By Biman Baruah

Mohammed Rafi is the only singer of generations of Hindi Cinema. Kapoor ancestors play a very significant role in Indian Cinema for last four generations starting from their commandant Prithviraj Kapoor to present heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor. Mohammed Rafi Sahab shaped intelligence of legitimate playback singing in Hindi Film Music with his widespread voice and great transforming quality in his voice. Rafi Sahab had a universal voice and can sing for all above actors universally modulating his voice quality according to range of voice and onscreen mannerism of the actor. His quality of singing had capability to convince audiences that the actor is singing on screen. Thus, he was the only singer who can sing for three generations of Kapoors from Prithviraj Kapoor to Rishi Kapoor unanimously.

Randhir Kapoor is the eldest son of Raj Kapoor was born in Bombay on 15^th February, 1947. My son’s birthday come after one day on 16^th February. After working as a child artist in SHREE 420 (1955), DO USTAD (1959) and assistant director in JHUK GAYA ASMAAN (1968), he made his acting as well as directing debut in KAL AAJ AUR KAAL (1971). As the title indicates, the film was starring three generation of real life Kapoors, i.e. Prithviraj Kapoor, Raj Kapoor and Randhir Kapoor. Singer Kishore Kumar had a special bond with senior son of Raj Kapoor from KAL AAJ AUR KAL (1971) to PUKAR (1983).

Nevertheless, as a widespread voice Rafi Sahab was not an alien for the actor. Rafi Sahab started special moments with the actor in his first external venture JEET (1971). Rafi Sahab sung “Chal Premnagar Jaayega” in a duet with Lata Mangeshkar amusingly for the actor which was continued till his last film KHAZANA (1987) as a hero. The romantic solo “Aap Ki Kasam Ek Din Sanam Yeh Gussa Pyar Mein Badal Jayega” and duet with Lata “Ibb Lagan Lagi Kya Karna, Mushkil Hai Jeena Marna” from LAFANGE (1975) filmed on Randhir and Mumtaz became so popular and the film was Randhir’s one of solo hit with PONGA PANDIT in the year. His added solo hit RAM BHAROSE (1977) also had a buzzing Rafi-Asha duet, “Dil Ko Lagake Tujhe Kuch Na Melega” from RAM BHAROSE (1977) filmed on him and Rekha.

Rafi Sahab sung two very amusing solos matching the actor individuality. The two solos, “Chup Chup Chup Kyoon Baithi Ho, Main Bhi Akela Hoon Tum Bhi Akeli Hoon” from HUMRAHI (1974) and “Hum Bhi Musafir Tum Bhi Musafir, Ho Jaaye Do Chaar Baate” from KHAZANA (1987) were filmed on Randhir Kapoor in a train compartment with actress Tanuja and Rekha respectively. The first solo of Rafi Sahab is one of the favourite songs of my five year old daughter which is on-going magic of singing legend.

The most prominent song of this combination came very late in film HARJAEE (1981). It was a Sufi number “Mee Raksam Mee Raksam……Har Jalwa Tera Jalwa Teri Yeh Duniya Sari” a duet by Mohd. Rafi and Chandrasekher Gadgil. Rafi Sahab sung for Randhir Kapoor and Gadgil sung for a least known artist. In KHAZANA (1987), Randhir’s last film as a hero, Rafi Sahab also sings a multi-singer song, “Diwana Sayano Ko Diwana Bana Gaya” with Asha Bhosle and Usha Mangeshkar.

The composers of Mohammed Rafi and Randhir Kapoor combinations were Kalyanji-Anandji, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Ravindra Jain and R. D. Burman. The amusing songs of this combination should be preserved distinctly.

Randhir Kapoor played lead role in 34 films, out of which 25 solo hero films & 9 multi-starrer films and 22 films made impact in box office. He was the third highest paid actor from 1971 to 1975 along with Dharmendra. He directed three films ( KAL AAJ AUR KAAL, DHARAM KARAM, HENNA ) and also produced three films HENNA (1991), PREM GRANTH (1996), AA AB LAUT CHALEN (1999) directed by himself, Rajiv Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor respectively. He came back to acting in 1999 with MOTHER and recently seen in films like HOUSEFUL-2 (2012), RAMAIYA VASTAVAIYA (2013) and SUPER NANI (2014).

If God permits and Rafi Sahab had survived for longer age of time, the record may include new generations of Kapoors like Rajiv Kapoor who made his acting debut in EK JAAN HAI HUM (1983) and finally Ranbir Kapoor who made his acting debut in SAAWARIYA (2007). Then Rafi Sahab had become “Singer of Four Generations of Kapoors”. At a standstill there is chance for this title to our beloved Rafi Sahab. If R.K. Banner or any other aficionado producer will take initiative to include unreleased romantic Rafi numbers in a present romantic icon Ranbir Kapoor film, in that case Rafi Sahab will became “Singer of Four Generations of Kapoors”.

Author Biman Baruah with son and daughter

This blog was published on Sunday, February 15th, 2015 at 1:59 pm and Last modified on Sunday, February 15th, 2015 at 2:00 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.