By Vineet Kumar Bhatia, Jaipur

Mohd Rafi

Background playback singing is an important organ of Indian Film music. The song in the background represents the synopsis & gist of the very philosophy enshrined into the movie & brings out to the surface its main theme, ethical & moral values as well.  This singing aspect can be termed as one of the toughest facets of singing arena, because in other form of singing, voice ability of a singer is superimposed by the acting i.e lip syncs of an acting artist(s). Therefore, most of the appreciations of the song are taken away by the artist(s) on the screen & the good flavour of the singing voice is just lost & goes in vain.

However, few good songs still fetch full attentions of the true music lovers both instantly (i.e. in the movie theaters itself) as well as off the movie theaters. Such songs can be categorized under category ‘A’. And few other songs, which can draw only reasonable attentions of the audience on the spot, but draw reasonable heeds, off the spot (i.e. during listening on radios or on other audio channels). Such songs can be fairly grouped under category ‘B’. Rest all can be brought under the ambit of category ‘C’. Fortunately most of the songs of Rafi Sahab are so excellent & ultimate that these fairly fall under the first two categories.

To justify my statement, I would like to share a fact with all of you regarding the inbuilt craziness of music lovers for Rafi Sahab. It is quite normal, if people appreciate a good music/song/scene/dialogue etc. & become over excited in theaters & express their feelings of delirium by dancing, clapping & pelting coins on the picture hall screens. But to find people with dancing, clapping on hearing Rafi Sahab & then appreciating & applauding like ‘WAH RAFI-OH RAFI, BAHUT KHOOB RAFI’ looks quite incredible. I use to watch movie not just for entertainment, but also as a critics. In my 50 years of age & at least 35 years of my legitimate musical awareness, I have never seen such a fine admirations shown by audience in particular to a singer. Therefore, it can be said undisputedly that Indian film music is lucky to have such a great singer in its endowment, who had nourished, patronized, promoted & uplifted Indian film music to an international level & established himself as a school of music for the new comers/ learners & as a university for the veterans/ scholars.

Now coming to the present topic, I can say that background singing is one of the most difficult forms of the singing disciplines or domains. In this form of singing, undisputedly Rafi Sahab is found to be the best specialist & that’s the reason that he had sung more such numbers as compare to his other male/female contemporaries. And to achieve the feat of this form, a singer must possess at least following attributes, traits, birthmarks or denominators in his treasure:

1. Involvement of voice according to the theme lying behind the story.
2.  Expression of voice in the best manner.
3. Correct modulation of voice.
4. Good range of voice.
5. Attachment of voice with listeners’/audiences’ feelings.
6. Detachment of listeners’/ audiences’ undue wandering attentions.
7. Quality of voice.
8. And above all, he should be a good human being & philosopher & should have the ability to capture the sentiments of the lying philosophy.

In the view of above stated characteristics, Rafi Sahab stands as a maestro. That why, whenever there had been a necessity of such songs, father of music was remembered & had been called on most of the times. Now I will append below few A to Z songs of Rafi Sahab, which had been sung in the background & can be adjudged ultimate by virtue of their quality.

1. A – AB KOI GULSHAN NAA UJRHE ……….(Film- Mujhe Jeene Do)
2. B – BHALAA KARNE WAALE BHALAAI …………..(Film- Ghar Sansar)
3. C – CHAL UDH JAA RE PANCHHI………..(Film- Bhabhi)
4. D – DEKO DIL NAA KISI KAA TOOTE…………(Film- Pyar Ka Rishta)
5. E – EK HAI JHARNA……..(Film-Harishchand Taramati )
6. F (PH) – PHOOL KO DHUNDE PYAASA…..(Film-Shola Aur Shabnam)
7. G – GANGAA TERAA PAANI..  (SAD VERSION) (Film-Ganga Tera Pani Amrit)
8. H – HIMALYAA KI BULANDI SE SUNO ………(Film-Phool Bane Angaare )
9. I – INSAAN KHILONAA HA………(Film Kasam Bhawani Ki)
10. J – JAHAN DAAL DAAL PAR SONE KI…………(Film-Sikander E Azam )
11. K – KAHAAN JAA RAHAA HA TOO E JAANE WAALE……..(Film-Seema )
12. L – LO KHOON SE KHOON JUDAA HUAA…(Film-Main Nashe Mein Hun)
13. M – MERI AAWAAZ SUNO, PYAAR KAA RAAG SUNO…(Film-Naunihal)
14. N – NAARI TERE JEEVAN KI……..(Film-Veer Babruvahan)
15. O – O AASMAAN WALE APNI DHARTI KE ….(Film- Sant Raghu)
16. P – PYAAR KI RAAH DIKHAA DUNIYAA KO……….(Film-Lambe Haath)
17. Q – QAL CHAMAN THAA AAJ IK SEHRAA…….(Film-Khandan)
18. R – RAKHI DHAAGON KAA TYOHAAR………….(Film-Rakhi)
19. S – SHAHEEDON KI MAZAARON PAR LAGENGEN……(Film-Lal Qilla)
20. T – TAQAT VATAN KI HUM SE HA———–(Film-Prem Pujari)
21. U – US DESH KI SARHAD KO KOI CHHOO NAHIN ……(Film- Aankhen)
22. V – VATAN KI RAH MEN VATAN KE ………(Film-Shaheed old)
23. W- WAQT SE DIN AUR RAAT…………(Film-Waqt)
24. X (S) – SAMAAZ KO BADAL DAALO  (Film- Samaaz Ko Badal Daalo)
25. Y – YEH LUCKNOW KI SAR JAMIN……….(Film-Chaudhavin Ka Chand)
26. Z – ZINDGI MEN AAYAA TOOFAAN……….(Film-Aaya Toofan)

Above examples show that Rafi Sahab is the only unique singer who fits in yet another form of singing aspect in the most appropriate manner &  this is the result of his A to Z singing traits, as discussed in my previous article, published in this site.

LONG LIVE RAFI SAHAB

This blog was published on Sunday, February 24th, 2013 at 3:50 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.