This article is written by Mr. H.V.Guru Murthy

The sixties saw the emergence of two Bengali heroes on Hindi Screen, Biswajeet and Joy Mukherjee. The former was a serious threat to the great Uttam Kumar on the Bengali Screen and the latter was from the famous S.Mukherjee family. Though limited in talent, they were lucky to get the best songs of Sixties and the decade saw huge hits of these two Actors. Of course, Rafi was the main play back singer for both these actors and played a major role in their stardom.

Biswajeet to start with had Hemanta Kumar as his singer in films like Bees Saal Baad, Rahgir, Bin Badal Barsaat, Majboor, Kohra, etc. But once Rafi started singing for him, he rose like a meteor. Majboor with KA as MD (Solo ‘Woh Baat’), April Fool with SJ (Title song, ‘Meri Mohabbat’, the super melodious ‘Aa Gale Lagza’, ‘Kehdo-Kehdo’ with Lata and the evergreen duet with Suman ‘Tuze Pyaar Karte Hain’), Mere Sanam with OP (four solos including one of the best romantic solo of Indian Cinema – ‘Pukarta Chala Hun Main’, ‘Huye Hain Tumpe Aashiq Hum’, ’Humdum Mere’, ‘Tukade Hain Mere Dilke’ and three duets with Asha – ‘Roka Kayi Baar Maine’, ‘Haanji Haanji Haanji Are Hanji Baba’ and the wonderful ‘Humne To Dilko Aapke’), Yeh Raat Phir Na Aayegi with OP again (Two super duets with Asha – ‘Phir Miloge Kabhi’ and ‘Aapase Maine Meri Jaan’), Shahanai with Ravi (Title song, ‘Na Zhatako Julf Se Paani’, ‘Kitni Jawan Hain Zindagi’ picturised on both Biswajeet and Johny Walker and the duet with Asha – ‘Sadiyon Purani’), Kaise Kahun with SD (‘Kisiki Mohabbat Me’ with Asha and the solos – ‘Zindagi Ko Zhoomle Jara’ and another song picturised in a Radio Station apart from the classical opening song, lyrics of which I am not getting), Sagai with Ravi again (‘Na Ye Zamin Thi’ with Asha), Do Dil with Hemant Kumar as MD (Solo ‘Tera Husan Rahe Mera Isq Rahe’ another super melodious song and the duet with Aarti Mukhrerjee ‘Kara Mora Kajara Churaya Toone’), Night In London with LP (Two solos – ‘O My Love’ and ‘Bahosho Hawaaz Me Deewana’ and two duets – Title song with Asha and ‘Baagh Me Phool Kisane Churaye Hain’ with Lata), Biwi Aur Makaan (Wonderful solo ‘Jaagi Jaagi Ankhiyon Ke Sapnon Me’), Do Kaliyan with Ravi (Two duets with Lata – the popular ‘ Tumhari Nazar’ and the not so popular ‘Ye Sama Ye Rut Ye Nazare’) , Vaasna with Chitraguptha (the excellent duet with Lata – ‘Ye Parbaton Ke’ and the solo ‘Itni Nazuk Na Bano’. The hit solo ‘Aaj Is Tarah Pilado’ and ‘Kis Tarah Jeete Hain’ were picturised on Raaj Kumar), Hare Kaanch Ki Choodiyan (A solo and the wonderful hit duet with Asha – ‘Panchi Re O Panchi’), ‘Ae Meri Zindagi Tu Nahi Ajnabhi’ a duet with Lata from Pyaar Ka Sapna of MD LP and the soul stirring solo from Mumtaz starrer Shararat - ‘Dilne……. Pyaar Kiya Hai Ek Bewafase’ of MD Ganesh.

