Dil Jo Na Keh Saka
This article is written by Ms. Chandni
What could have been a better way to express the choked emotions in a love triangle than this song? The movie ‘Bheegi Raat’ (1965) had a number of very melodious songs including this ‘Dil Jo Na Kehesaka’. This is a song that has been marked as an all time Rafian hit. Sang on a rather high note with a suppressed chuckle, it suits the majestic persona of Pradeep Kumar.
Rafi, Roshan, Majrooh Sultanpuri, a trio that is synonymous with music par excellence. The song ‘Dil Jo Na Kehesaka’ has Rafi written all over it. It is so like his type of music that the charisma simply binds you in its engrossing charm. Music, words and voice all seem so perfectly weaved into a symmetric blend that it simply touches the very soul. Rafi has sung quite a number of sad songs but what sets this song apart or the puts this ahead of the list is the ability to blend different emotions into the song.
Listen to the song, or watch the video below.
Let’s talk about the song and the picturization and how Rafi’s voice gave the song the everlasting punch it required. As in any archetypal love triangle, we have misunderstanding, heartbreaks and outbursts. A situation when a person feels being cheated, a culmination of his choked emotions works him up and finally the emotional flare-up is but inevitable. This was the situation in ‘Bheegi Raat’ (starred by Ashok Kumar, Meena Kumari and Pradeep Kumar) when Pradeep Kumar is expressing his emotions for an estranged Meena Kumari, through a song. The song required to be very powerfully sung as it had pain accompanied by suppressed emotions and was tainted with irony all over. Nobody but Rafi could have brought in the power it required.
Mohd Rafi with Fans
Rafi had mastered the art of putting the right note for the every song that he sang. He would get to the heart of the character himself, much like an actor, trying to get into the shoes of the character. This was the very reason why every song that he sang would have a very personalized tone and feeling. Not only Rafi Fans but anyone who listens to this song would agree on this point that it could not have been sang in better manner. The feel of the voice, the sense of being wronged, sad yet standing very strong, matches the expressions of Pradeep Kumar to the perfection.
Mohd Rafi
As the wordings go, the tone varies from one phrase to the other, the pain, the chuckle, the irony everything has been well-timed and expressed well. As the lyrics go ‘Mubarak tumhein, Kisi ki larazti si bahon mein, Rehne ki raat Aayi.’ the tone takes a sad note, with ‘Chaliye Mubarak, Jashn Dosti Ka, Daaman Tho Thama, Aapne Kisi Ka,’ it is satirical and with ‘Aaj Dil Ki Queemat, Jaam Se Bhi Ham Hai,’ it takes a certain chuckle. The many variations have their own turn in the song, with each surpassing the other. Putting life to the song, all the three of the legendary men here have done justice to each other and given each other the space to show their matchless talent.
March 2nd, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Not many females write comments, much less an entire article, on male singers. Ms. Chandni deserves special thanks for providing us with good articles in the recent times. I also happened to stumble upon another article by yet another young woman on her blog, the link to which I am giving below for information of all :
http://lordlabak.blogspot.com/2008/02/hindi-music-in-tamilnadu.html
there is a video song attached to the article too. Readers may visit her blog and read the article and post their comments. thanks.
March 2nd, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Dear H.V.GURU MURTHY,
Thank u sir. yes right. But music director roshanji gave remarkable music on it and also rafisahab. really fantastic.
shashank_72@rediffmail.com
March 1st, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Chandniji,
Another superb song and a cute article describing the event….
We as Rafi sahab’s poojaris expect more such articles from ur side.
well done keep it up.
The song sung had a Rafi mania touch with good lyricsl composed by melody of music Roshanji.
My observation is that Lataji’s version was good but somehow lagged behind Rafi sahab.
Also I agree Pradeep kumar like Rajendra kumar doesn’t emote well in any song but Rafi sahab with his music comrades alone make the songs super hit.
what an effort?
March 1st, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Mr.Manish Kumar,
Yes. Lata Mangeshkar demanded female version of “Ehsan tera…
When she went to Jaikishan for learning another song, she happened to hear the song, and she asked for a female version. Matter was conveyed to producer and director who were in Kasmir, and they agreed with the consent of hero Shammi kapoor. They shot the song with Rafi’s version and the song was recorded later when the unit returned to Mumbai. There are couple of other songs also, which L.M has demanded whenever she liked the Rafi version. But Rafi sab has never done something like that. He was
content with whatever he has got.
