Barsaat Ki Raat exposed Mohammad Rafi’s versatility
By Souvik Chatterji
Mohd Rafi
The film Barsaat Ki Raat released in 1960 was a milestone in music in bollywood films. It was directed by PL Santoshi. The music was composed by Roshan Lal Nagrath. Lyrics were written by Sahir Ludhianvi. The film exposed the versatility of Mohammad Rafi, who took the songs to a higher dimension than what they deserved.
Rafi had to face the capability of orthodox qawalli singers like SD Batish, Bande Hasan and Balbeer. Manna Dey was there and he always earned reputation of singing brilliant qawallis throughout his career. The female singers used included Suman Kalyanpur, Sudha Malhotra, Asha Bhosle, Lata Mangeshkar and Kamol Barot.
Bharat Bhushan and Madhubala’s screen presence did magic. The great part of Rafi’s songs in the films was that the orchestration was very soft in all of them. Rafi realized the implication of the lyrics of the songs and did justice to them. For example the lyrics of the song “zindagi bhar nahi bhulegi wo barsaat ki raat” as follows.
Zindagi bhar nahi bhulegi wo barsaat ki raat, ek anjaan haseena se mulakat ki raat,
Hay wo reshmi zulfon se barista pani, phul se gallon pe rukhne ko tarasta paani,
Dil Pe Toofan uthate hue, dil pe toofan uthate hue, haalat ki raat.
Dar ke bijli se achanak wo lipatna uska, aur phir sharm se balkhake simathna uska,
Aag paani me lagate hue, aag paani me lagaate hue jazbaat ki raat.
Mere Nagmon me jo basti hai wo tasveer thi vo, naujawani ki har ik khwab ki dabir thi wo,
Aasmano se utar ayi jo, aasmano se utar ayi jo raat ki raat.
There was no second singer in India who could justice to the excellent words of Sahir Ludhianvi. Even the lyrics of Rafi’s song “maine shayad tumhe”, were majestic. They are as follows.
Maine shayad tumhe pehle bhi kahin dekha hai,
Ajnabi si ho magar gair nahi lagti ho, waham se bhi jo nazuk wo yakin lagti ho,
Hai ye phul sa chehera ye ghaneri zulfen, mere shero se bhi tum mujhko hasin lagti ho,
Dekh Kar tumko kisi raat ki yaad ati hai, ye khamosh mulakat ki yaad aati hai,
Jaha me husn ki thandak kaa asar jagaata hai, Anch deti hui barsaat ki yaad aati hai.
Mohd Rafi
The landmark qawalli “na to karwan ki talash hai” had marvelous lyrics. They were as follows.
Na to carwaan ki talaash hai, na to humsafar ki talaash hai,
Mere shauq-e-khana kharab ko, tere rehguzar ki talaash hai.
Mere namuraad junoon ka hai ilaaj koi to maut hai.
Jo dawa ke naam pe zahar den, usi chaaragar ki talaash hai.
Tera ishq hai meri aarzoo, tera ishq hai mera aabroo,
Dil ishq hai jism ishq hai aur jaan ishq hai,
Imaan ki Jo Poocho to imaan ishq hai,
Tera ishq hai meri aarzoo, tera ishq hai mera aabroo.
Tera ishq mai kaise chor doon, meri umr bhar ki talaash hai.
Jaansoz ki haalat ko jaansoz hi samjhega,
Mai shama se kehta hoon mehfil se nahi kehta kyonki
Ye ishq ishq hai ishq ishq, yeh ishq ishq hai ishq hai ishq.
Sahar tak sab ka hai anjaam jal kar khaak ho jaana,
Bhari mehfil me koi shama ya parwana ho jayen kyonki
Ye ishq ishq hai ishq ishq, ye ishq ishq hai ishq ishq.
Vehsaat-e – dil rasm –o-deedar se roki na gayi
Kisi khanjar kisi talwar se roki na gayi,
Ishq majnu ki awaaz hai jiske aage, koi laila kisi deewar se roki na gayi,
Kyon ki yeh ishq ishq hai, ishq ishq, yeh ishq ishq hai ishq ishq.
Naaz-o-andaz se kehte hai ki jeena hoga, zeher bhi deten hai to kehte hai ki peena hoga,
Jab mai peeta hoon to kehte hai ki marta bhi nahin, jab mai marta hoon to kehte hai ki jeena hoga,
Ye ishq ishq hai ishq ishq, ye ishq ishq hai ishq ishq.
Mazhab-e-ishq ki har rasm kari hoti hai, har kadam par kai deewar khari hoti hai,
Ishq aazad hai, na hindu na musalman hai ishq, aap hi dharm hai aur aap hi imaan hai ishq,
Jis se aagah nahi shekh –o – barahamon dono, us haqeekat ka garajta hua elaan hai ishq.