Joy Mukherjee was lucky to have Rafi in Love In Simla, Ek Musafir Ek Hasina with OP (Two solos – ‘Muzhe Dekhakar’ and ‘Humko Tumhare’ apart from the four duets with Asha – three super hits ‘Aap Yuhni Agar Humse Milte Rahe’, ‘Bahut Shukriya’, the beautiful ‘Mai Pyaar Ka Rahi Hun’ and the not so popular ‘O Yaar Zulfonwale’), Phir Wahi Dil Laya Hoon of vintage Rafi and Asha with OP Nayyar (solos – ‘Lakhon hai Nigahon Me’, Title song, ‘Aanchal Me Sazalena Kaliyan’, ‘Aji Kibala Moha Tarama’ and the two duets ‘Door Bahut Mat Jayiye’ and ‘Zulfaki Chaon Me Chehre Ka Ujala Lekar’), Jiddi with SD Burman’s music (Duet with Lata – ‘Champakali’ and solos – ‘Pyyar Ki Manzil Masta Safar’ and ‘Janoo Kya Mera Dil’), Love In Tokyo with SJ (Solos – Title song, the Do Pehlu ‘O Mere Chahe Khuba’ and the sensuous ‘Aajare Aa Jara’), Humsaya with OP (solo – ‘Dil Ki Awaz Bhi Sun’ and the duet with who else but Asha ‘Tera Shukriya’), Ishara with KA ( Do Pehlu ‘Dil Bekaraar Sa Hai’ and the two duets with Lata of which ‘Yeh Abdullah’ became a big hit), Ek Kali Muskayee with Madan Mohan (‘Title song’ and ‘Zulfa Bhikharati Chali Aai Ho’), Jee Chahata Hai with KA (Solo – Title song and the melodious ‘Humne Dekha Hai Tumhe’ and again the title song with Suman and also ‘Meri Zindagi Tere Pyaar Me’ with Suman but picturised mainly on Rajendranath), Shagird with LP (Two hilarious solos ‘Duniya Pagal Hai’ and ‘Bade Miya Deewane’ of course Mannadey sings few lines in the end for IS Johar apart from the lilting duet with Lata – ‘Woh Hai Zara Kafa Kafa’), Bahu Beti with Ravi (that beautiful Ghazal – ‘Subme Shamil Ho Magar’, Door Ki Awaaz with Ravi (Solos – ‘Husna Se Chaand Bhi Sharmaya Hai’, ‘Dil Mera Aaj Kho Gya Hai Kahin’ and ‘Ek Musafir Ko Duniya Me’ on Johny Walker and duets with Asha – ‘Haathon Me Haath’ and ‘Hum Bhi Agar Bachche Hote’), Aao Pyaar Kare with Usha Khanna (Solos – ‘Dilke Aayine Main’ and ‘Ye Jhuki Jhuki Nigahen Teri’ apart from the popular duet with Lata – ‘Tum Kabhi Bagh Me Jaya Na Karo’ in two parts), Saanz Aur Aawaaz with Naushad (the classical solo title song apart from the solo ‘Dilki Mehfil Sazhi Hai’ and two duets with Asha ‘Pyaar Ki Raah Bahar Ki Manzil’ and the super melodious ‘Tum Ishq Ki Mehfil Ho’).

Unfortunately, when KK emerged in the late sixties, Biswajeet switched over to KK in ‘Mai Sundar Hoon’ and other movies and faded away. Similarly the differences between Rafi and OP resulted in OP using Mahendra Kapoor in films like Kismat, (‘Lakhon Hain Yahan Dilwale’ and ‘Aankhon Me Kayamat Ke Kajal’), Kahin Din Kahin Raat (‘Tumhara Chahanewala’, ‘Kamar Patali Nazar Bijli’ and ‘O Yaron Ki Tamanna Hai’ on Johny Walker) in Biswajeet movies and Dil Aur Mohabbat (‘Kahan Se Laayi’ and ‘Haath Aaya Hai’) in Joy Mukherjee movies. Though these songs carried the OP class, still they could not make the impact that Rafi perhaps could have done. That perhaps resulted in the fading of not only Biswajeet and Joy Mukherjee but also OP Nayyar in spite of movies like Ek Baar Muskurado (Can any one forget Rafi’s ‘Zamane Ki Yadon Ne’ a song sung at high pitch) and Sambandh, which also had hit songs with KK, Mahendra, Mukesh and Hemant.

These two actors were also aided by top hit songs of Asha and Lata like ‘Kazra Mohabbatwala’, ‘Aao Huzur Tumko’, ‘Jayiye Aap Kahan Jayenge’, ‘Yeh Hai Reshami’, ‘O Bekarare Dil’, ‘Huzurewala’, ‘Yahi Woh Jaga Hai’, Title song of ‘Hare Kaanch Ki Choodiyan’, etc. for Biswajeet movies and ‘Ankhon Se Jo Utari’, ‘Udke Pawan Ke Sang Chalungi’, ‘Dil Vil Pyaar Vyaar’, ‘Sayonara’, ‘Muzhe Tum Milgaye Humdum’, ‘Ye Meri Zindagi’, etc. for Joy Mukherjee movies.

Any how till it lasted, we had great team of Rafi with Biswajeet and Joy Mukherjee with super entertainment and super melodious songs.

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