by Sarah Modi

Mohd Rafi

There are several people who compare Rafi saab with Lata ji and debate who is better.  I believe, that the premise, structure, and conclusion of their arguments are all flawed.  There is no doubt that if there is any other singing legend that matches up to the greatness of Rafi, it is indeed none other than Lata ji.  However, Rafi is Lata, Asha, and Geeta all combined into one.  If Lataji represents the serious, pristine, and classic flavors of Indian music and Asha and Geeta represent the western, naughty, and seducing flavors, Rafi saab alone portrays all of these flavors and more.  He can impeccably sing classical songs, westerns songs, bhajans, ghazals, cabarets, light romantic songs, qawalis, etc.   A music director had to look no further than Rafi saab for any kind of song whether it inculcated southern, northern, eastern, or western styles of music. (more…)

By Sanjeev Kumar Dixit

Mohd Rafi

Two unique words are coming in my mind, which I want to share with all of you.

1)RAFI-PATHY:

We all well familiar with main branches of “MEDICAL SCIENCE” like “Allopathy, Homeopathy & Ayurvedapathy etc, But recently I thought over a new branch of “medical science”, that is RAFI-PATHY. Let us know about this pathy more-
As we know very well about MOHD. RAFI SAHAB, evergreen singer of indian film industry.There are million of his fans across the world. Among his million of fans many are his “DEVOTEE” and we call them “RAFI BHAKT”. (more…)

By: H.A.K. Walijah

Mohd Rafi

If Mirza Ghalib is the foremost classic poet in Urdu, then Mohd. Rafi is the foremost classic playback singer India has ever produced. There is nothing wrong if someone ask what India has given to the world – I would say: Taj Mahal, Urdu, Ghalib and Rafi. It is our pride & honour to call Mohd. Rafi Bharat ki Shaan whom the music fraternity & Rafi lovers love and adore this great singer all over the world irrespective of caste, creed, religion, poor or rich, young or old, men or women, so on and so forth.  When these two great legends shake hands with one another, what will be the result, just imagine… Mirza  Ghalib was the genius poet where the best of ghazals begin and end with him, who “inspired” an entire generation of poets to craft words astoundingly and his contribution of poetry is the greatest favour on Urdu language itself. Mohammed Rafi doesn’t sing Ghalib. He breathes life into every composition that he is called upon to deliver. Ghalib would have been proud. (more…)

By D.P.Bijoor

Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar

The Hindi Film Industry of musical entertainment since its inception over 7 decades, has undoubtedly given music lovers especially in India and in general, all over the world the pleasure of listening to lilting and soulful melodies composed by eminent lyricisits of the byegone era and embellished by the golden voice of Immortal singers whose memories can never be erased with the passage of time.

Friends, from among the handful of most precious pearls unearthed from the depths of the Ocean as it were, – two musical GENIUSES come readily to mind both of whom   have created a niche for themselves in the industry and in the minds & hearts of their   innumerable fans & admirers as “GREAT LEGENDS”. Yes, I definitely mean two of the “GREATEST FRIENDS” – Kishore Kumar and Mohammed Rafi to be very precise, both of whom are alas, no more with us today. (more…)

By Anmol Singh

Mohd Rafi

In the era of 70s and 80s Doordarshan was one of the main sources of entertainment. There were many popular programs which were telecast at that time. One of most popular program was AAROHI to which most of the legendary singers of that are have contributed. One such episode telecasted in 1976 had Naushad Sahab was the compare and Rafi Sahab was the singer with 200 plus musicians. In this program Rafi Sahab sang five all time classics composed by Naushad Sahab. The songs were “O Duniya Ke Rakhwale“; “Mann Tadpat Hari Darshan Ko Aaj“; “Madhuban Mein Radhika“; “Meri Kahaani Bhulane Wale” and “Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki“. (more…)

By Souvik Chatterji

Rafi Sahab with Shankar and Shammi

Rafi had sung 341 songs composed by Shankar Jaikishan during his illustrious career with 216 solos. Very significantly 3 of the filmfare awards that Rafi received during 60s had been composed by Shankar Jaikishan. They included “teri pyari pyari surat ko kiski nazar na lage” from the film Sasural, “baharon phool barsao” from the film Suraj and “dilke jharoke me mujhko bithaker” from the film Brahmchari.

But in the list of songs sung by Rafi and composed by Shankar Jaikishan, at least half of the total sungs were composed for Shammi Kapoor. Shammi Kapoor and Shankar Jaikishan worked together for around 22 films, most of which did great business in the 60s. (more…)

By: H.A.K. Walijah

Mohd Rafi

This write-up is definitely in continuation to the Side-B  of Devotional Rafi, an article written by Mr. Biman Baura on August 2009 in this Rafi Forum.  I would like to continue the topic but in different perspective of Sufi songs which again classified into two sections: a) philosophical; b) qawwali songs. These songs played a very important role in Hindi cinema moving the storyline and displaying the characters various traits in-depth.

Rafi Saab was a genius who appears only once in a lifetime. His mystic voice still enchants all the music lovers and will continue to enchant them forever. Rafi Saab remains immortal through his voice.  I would also like to remind that when Rafi Saab was only 7 years old, ignoring the reprimands of his parents, his elder brother saw Rafi following a sufi saint. That sufi saint was singing some devotional number with his Ektara (an instrument with single string). And Rafi was humming the same number while he followed the saint. And to Rafi’s elder brother’s surprise, Rafi was able to reproduce every note (sur) of the devotional number very accurately. Rafi’s brother recognized the God given talent of Rafi  Saab who possessed extraordinary voice even though he was very young.  Rafi Saab’s  brother recognized the extraordinary musical gift that his brother possessed. (more…)

By J.K. Bhagchandani

Mohd Rafi

The name Mohammed Rafi is synonyms with versatility. This singing wonder has given us masterpiece songs of almost all genres. This write-up is dedicated to the patriotic songs sung by Rafi saab.

The patriotic songs even though considered as one genre, also have different moods, suiting to different situations and conditions that the nation is in. Rafi saab has sung patriotic songs all moods and situations.

‘Watan ki raah mein watan ke naujawan shahid ho……. (Shaheed- old version- Dilip Kumar starrer), Ae watan ae watan humko teri kasam…… (Shaheed- later version- Manoj Kumar starrer) are the great songs conceived to capture the time and moments of freedom movement. Rafi saab has sung Ghulam Mohammed and Prem Dhawan (respectively) composed songs so brilliantly that one gets the first hand account of a true freedom fighter. The ‘josh’, the conviction, the motivation to lay own life for the sake of motherland is craftily incorporated in the songs by the singer. Both songs have a second (and sad) part representing the moments before the execution of the death sentence of a freedom fighter. (more…)