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Mohammed Rafi’s Other Duets

This article is written by Mr.H.V.Guru Murthy

Mohammed Rafi's Other DuetsMohammed Rafi Saab has sung more than four hundred duets with Lataji, more than 900 with Ashaji and around 100 duets with Suman Kalyanpur. These three talented Singers with Rafiji made most of these songs hits even though some of the songs were ordinary as for as lyrics or music or picturisation was concerned.

Rafiji has also sung innumerable duets with other well known / lesser known Singers and gave wonderful hummable hits. In fact, he never tried to overshadow any of these lesser known Singers and matched them perfectly. In fact, some of these Singers are known only by their duets with Rafiji.

With Geeta Dutt, Rafiji gave hits like, “Aankhon Hi Aankhon Me” and “Ae Dil Hai Mushqil” (CID), “Sun Sun Sun Jalima” (AAR PAAR), “Tum Jo Huye Mere Hamsafar” (12 O CLOCK), “Jane Kahan Mera Jigar Gayaji” and “Mohabbat Karlo Jee Bharlo” (MR. & MRS. 55) under the baton of OPN. Another good song was “Gareeba Janake Muzhko Na Tum Bhula Dena” (CHOOMANTAR).

Mohd Rafi with Geeta Dutt and Family
Mohd Rafi with Geeta Dutt and Family

Under SDB, MR and GD gave “Rim Zhim Ke Tarane Leke Aayi Barsaat” (KALA BAZAAR), “Hum Aapaki Aankhon Me” (PYAASA) and “Chupakese Mile Pyaase Pyaase” (MANZIL). In fact, the Kala Bazaar song, I personally consider, as one of the best picturised duets in the Indian Film Industry, the best being “Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua” from SHREE 420. What a wonderful song it was, Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehmaan walking with an Umbrella on a rainy day having met accidentally after so many years and the song coming in the back-ground. The hero and heroin have so much to tell but are unable to express because of some hesitation, but their eyes expressing all they wanted to share.

Sharada was another Singer with whom Rafiji gave good duets. She was mainly taken by SJ and there were duets like “Jab Bhi Yeh Dil Udaas Hota Hai” (SEEMA), “Badakamma Badakamma” (SHATRANJ), “Jaane Chaman” (GUMNAAM) and “Sun, Sun, Sunore Balam” (PYAAR MOHABBAT), if this song can also be considered as a duet as Rafiji sang only Mukhda at the end. There was one more duet in F.C.Mehra’s ELAAN starring Vinod Mehra and Rekha. Sharada has also sung some good duets with Mukesh in films like AROUND THE WORLD.

After breaking up with Asha, OPN gave “Hont Hai Tere Do Laal Heere” (HEERA MOTI) with Krishna Kalle. We also had some non-Lata, non-Asha duets like “Meri Hasaraton Ki Duniya, Tu Mile Kahin Jo Muzhko” (RAAT KE ANDHERE ME), “Muzhko Apne Gale Lagalo” (HUMRAAHI) with Mubarak Begum, “Leke Pehla Pehla Pyaar” (CID) with Shamshad Begum and of course Asha, “O Gadiwale” and “Dukh Bhare Din Beetere Bhaiya” (MOTHER INDIA) and “Bheega Bheega Pyaar Ka Sama” (SAWAN) and “Door Koi Gaye” (BAIJU BAWRA) with Shamshad Begum, “Yahan Badala” (JUGNU) with Noorjehan (first Hindi song of Rafiji), “Kara Mora Kajara Churaya Toone” (DO DIL) with Aarti Mukherjee, “Sara Jahan Chodake Tuzhe”, , “Pehli Nazar Me” (THE BURNING TRAIN), “Pakado Pakado Pakado” (NASSEB), “Oye Tu Raat Khadi Thi” (HIMALAY KI GOD ME) with Usha Khanna, “Saibaba Bolo” (SIRDI KE SAIBABA) with Usha Mangeshkar, “Ghadi Milan Ki Aayee” (EK BAAP AUR CHE BETE) with Sulakshana Pandit, etc.

Rafi Sahab rehersing Mohobbat Ka Haath Jawani Ka Palla Subhanallah Babu Subhanallah
Rafi Sahab rehersing Mohobbat Ka Haath Jawani Ka Palla Subhanallah Babu Subhanallah

Rafiji also sang some hit duets with some film heroines, the songs restricting the heroines to some dialogues. Songs like “Aaj Ki Raat” (AMAN) and Title song of APRIL FOOL with Saira Banu, “Aasamanase Aaya Farishta” (AN EVENING IN PARIS) with Sharmila Tagore and “Ek Tha Gul Aur Ek Thi Bul Bul” (JAB JAB PHOOL KHILE) with Nanda immediately come to our mind.

