By J.K. Bhagchandani

Dev Anand

‘India’s youngest star dies at 88’ read the heading in the ‘Times of India’ on Dec. 05, 2011, and that I think, aptly summed up the persona of Dev saab. His zest, zeal and enthusiasm emitted so much of positive energy that ordinary mortals like us can only applaud at the sidelines.

The anecdote that defines the Dev Saab’s concept of a film (or his life for that matter) goes back to early seventies. It was when he declined the offer of film ‘Zanjeer’ as the film did not have any song picturized on him. An eternal romantist that he was, a movie without such musical ingredient, was not the type Dev saab would feel at home. That was the kind of importance he gave to the film’s music. The super success of that film ‘Zanjeer’ (which commissioned Amitabh Bachan to the subsequent immortality) may spur some analysts to declare the incident as ‘a missed opportunity’ or ‘a great professional blunder’ but not Dev Saab himself. (more…)

By Achal Rangaswamy

Rafi Sahab with Dev and Pancham

Dev saab entered the warm and nicely furnished room.

He wasn’t surprised to see a very familiar and smiling face.  It was his voice, the voice that had sung so many of his romantic songs, sad songs, happy songs and patriotic songs. In fact he had been wondering who was the most likely person he would meet when he walked in here. (more…)

By IANS

Dev Anand

From “Baazi” in 1951 to “Chargesheet” in 2011, it was an untrammeled joyride through six decades of Bollywood. It’s curtains for the ageless Dev Anand, who oversaw the growth of the Hindi film industry from the black and white era to technicolour, and leaves behind a unique legacy of a star who had moved way beyond his cinematic works.

He acted, he directed and produced… almost till the end with his last film “Chargesheet” being released this year when he was all of 88 and still raring to go, as ebullient and ageless as ever. Reviewing “Chargesheet”, a well known critic put against the rating “irrelevant”. It truly didn’t matter by then whether the film was good or bad. The much loved legend had given so much through the years that he was forgiven almost everything. (more…)

By IANS

Rafi Sahab and Dev Anand

Fans of Dev Anand woke up to a rude Sunday morning shock as the news of the legendary actor’s passing away in London unfolded here. His long-time driver has been unable to stop his tears.

The legend died of heart attack Saturday in London. He was 88.

A close aide of the deceased actor, Chandra Shekhar, (himself 89), said he was ‘shaken’ when he heard the news from a friend, the first thing this morning. (more…)

By Souvik Chatterji

Shankar and Shammi with Rafi Sahab

The viewers of bollywood films wish happy birthday to rock and roll star Shammi Kapoor on 21st October, 2011. He died this year making huge number of audience sad. He had remained a dancing sensation in the 60s.

Shammi Kapoor is also admired a lot by a big section of music lovers because most of the hit songs of the 50s and 60s belonged to him and the legendary singer Mohammad Rafi had sung immense number of brilliant songs for the stylish actor. (more…)

By: H.A.K. Walijah

A tribute to the forgotten legend – Shamshad Begum

Mohd Rafi

There are few singers for whom the listener feels such personal & emotional attachment as for Mohammad Rafi, for few have so eminently possessed the magic gift of identifying themselves with their singing. We hear his songs every day, and grow into familiar intimacy with him as we listen. The artless benevolence that beams throughout his singing; the whimsical, yet amiable views of human life and human nature; the unforced humor, blending so happily with good feeling and good sense, and singularly dashed at times with a pleasing melancholy; even the very nature of his mellow, flowing, and softly-tinted style, all seem to bespeak his moral as well as his intellectual qualities, and make us love the man at the same time that we admire the singer. While the other singers of loftier pretension and more sounding names are suffered to molder on our shelves, those of Mohammad Rafi are cherished and laid in our bosoms. We do not quote them with ostentation, but they mingle with our minds, sweeten our tempers, and harmonize our thoughts; they put us in good humor with ourselves and with the world, and in so doing they make us happier and better listeners. (more…)

By Mannoth Vijayan

Rafi Sahab Drawn with his song lines

I am a native of Badagara in Calicut District within Kerala State. When I was 10 years old, the Film “Chowdavin ka Chand” was running in a theatre at Badagara. During that time the advertisement of film was given in a trolley which was run manually with posters of the film pasted on both sides, so that public can see from either side. The old HMV gramophone player was used to play the music in the film. At that time, I heard the song “Chaudavin ka Chand ho” of the great singer. I was thrilled to hear that and I ran towards the main road which was about 1 Km from my house, to get the lyrics book of that film used to be sold by the trolleymen at a cost 10 paise ,during that time. (more…)

by Rtn. Vidyut Shenoy

Transforming audience to fans

IFRM stands for International Fellowship of Rotarian Musicians. (The author Rtn. Vidyut Shenoy is the Core-Committee member of its Dist. 3190 Chapter).

IFRM Dist 3190 chose the redoubtable Indian singing icon Mohammad Rafi’s 31st death anniversary to put up an event showcasing his songs. Chairman Rtn. Manoj Agarwal and IFRM India’s Regional Director Rtn. Nagesh Sidhanti worked tirelessly behind the scenes to arrange ‘Meri Awaaz Suno‘, an event named after one of Rafi Sahab’s everlasting numbers. (more…)

By Souvik Chatterji

Mohd Rafi with Lata Mangeshkar and Jaikishan

Mohammad Rafi is considered to be one of the greatest playback singer that India had ever produced. Right from the early 40s till 1980 when he died, he was the ruler of playback singing in bollywood films. 1960 was a very notable year for Mohammad Rafi.

Few of the films where he had sung landmark songs were probably masterpieces. The lyrics and the compositions were the best in the history of bollywood music. For example his song in the film Chaudavi Ka Chand had the landmark song “chaudavi ka chand ho ya aaftab ho job hi ho tum khuda ki kasam lajawab ho” composed by Ravi can be considered as one of the ten greatest songs, Rafi had ever sung. The song was picturized on Guru Dutt. (more…)

By P. Haldar

Shammi Kapoor in Junglee

That was his voice, ranging from here to there, just like the skies. Fifty years ago, when the actor came sliding down a snow-covered slope like an avalanche, he and his voice morphed into one. A junglee was born. And 31 years after the voice left him, he joins his “asman se aya farishta” voice. Thirty one:  3 and 1.  Shammi Kapoor was born in 1931. Rafi left us on July 31. Both of them left us on the 13th day of Ramadan.

31 is a prime number.

31 = 10 X 3 + 1. Ten hat-tricks plus one. (more…)