Jab Jab Krishn Ki Bansi Baaji, Nikali Raadha Saj Ke, Jaan Ajaan Ka Maan Bhula Ke, Lok Laaj Ko Taj Ke
Janak Dulaari Ban Ban Doli, Pahan Ke Prem Ki Maala, Darshan Jal Ki Pyaasi Meera Pi Gai Vishh Ka Pyaala,
Aur Phir Araj Kari Ke, Laaj Raakho Raakho Raakho, Laaj Raakho Dekho Dekho,
Ye Ishq Ishq Hai Ishq Ishq, Ye Ishq Ishq Hai Ishq Ishq
Allah Rasool Ka Farmaan Ishq Hai, Yaane Hafeez Ishq Hai, Quraan Ishq Hai,
Gautam Kaa Aur Maseeh Ka Armaan Ishq Ha, Ye Kaaynaat Jism Hai Aur Jaan Ishq Hai,
Ishq Sarmad, Ishq Hi Mansoor Hai, Ishq Moosa, Ishq Koh-E-Noor Hai,
Khaaq Ko But, Aur But Ko Devta Karta Hai Ishq, Intaha Ye Hai Ke Bande Ko Khuda Karta Hai Ishq,
Haan Ishq Ishq Tera Ishq Ishq, Tera Ishq Ishq, Ishq Ishq.
Rafi had contested against Manna Dey, Sudha Malhotra and others and maintained the rhythm of the qawaali and expressed the feelings of Sahir Ludhiyanvi in the song.
In a nutshell it can be said that Barsaat Ki Raat was a sensation in terms of musical excellence. The film featured in the list of biggest blockbusters of 1960. The film should be preserved and restored for the immense musical value.
Rafi saab sa koi nahi
Rafi saab sa koi nahi
RAFI SAHEB ek be misal aur be had khubsurat awaaz ke malik the , jinka na pehle koi saani tha na ab hoga. ye kudrat k woh koh e noor the jisko banane ke baad khuda bhi khud apni creation par naaj karta hoga.
Mannada has admitted that recording of this qawali “Ishq Ishq” was very tedious as the song totally took 13 minutes and when Rafi Saab enters with “Jab Jab Krishna Ki Bansi”, Mannada has admitted that he was so immersed in Rafiji singing that he forgot that he was also part of the rcording. This qawali is pure magic, mother of all qawalis.
this is , no doubt one of the greatest ever qawwalis, but one which is the best is ” phir tumhari yaad aayi ai sanam ” from rustom sohrab , where rafi saab has gone beyond singing and given an ethereal quality to the words .. that is the greatest .. pyarelalji also says that phir tumhari yaad aayi is the GREATEST ever. happy listening .. rafi saab .. forever.
i love rafi sahab i m josh from israel i have started this group of rafi http://www.facebook.com/groups/509901032358683/
join if you love rafi
I respect Maana Dey greatly he is one of the best exponents of classical singing. Just like rafi saheb he also is very simple man . Manna Dey has admitted himself that whenever a classical song was given to someone else he use to fight with the composer because he felt that he will able to sing it better he had that confidence while singing classical songs. But he added that if the song was given to Rafi Saheb he used to bow out of it because he had always accept the fact Rafi saheb is the best singer and he could sing any type of song . He clearly said in the interview ” Jo Rafi saheb Saheb Gaa sakte Hain woh hum nahin gaa sakte hain” . I also remember him saying while doing a classical song with kishore kumar ” Ek Chatur Naar ” in Padosan . In the film Manna Dey had to loose to kishore. But Manna Dey was very angry and did not relented easily he was not ready to accept his defeat in the song but was told by Mehmud Bhai that it is the Demand of the script.
In the song ‘ye ishq ishq hai’ Rafi sahab literally defeated Manna De. Rafi outshined great Manna De with his melodious voice, expression and a mastery over high as well as low notes. Manna da was a great singer but his voice was not as melodious as Rafi sahab’s voice. It is also clear from this song that he was behind Rafi sahab at high notes and expressing the feeling of a song. Rafi was superb at expressing the feeling of any song with his divine voice. The way he travels from low to high notes is also excellent. No one could match these qualities of Rafi Sahab in singing.
True!!! Rafi has no match. No other singer can really enter the words and express the feeings like Rafi sahab did.
In my opinion” Mayus to hoon….” is the best song of the film.
In the quawali, Manna De was told to sing like an Ustad, and he did that. Rafi sahab was told that he was singing against an Ustad and he should defeat him. As rafi sahab’s voice comes, one feels like one is sitting in a temple on a bank river and river is flowing.
Dear Krishnanji, Vinodji, Bhagchandaniji, Kuttyji,
Excellent response to the ever romantic musical film Barsaat Ki Raat. If someone switches off the lights of the room and just listen to Rafi’s “zindagi bhar nahi” the song can act as a sleeping pill and take one to sleep gracefully. There is a plutonic standard of romance embedded in the song which cannot be expressed in words. The entire music of the film got created once and it became history. It can be revisited a number of times by everyone at smaller intervals.