Rafiji never needed a prop, on the other hand, he was a prop to so many other Singers, Music Directors, Actors, Directors, Films, etc. Perhaps, due to his simplicity, all the people used to feel comfortable in his company and that may be one of the reasons why new comers either Heroes or Singers or Music Directors or Producers or Directors commenced their film career with Rafiji. For example, people like LP (Parasmani), RDB (Naqli Nawab), Dheeraj (Raton Ka Raja), Shivakumar (Mauva), Sudhir Kumar (Dosti), Rajesh Khanna (Raaj), Nazir Hussain (Tumsa Nahin Dekha), Usha Khanna (Dil Deke Dekho), Deepak Kumar (Abroo), Sonic Omi (Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya), etc. started their career with Rafi Saab. So many films just ran because of Rafji’s songs.


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33 Blog Comments to “Mohammed Rafi’s Other Duets”

  1. surinder grover says:

    Thanks for such in depth collection of a person who has gone as a body but
    he is always with us and will remain there for coming generations a great sole and A LEGEND TILL THE WORLD REMAINS MOHAMMAD RAFI a saint of a singer.

  2. Himmat Singh says:

    One major correction in perspective is needed. Referring to Geeta Roy/Dutt. She was no lesser known singer, she was infact a rage in the early 50s, a superstar before Rafi became one in his own right. Additionally, in most of their duets Geeta had equal or more impact than Rafi. It was Lata who paled when singing with Rafi, not Geeta. Some say that Rafi learned a lot from Geeta’s singing. Especially, in inflecting words to bring out better their nuances.

  3. Azad Akbar says:

    rafiji had sung a song with varsha bohsele , daughter of ashaji in 1978. the music of that filim is composed by hement bohsle,son of ashaji.any one who know the name of the filim,and versus of that song may please write in ths column.

  4. pmc thangal says:

    dear mr.murthi, rafi sab had sung with few more singers of old time.he sung with amir bai karnataki(azoo ki meri zindagi..filim bikkere moti, md gulam mohamed)with madubala jaweri(filim andhkar md hans raj bahl ,it is very fine &sweet song verses not remembering)with sushma sreshtt (filim hum kisiki song kya huwa tere wada&hena bulu bulu filim andaz) and with lalith devker in the filim nadiyake paar md cr.the song meri hasrathom ki duniya is in the filim kal gulabi nain sarabi md shyamji gana shyamji.sureyya also sung so many beautiful songs with rafi.

  5. Narayanan says:

    post 27
    dear Shabab,
    pl do not believe such masala artciles and finally the writer himself rectified saying that in 60 years of musical esteem he rrrrrrrrrrrrrrates Rafi sahab n Lataji above all

  6. Dear Shahabji,

    Refer your post no. 27. Do you really think a talented music director like RDB would speek so lowly about a great singer like Rafi Saab, that too after all those songs he sang for RDB in movies like Teesri Manzil, Caravan, The Train, Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai, Yaadon Ki Baraat, Hum Kisise Kum Nahin, Pyaar Ka Mausam, Shaan, etc. etc. Some body must be quoting RDB out of context or completly misquoting him. No doubt RDB’s favourite singer was KK which is proved by the number of songs he recorded with KK, but I am sure RDB would not speek in such a manner about Rafi Saab, especially when he was also witness to MR singing such wonderful songs for his dad SDB.

  7. SHAHAB says:

    My Dear Gurumurthy,

    Iam very happy to read your article, iam also die hard fan of Md.Rafi Saab.
    It is very sad that there is no programme or any information about of Idol.

    There is K for Kishore is showing in Sony Tv, something similar we have to do somethin for the one and only rafi saab. One more thing i need to clarify from you, i read one article last month in India fm my RD burman, who has given the statement that rafi is nusance and it will be hard for him to sing a song witout re harseal and kishore is the best. What do you comment about this cheap mentality from rd burman

  8. anju says:

    mathe ki bindiya saji , tum chale aao, tum chale aao

  9. Hussein Sheikh says:

    There’s a nice duet of Rafi Saheb with Anuradha Paudwal in the film “Lahoo Ke Do Rang”, the song is in 2 parts.

