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

Rafi Saab has sung innumerable songs for top actors as well as other side actors, back-ground songs, etc. Rafiji also excelled in singing hit songs for Comedians. In fact, of all the Playback Singers, perhaps Rafiji has given the maximum hits to Comedians.

Mehmood was one top comedian in the sixties to whom Rafiji has given the maximum songs. In fact, singing for Mehmood was difficult what with his typical Hyderabadi / Tamil Hindi in most of his films, but still Rafiji always never gave the feeling for the audience to differentiate between the on screen actor and playback singer.

The first song which comes to anybody’s mind is “Hum Kaale Hai To Kya Hua” from GUMNAAM in which Mehmood also sang few lines. Very imaginatively picturised, this song was a craze in those days. Picturised on the same Zodi of Mehmood and Helen was “Badkamma Badkamma” from SHATRANJ with Sharada. “Kahun Kya” from GINNY AUR JHONNY had the same pair apart from “Main Hun Jaani Tera” from Sunil Dutt – Asha Parekh starrer BHAI BHAI.

Mohd Rafi and Mehmood

Mehmood and Shubha Kote were also a hit pair on whom “Ajhuna Aaye Balama” was picturised. In fact this song if I am correct won a National Award. In the same movie SAANZ AUR SAVERA, Mehmood had a serious song “Zindagi Muzhko Dikhade Rasta”. Another hit song was “O Gori Chalo Na Hans Ki Chaal” from BETI BETE.

Othe Rafi – Mehmood songs were “Parda Hatade Mukhda Dikhade” from Sanjay – Padmini starrer, “Mehabooba Mehabooba” from SADHU AUR SHAITAAN. “Yeh Teri Sadagi ……… Taubashiqan” and “Maine Rakha Hai Mohabbat” from SHABANAM, which had Mehmood as hero. WARIS had a “Medley of hilarious songs” from Rafi and Asha. “O Mama O Mama” from PARVARISH sung by Rafi and Mannadey was also picturised on Mehmood. “Yeh Phurnur Chehra” from MOHABBAT ZINDAGI HAI was also a super song. Rafi and Asha also sang for Mehamood and Moushami in EK BAAP CHE BETE.

Singing for Jhonny Walker was much more difficult due to his peculiar voice. It is to Rafiji’s greatness that he could sing so many popular songs for JW. “Sar Jo Tera Chakraye” from PYAASA immediately comes to mind apart from “Ae Dil Hai Mushqil Jeena Yahan” from CID with Geeta Dutt. KAGAZ KE PHOOL also had “Jeena Mushqil Marna Mushqil” and SHAHANAI had “Kitni Jawan Hai Zindagi” picturised on both JW and Biswajeet. DUNIYA had a popular number “Tu Hi Meri Lakshmi Tu Hi Meri Chaya”. In DOOR KI AWAAZ, “Ek Musafir Ko Duniyame” was a song hilariously picturised in a train.

Johnny Walker in Sar Jo Tera Chakaraye

Though Mehmood frequently had Manna Dey in very many films as his Singer (Ziddi, Love in Tokyo, Bhoot Bangla, Poornima, Padosan, etc.) apart from KK (Bhoot Bangla, Kunwara Baap, Ginny Aur Jhonny, Lakhon Me Ek, etc.) and JW had Mahendra Kapoor (Kahin Din Kahin Raat), still it was Rafi who really suited both these great Comedians.

The other great comedian of that era Rajendranath perhaps had only one song from Rafi “Meri Zindagi Tere Pyaar Me” from JEE CHAHTA HAI, which incidentally was a serious song.

Rafiji also sang for Brahmachari, “Rekha O Rekha” in ADHIKAR and a “Medley of hilarious songs” in EK PHOOL DO MALI sung by Rafi and Asha.

“Chali Chali Patanga Meri Chali Re” from CHOTI BAHEN with Lataji as Co-singer was for Jagdeep.

MAIN CHUP RAHUNGI also had a “Medley of hilarious songs” sung by Rafi and Lata which was perhaps first of its kind in Hindi Film Industry.

I understand once Jesudas, the famous Singer remarked that God was partial to Rafi Saab as he endowed Rafi Saab with all “KHUBIYAS” of a Singer. How true he was! Rafi could sing for heroes, side actors, comedians and even Villains with equal ease whether it was a romantic number, patriotic, serious, classical, Yahoo type, Lori, Bhazan, qawali, pop or any other type of song. No wonder even after 27 years, Rafi is loved, admired and worshipped.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 10th, 2007 at 7:19 pm and is filed under Meri Awaaz Suno. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.