Souvik Chatterji
Rafisaabko rubaru honeka mauka is nacheez mila tha. unki awaazki jadooka kya kehna. Us-se bhi ek hi baat achhi ho sakti hai , aur woh hai unki insaniyat.Total recall jaise prog. mein unke beteke jariye kai baatein malum hui aur aankhe bhar aayi
txs for the article.jab tak Chand suraj rahenge, Rafi saabki awaaz gunjati rahegi.Is-se jyada likhna hamari kabiliyat ke bahar hai
Wo to Woooo tha,dearest brothers and sisters.jai.ketwaru
There are no words which can express the great singing of Rafi Sahib.He was simply superb and beyond comparison.
Souvik ji,
Nice write-up.
There is another song in Barsaat ki Raat sung by Rafi saab. ‘Mayoos to hoon wade se tere….’. It is also a wonderful song, but some how it got lost in the luster of other songs (‘Zindagi bhar nahin bhoolegi…’ and that mother of all filmi qawalis- Na to carvan ki talash hai…).
The song ‘Maine shayad tumhen pehale bhi kahin dekha hai…’ also has a third stanza, which is something like this:
jiski palken meri aankhon pe jhuki rahti hain
tum wahi mere khayaalon ki pari ho ki nahin
kahin pahle ki tarah phir to na kho jaaogi
jo hameshaa ke liye ho wo khushi ho ki nahin
maine shaayad tumhen pahle bhi kahin dekhaa hai
maine shaayad tumhen……
If ever I am granted a wish to ‘travel back’ in the time and witness one of the past happenings, it will be witnessing the recording of that greatest qawali. It is said that recording of this qawali lasted almost the entire night and had many takes. No wonder the end result is just ‘mavellous’. I would not mind being a spot boy or ward boy or a ‘chaiwala’ to be just to witness that history making through the stalwarts like Roshan, Rafi, Manna Dey, Asha Bhonsle, Sudha Malhotra, Sahir etc.
The music of the movie will continue to enthrall entire humanity till eternity. It is immortal.
-J.K. Bhagchandani
dear sauvik ji,
what a great analysis, no words to express my feelings is left out thanks dear , roshan ji , sahir sahab aur majrooh sahab and above all rafi sahab jab bhi ek se badh kar ek , jab bhi saath aa jaate hai to woh geet aur uska parinaam yaadgaar hi raha hai, mujhe apni zindgi mein ek baar woh apne bachpan mein in mahaan hastiyon ko ek saath sunne aur dekhne ka mauka mila hai, woh yaaden abhi bhi dil mein bas gayi hai aur hamesha rahengi.
vinod mehru
09768245368
Sorry the variation is in the word “barsaat” and not “Bhoolegi”. mein hi bhool gaya hkrishnan
in the song “zindagi bar nahi bhoolegi..”
pl see the variation rafi sahab brings in the word “bhoolegi..” in the first verse and again the last verse.
Similarly in the line word “meri nagmo mein jo basti hai..” he caresses the word “basti hai..’ with a romantic and a melancholic sigh which is simply too much. Even the Music director may not have envisoned it that way.
only sad thing about this song is that it is picturised on a dead pan bharat bushan, who cannot even highlight the “acting” being done for him Rafi sahab.
hence better to listen to the song tnan see the video
hkrishnan,pilani
Souvik Ji
Nice to read a good article about a Musical Classic Film. Rafi Sahab was peerless in the title song and it is one of the best rain song of HFM. This Balck & White Classic was very popular for its “behetarin” qawwali songs and biggest hit of 1960. In this social drama composer Rohan Sahab accomodated a pair of five male & female singers : (Mohammad Rafi, Manna Dey , Balbeer, S. D. Batish, Bande Hasan) ( Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle, Kamal Barot, Sudha Malhotra, Suman Kalyanpur) which is very rare in Hindi Films. The film was the almost last hit and notable film actor Bharat Bhushan and Madhubala. Sahir Sahab’s poetry with immortal composition of Roshan Sahab and singing of Rafi Sahab plays very important role in the success of the film. After all, a Great Article about a great movie, music , songs, singers………………………………………………………………………………………….
With best regards
Biman Baruah
Dear souvikji,
This is an interesting topic indeed.once yesudasji told after hearing
the song “zindagi bar nahee …..” he was wondering the way rafi saab
sung the song with the heart touching music of Roshanji.
the voice modulation of rafi saab.ho.. nobody can sing such a way.
the voice is flowing like a river.
Till doomsday Roshan Lal Nagrath will remain immortal, Mohammad Rafi will remain immortal and Sahir Ludhiyanvi will remain immortal. The work in Barsaat Ki Raat had reached the veins of numerous musiclovers in India.