  10. i was a great fan of rafi sahib his song willnever die no words to express the beauty of songs
    shaik

  11. To ATM SALIM

    thanks for giving the details of songs sung by mohdrafi with other female singers. i want to say that shyama hemadi is a shyama chittar who is a younger sister of suman kalyanpur.

    shashank_72@rediffmail.com

  12. Dear Ashish Kapoorji,

    Refer Post No. 21. I have only mentioned in my article that personally I consider “Pyaar Hua Iqrar Hua” as the best ever duet picturised in the history of Indian Film Industry. Again I reiterate that it is purely my personal opinion. I have not mentioned any thing about the Singers, Actors or Movie. Of course any body with taste for old Hindi film music knows that the duet was from the movie SHREE 420, sung by Mannadey and Lataji and picturised so beautifully on Raj Kapoor and Nargis.

    Other such beautiful duets picturised well in a unique way (purely my personal opinion) were, Rim Zhim Ke Tarane (KALA BAZAAR), Ye Raat Bheegi Bheegi, Tere Bina Zindagi Se Koi, Aapake Kamre Main Koi (YADON KI BAARAT), Ramiah Vastavayya and Mud Mudkena Dekh (SHREE 420). I am sure all music lovers may not agree with me but as I said earlier it is purely my perosnal opinion.

  13. ashish kapoor says:

    hi all rafians, i would like to point out a mistake in this article. the song “pyaar hua ikraar hua hai” is from the movie “shree 420” but it has been picturised on raj kapoor and nargis and has been sung by manney dey and lata.the kaala bazaar song is “khooya khooya chaand, khula aasmaan”. regards ashish kapoor .ashkpr@hotmail.com tel-09810087414,09212587414

  14. Thanks for the brilliant article. I have mentioned about some of the duets of Rafi and Geeta Dutt in my article on Geeta Dutt in http://stationhollywood.blogspot.com
    In fact the co-singers you have mentioned including Sharda, Arati Mukherjee had excelled in the duet songs due to Rafi’s presence with them. thanks once again.
    Souvik Chatterji.

  15. Zulfiqar says:

    Dr. Khaja Alludin Ji,
    Thanks for the contribution. I would like to be in touch with you through email.can you please mention your email .My mail adress is zapexlime@yahoo.com .

    Through this website , we are here to share our contribution towards the work of Greatest Rafi Sahib. I am looking forwards from Rafians to mention the songs of Rafi Sahib with Anuradha Podwal.

    I would maention some of them:

    Payaliya chanki k na Do Premi
    Ye geet kon Man Apman
    Ounchi Ounchi batoon say
    A lory from Khoon ki pukar
    Banda parwar mohabbar ka salam Ali baba and the wonder

    Please contribute further dear Rafians.

    Zulfiqar

  16. ATM SALIM says:

    DEAR RAFI FANS

    I AM MENTIONING SOME DUETS OF RAFI SAHAB WITH FEMALE SINGERS :

    1) WITH SHYAMA HEMADI ( SONG: YEH CHAND TO MRIDANG HAI….
    FILM: SHRI KRISHNA ARJUN YUDDH ;
    MUSIC : NANDU PYARE .
    2) WITH SHYAMA HEMADI ( SONG : BOLO BOLO TUM MERE HO ……
    FILM : MURDER IN CIRCUS ;
    MUSIC : USHA KHANNA .

    3) WITH KRIHNA KALLE ( SONG: JAIYE JAIYE HUZOOR …..
    FILM : BANDISH ( 1969) ;
    MUSIC : USHA KHANNA .

    4) WITH ARATI MUKHERJEE ( SONG: AIEGO AIEGO YE KYA HO GAYA…..
    FILM : BOY FRIEND ;
    MUSIC : SHANKAR JAIKISHAN .
    5) WITH ARATI MUKHERJEE ( SONG: HAMARA YAAR HAI….
    FILM: NEELMA ;
    MUSIC: SHANKAR JAIKISHAN .

    6) WITH USHA KHANNA ( SONG : SHAM DEKHO DHAL RAHI HAI….
    FILM : ANJAN HAI KOYEE ;
    MUSIC : USHA KHANNA .

    7) WITH MUBARAK BEGUM ( SONG : BAHUT KHOOBSURAT HAI TUMHARI …
    FILM : SUSHILA ;
    MUSIC : C. ARJUN .