March 1st, 2008 at 7:04 am
well done ms chandni - i was very interested to read your account. i myself am captivated by this song every time i hear it. as listeners we encounter a variety of emotions and it is all thanks to rafi sahib’s exceptional rendition and interpretation.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:40 pm
One silver lining in this song which most of us are obviously aware..in the concluding portion of the song Rafi Sahab just lets go the singing for probably less than a minute - in the movie when Pradeep Kumar to his surprise does not see Meena Kumari (when she goes away) for that minute. The picturisation is awesome but Rafi Sahab’s equally matching emtional outburst with that lull for a minute is really the breathtaking moment, I guess.
Regards
Chandan
9841071388
February 29th, 2008 at 11:09 pm
kb iyer
are you suggesting that lata asked for a female version after hearing the melody of ehsan tera hoga mujhpe? sorry if misunderstood you. thanks.
- manish
February 29th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
Yes, very good song. Roshan is known for Raga “Yaman” which is very close to his heart. Whenever he composes a song on Yaman , he comes at his best. If you form a list of best 10 songs on Yaman, Roshan will feature at least 6 songs in tghe list. As once Music director Omi(Sonik) told me that he was assistant to Roshan in those days and also when the song of Bheegi Rath was recorded, He says that Rafi sab was very punctual for rehersals, there were ten rehersals, if he is called at 8 in the night he will reach at 7 evening and wait outside the bunglow, in the compound and will be practising the song., and will go inside only when he is called. Omi also said that Rafi was very of being a Punjabi, and was very close and shared a special relationship with Punjabi Mds like Roshan, Madan Mohan and OP. He contributed something special to their songs. Lata’s repeation of the song was not actually planned. After hearing this beautiful melody of Yaman, she insisted on Roshan to have a female version.( several times L M has done such thing, like Ehsan tera from Junglee. Other important Rafi-Roshan-Yaman number is “Manre tu kahe…”(Chitralekha) . On a seperate interview, singers like Sonu Nigam, Shankar Mahadevan, and Shan has opinioned Manre.. as their no. one choice of Rafi song.
February 29th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
hv guru murthy ji
you have forgotten one flamboyant rafi solo from bheegi raat. hansi aaj kal ke khuda ho gaye hai where roshan has used the echo effect in the stanza ends.
February 29th, 2008 at 9:17 am
Dear Shashankji,
Refer Post no. 11. The pause is there in the original song as well as in the movie. The situation demanded the pause. Meena Kumari who has lost her legs is sitting on a chair on a balcony like thing, but Pradeep Kumar does not know that she has lost her leg in an accident. She is also suppose to marry Ashok Kumar and hence, the song. But just before the pause, Meena Kumari is taken out on a wheel chair, which Pradeep Kumar does not notice. When he sees the empty chair, he stops singing and the misuc continues but soon PK recovers and continues singing.
In fact, the movie had wonderful songs apart from this DO Pehlu sung by Rafi and Lata. The other songs were solo “Jaane Woh Kaun Hai Kya” and Rafi-Suman super duet “Aise To Na Dekho”. The movie was also a fairly good movie with good acting by PK, AK and MK.
February 28th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
for a long time, many people also told me that the term ‘rafian’ sounds rather negative and that we should sport names like ‘rafi-fan’ or ‘rafi-lover’ (ref post no. 9) and would like to see most of us make this gradual change over whenever we refer to ourselves or to other great rafi sahab’s followers. good point binuji.
February 28th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
very nice song…well which song of Rafi Saab isn’t nice? By the way, can anyone tell me where can I get DVDs on Rafi Saabs’ live concert shows?
February 28th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Thanks for the nice article, the song Dil Jo Na Keh Saka… sung by Rafi Saheb is extra ordinary. Can hear it infinite times… Pradeep Kumar could not do justice to this song in the movie, but I must say the song is superb. Anybody need this song can mail me. melodiousrafi@yahoo.com
February 28th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
binuji
the song you mention is from a 1954 film called moti mahal. the lyrics are by prem dhawan and the tune by hansraj behl. the film starred suraiya, ajit and jeevan
February 28th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Superb! Ms.Chandani. i feel u have done a splendid job, and ur choice is quite superb. the song which u have choose for this article is really melodious song. i want to tell that in this song music director roshanji gave a superb music, but in the near the end of this song “Dil jo ke saka”, there suddenly a break by rafisahab and music goes and then “Wohi raat din”. i felt that there was somethng was missing isnt it. really good song. i heard it many times so keenly that why there is music in between when rafi is singing.
