare
Legend Rafi with him.
You may compare Rafi Saab with Sir Donald Bradman…..
the badshah of cricket…
Rafi saab will always remain the badshah of singing…..
binu nair
April 25th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
God made only one Mohammed Rafi Saheb, He created sweetness in Rafi Saheb’s voice, so no question of a better voice than Rafi Saheb in future.
April 25th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
Quiet OK there was nothing new in this article. one thing I want to describe that there was no bad days or good days in rafi saab carrier. He was throughout a legend singer no body can deny except media as they did after ARADHNA although there are superb nos of Rafi saab for the same period.,
and one thing also I want to discuss there was only Rafi who can take risk with new comers either music director or new heroes because he knew tha t it will not effect his carrier as he was confidence in him No body can take risk like him while others see after reaching peak Banner No. 1, Producers No.1, music director No.1, Hero No. 1 and etc. It all shows rafi saab greatness and confidence who worked under all circumstances
sayedzakarahim@yahoo.com
April 25th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
Quiet OK there was nothing new in this article. one thing I want to describe that there was no bad days or good days in rafi saab carrier. He was through a legend singer no body can deny except media as they did after ARADHNA although there are superb nos of Rafi saab for the same period.,
and one thing also I want to discuss there was only Rafi who can take risk with new comers either music director or new heroes because he knew tha t it will not effect his carrier as he was confidence in him No body can take risk like him while others see after reaching peak Banner, No. 1 Producers, No.1 music director, No.1 Hero and etc. It all shows rafi saab greatness and confidence who worked under all circumstances
April 25th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
I DIFFER WITH HUSSEIN JI. I HAVE HEARD MANY VOICES AROUND THE GLOBE, FROM KS SAIGAL TO BOB MERLY, FROM KISHORE TO ELVIS, FROM LATA TO MARIAH CARREY, FROM DALER MEHENDI TO HIMESH, FROM HEMANT TO FRANK SINATRA. I HAVE HEARD BANGLA, HINDI, FRENCH, CHINESE, KOREAN, THAI, ENGLISH, BRIZILLIAN MUSIC. AND YET I HAVN’T HEARD A BETTER SINGER THAN RAFI JI. SO HUSSEIN JI IS MAY BE RIGHT THAT RAFI SAAB WAS AND IS STILL THE NO.1 SINGER IN THE WORLD. BUT NO ONE CAN SAY ABOUT THE FUTURE EXCEPT ALMIGHTY GOD. MAY BE A CHILD IS BORN RIGHT NOW WHO WILL ONDAY BECOME ANOTHER RAFI OR EVEN BETTER THAN HIM, WHO KNOW? HUSSEIN JI SAID OUT OF EMOTION AND I UNDERSTAND THAT FULLY. WE ALL LOVE RAFI.
TO THOSE KISHORE CRAZY FANS WHO SAY THAT RAFI WAS TRAINED AND KISHORE WASN’T, SO KISHORE WAS THE BETTER, SACHIN IS MUCH MORE TRAINED BUT AFRIDI CAN NEVER BE LIKE SACHIN EVEN IF AFRIDI BE TRAINED. SO COME TO THE POINT. KISHORE WAS A BETTER JOKER THAN A SINGER.
April 25th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
rafi sahab u r great
April 25th, 2007 at 9:12 am
Rafi saabs life is a fairy tale - story of a farishta whom the
gods sent - to sing and make the world a better place.
During this course, rafi sang the most difficult songs, sang for
all actors notably three generation of actors from the Kapoor
clan, had nobody to match including all the Mangeshkar sisters,
countered the Kishore-Rajesh Khanna wave and the Bengali
lobby intrigues, sang for rupee one on many many occassions
and helped the needy without publicity.
Few singers worked behind the scenes but they are now
regretting it - now it seems . Rafi saabs popularity has only
increased in the last music less 27 years.
Rafi saab rose to the top and went away from us after conquering
back the top position. A true legend and a Vishva Ratna……..
April 25th, 2007 at 5:12 am
thanks to mohdrafi.com
April 24th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
Rafi Saheb had learnt classical music from various renowed classical singers and he mentained it till last, he was an all rounder, any song he could sing with ease, he gave what music directors wanted. No music directors ever complained on Rafi Saheb. Even those music directors [e.g. C. Ramchandra, Salil Chaudhry, etc…] who rarely used Rafi Saheb were forced to record songs from the legend. In short, Rafi Saheb was, is and will be the # 1 singer of all time. No one can replace him, those who claim to be Rafi Saheb’s clone are just temporary fad. Rafi Saheb will be missed till world ends and it’s a fact!
Hussein Sheikh, Bujumbura, Burundi, Central Africa