    8) WITH HEMLATA ( SONG: DIL KARNE LAGA HAI PYAR TUMHEN….
    FILM : NATEEJA ;
    MUSIC : USHA KHANNA .
    9) WITH HEMLAT ( SONG: APNA TO FAISLA HAI LADKI PASAND HAI….
    FILM : LADKI PASAND HAI ;
    MUSIC : SONIK – OMI.
    10) WITH HEMLATA ( SONG: YEH BHEEGI FIZAYEN…
    FILM: KAANCH AUR HEERA ;
    MUSIC : RAVINDRA JAIN .

    11) WITH SHARDA ( SONG : JIGAR KA DARD BADTA JA RAHA HAI….
    FILM : STREET SINGER ;
    MUSIC : SURAJ .

    REGARDS/ A.T.M. SALIM.

  17. Narayanan says:

    Also thanks for Rafi saab’s photo with legend Geeta dutt’s family which is very rare and truely nostalgic

  18. Narayanan says:

    excellent one Guru sir,
    some one mentioned about Rafi saab’s duet with Runa laila.. can anyone send the song to bangaloreconsultancy@hotmail.com
    thks

  19. ATM SALIM says:

    REF POST -13

    DEAR MR. AHAMED KUTTY

    YES , VANI JAYRAMJI HAS SUNG A DUET WITH RAFI SAHAB BUT THIS IS NOT THE SONG .
    THE SONG IS ” MAINE TUMHE PAA LIYA HAI …. FROM THE FILM ‘ JURM AUR SAZA ‘ UNDER MUSIC DIRECTION OF LAXMIKANT PYARELAL .

    THE SONG YOU HAVE MENTIONED IS SUNG BY CHANDRANI MUKHERJEE AND THIS SONG BELONGS TO THE FILM NAMED : ” ZULM KI PUKAR ” UNDER MUSIC DIECTION OF SONIK-OMI .

    REGARDS/ A.T.M. SALIM.

  20. A S MURTY says:

    YES MR GURUMURTHYJI, I have seen that article too earlier and thanks for reminding I had just forgotten about it while giving my comments. However, I would like to mentioned under these columns too the beauty of the male duets that feature Rafi Sahab. One such rare and beautiful song is – OYE AVAEIN DUNIYA DEVE DUHAYEE – alongwith Balbir which is a fantastic punjabi folk based song.

  21. Ahamed Kutty says:

    Dear Gurumurthyji,

    Very nice article indeed.The evergreen voice Vanijayaramji also
    sung a song with Mohamed Rafi Saab.I do not know the name
    of the film.the song is “Ek jishk mohabbath ki kuch he ajeeb
    rasme, kabhi jeene ke wade kabhi marne ki khasme”

  22. K.J.Ravi says:

    Great article! Rafi Sahab gave ‘musical company’ to numerous female singers and heroines, and most of the songs were hits. I think that the song Meri hasraton ki duniya is from the film Gaal Gulabi Nayan Sharabi (music by Shyamji Ghanshyamji) and not from Raat Ke Andhere Mein. Rafi Sahab has sung a fabulous duet with Chandrani Mukherjee in Poonam (1980) (Muhabbat rang lati hai…) under the baton of Anu Malik.

  23. Dear Shri. Murthy,

    Please refer your post no. 7. A separate article of mine on “Rafiji’s songs with other male playback singers” has already appeared on this web site on 10th May, 2007.

  24. Dr. Khaja Aliuddin says:

    Dear Rafian’s,
    According to Mr. Saleem-ul-Haq, Rafi Saheb’s duets with female singers are as follows:-
    Suman Kalyanpur 160
    Asha Bhosle 764
    Lata Ji 414
    Geetha Dutt 134
    Shamshad Begum 123
    Usha Mangeshkar 24
    Suraiya 23
    Sulachna Pandit 15
    Usha Khanna 14
    Kamal Barut 12
    Hemlata 11
    Ameer Bhai Karnataki 10
    Mubarak Begum 9
    Madam Noor Jehan 1
    Others 95
    Zulfiqar Saheb, These are the missing songs of Sulachna Pandit with Rafi saheb. This is for your info.
    Jab Jab apna mel hua film Mahua
    Mohabbath ke liye vaise to film Amar Shakti
    OOO Ho piyar kiya haiiyar nibhana fim Badaka aur Balidan
    Aaj socha hai Khyalon me bulakar fim Chere pe chera ( very romantic duet)
    Pardesiya tere desh me dil istarah milta hai kiya film Garam Khoon
    Meet mere man film Unees Bees
    Yar se yar hai pyar me rab hai film Kaise Kaise log
    Uma Devi (Tun Tun) ke saath Rafi Saheb ke do duets hain. Film Dholak aur Khufia Mahal.
    I am not sure about the duet from film Do Premee. I have the LP of Do Premee,
    starring Moushami Chatterji, music by LP.I could not find this track.
    With regards,
    Dr. Khaja Aliuddin