shashank_72@rediffmail.com
February 28th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Excellect selection-one of the all time greats of Rafi sahab. You may also have noticed there are two versions of the song sung by Rafi-the one we usually listen in Vividh Bharati is a short version. The longer version has a typical “pause” in the last antara with only music playing in as compared to earlier antaras where Rafi sahab sings that part. Then , after the musical interlude, Rafi sahab starts off with “wahi raaze dil”…..at that point you really feel that you have reached the Mount Everest of joy of listening to a one-in a life time song. This particular “pause” is the magic of Roshan and as usual Rafi sahab brings out the best of such tunes…
February 28th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
i agree with one point of amin sayani; who is no rafi lover.
the point herein is we may not use the word “rafi-ian” as
the word has a strong flavour of a rough-ian which our saint
singer was’nt.
i would not wish to bestow my choices on others but it makes
lots of sense to call oneself - rafi lover.
i was listening to the song composed by hansraj behl : jaayega
jab yahan se, kuch na le jaayega, do gaz kafan ka tukda, tera
libaaz hoga sung by rafi and a singer called madhubala jhaveri
now staying in mumbai near the sidhivinayak temple.
i wish to know the films name and more details from chandna,
gurumurthy or the knowledgeble rafi lovers of the land.
binu nair…. 0 9833 250 701..// the rafi foundation, mumbai…
February 28th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
This is an incredible score sung by Rafi Sahab. Perhaps Rafi Sahab’s some of the best songs have been composed by Roshan, with many of them picturized on Pradeep Kumar. Examples are films like Taj Mahal, Chitralakha, Aarti, etc.
I don’t think there is any other singer who can sing such a high pitch song effortlessly to the perfection. Talking about high pitch operation in this song is very much prolonged (for a much longer time), especially in the Antara. It is high pitch with the right emotions and feelings put by Rafi Sahab remarkably performed by Pradeep Kumar on screen.
Lata Ji sings the happy version of the same song is also good. But the Rafi version is more famous.
February 28th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
This is an incredible score sung by Rafi Sahab. Perhaps Rafi Sahab’s some of the best songs have been composed by Roshan, with many of them picturized on Pradeep Kumar. Examples are films like Taj Mahal, Chitralakha, Aarti, etc.
I don’t there is any other singer who can sing such a high pitch song effortlessly to the perfection. Talking about high pitch operation in this song is very much prolonged (for a much longer time), especially in the Antara. It is high pitch with the right emotions and feeling remarkably picturized by Pradeep Kumar on screen.
Lata Ji sings the happy version of the same song is also good. But the Rafi version is more famous.
February 28th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
This is one of my alltime favourite song of Rafi saab.Good Analysis.It is also good to note that discussions about each songs of Rafi saab is taking place in detail which is any way better than those stupid comparisons,unnecessary allegations etc
February 28th, 2008 at 11:52 am
there is no end of magic voice.
February 28th, 2008 at 11:09 am
I heard this song so many times. I had never seen the video of this. Rafi has sung this song at sky high note with varied emotional depth to it. Rafi has scored 1000% in justifying the emotions required in the lyrics. Sad to say after watching the video, Pradeep Kumar has ruined the song on screen. God bless his soul. When Rafi Sahab goes high, it looks like Pradeep Kumar is whispering. The eye for detail that was looked in by the lyrics, music and singing, fails in front of camera.
Good song, Good article. Keep it up.
February 28th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Chandni Ji,
Mubarak. Super article, super selection of the song and as usual super penmanship. Keep up the good work.
Long live Awaz ka Badshah, Rafi Saheb.
With regards to All Rafians,
Dr. Khaja Aliuddin
February 28th, 2008 at 9:57 am
Ms. Chandni ji,
Splendid article! You have described this splendid song with all its musical, lyrical and singing nuances in full glory. I am keen to know more about you. Will you please!
Regards
Shirish Kulkarni
February 27th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Badhai Ho Chandni Ji. What a selection of a theme on Rafi sahab. You dig out the best from his collections and that tells a tale by itself. You have a fine understanding of the song, the lyrics, the musical notes and above all the finest and minutest details that rafi sahab has put through his magical voice. that is the reason why i must congratulate you for having come up with such versatile reporting on some of the best songs. Could by a typographical error towards the end when you quote the words “aaj dil ki keemat ham se bhi kam hai” it is rather “jam se bhi kam hai” as you would have by now noticed. otherwise, a spelndid article and all kudos to you. thanks for refreshing us once again.