  25. M.Ganesh says:

    Excellent article Brought back nostalgic memories .I was reminded about the famous duet of Rafi Sahab and Sumanji -Thahriye Hosh Mein Aaalon in “Mohabbat is ko kahte hai “. . You can literally sense Rafi Sahab’s mentoring and Sumanji’s response as the dutiful student.

  26. Zulfiqar says:

    Gurumirti G!
    Addab. It is a very informative artical about the works of maestro with other singer.I would like to mention Salakshana Pandat duets with Rafi G for the entertainment of many other fans who are unaware of maestro work.

    GA RE GA from film Chakma by Bappi Lehri
    MARE JANEO TERA DES MAIN from film Apna Khoon
    SON RE TUJHAY KAISAY MILLON film ankh dekhi
    Jab ati ho gi yad mari film Phansi
    Jis k liya sab ko chida film Sajin ki saheli
    Piyara lagay film Habari by LP
    BEGHI BEGHI WADI MAIN FILM DIL HI DIL MAIN
    Deikh badal chata hay film door dhoop
    Mohabbat main nigahnoon say film Do premi by LP
    GHADI MILAN KI AYE FILM EK BAAP CHEH BETI

    If i have missed some song irequest to add for our music library. Irequest all Rafians to mention as many duets of rafi sb with other singers as they can.

    Adaab

  27. A S MURTY says:

    Excellent article by Mr. Gurumurthyji and I couldn’t agree more with the views of Aseerbhai in post 1. I think the number of duets with Suman kalyanpur is 146, but i stand to be corrected. this piece of information is from the back pages of this site ( a comment by mr venkatadriji perhaps giving the correct number of duets rafi sahab sang with sumanji). On the whole, a good piece of writing to keep us engaged for several days to come. What about the duets that rafi sahab sang with male singers?? they could have been accomodated too perhaps in the article. n asmurty2@rediffmail.com

  28. Anmol Singh says:

    Rafi Saab sung many songs with child artists also. Classic examples are “Boot Polish” and “Andaz”. Nanhe Mune Bhache Teri Muthe; Hai Naa Bolo; Sunlo Sunaata Hun Tomko Kahani.

  29. Hussein Sheikh says:

    Rafi Saheb also sang a duet with actress Radha Saluja and Runa Laila, a playback singer from Bangladesh.

  30. Hussein Sheikh says:

    Enjoyable article! Those who sang with Rafi Saheb whether male or female, should consider themselves to be very lucky and should feel very proud.

  31. Dr. Khaja Aliuddin says:

    Janab Guru Murthy Ji, Adab Araz Hai,
    Nice writing, as usual. No words to say anything.
    One correction, the song from “Heera Moti” was sung by Dilraaj Kaur and Rafi Saheb.
    Keep up the good work.
    With regards,
    Dr. Khaja Aliuddin

  32. Aseer says:

    plz read aon ki gori as Gaon Ki Gori in my previous post
    regards

  33. Aseer says:

    excellent article Gurumurthy ji. u r one serious reason i keep visiting this site.
    one thing sir, r u sure with Asha Rafi sahab sang over 900 duest? i mean i think it is less than 800. also with Suman kalyanpur the no is closer to 150 than it is to 100.
    one singer u missed is Anuradha Paudwal, immediately coming to mind ye geet kaun mere man madhuban me gaa raha from maan apmaan-1980-LP.

    BTW, yahan badla wafa ka bewafa ke siwa kya hai came in 1947-8 , 4 yrs after Rafi sahab launched himself in bollywood and it is certainly not the first hindi song of Rafi sahab, neither it is the first duet of Rafi sahab. i have uploaded remastered version of a vey early(probably first) work of Rafi sahab in my site http://www.eternalrafi.com. it is from aon ki Gori-19440 Shyam Sundar. it goes like aji dil ho kabu me to dilbar ki aisi taisi. plz check it.co singer is G M Durrani.
    regards



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