By Pravin B Dave

Lata Mangeshkar singing Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Chinese aggression on India’s border in NEFA and Ladakh. It also reminds us of the period when “watan ki aabroo khatre’ me’ hai” ; “aawaz do hum ek hai” ; “aapni azadi ko hum mita sakte’ nahi” ; ” kar chale’ hum fida jaan aur tun” , all by the patriot of all patriots – our great Sahab, and “ai mere watan ke logo” by Lataji. (more…)

The is article is compiled by Mr. Biman Baruah, Sr.F&AO, ONGC Ltd., Mumbai High Asset, Mumbai.

Shashi Kapoor and Mohd Rafi

Mohammed Rafi Sahab created wisdom of real playback singing in Hindi Film Music with his universal voice and great transforming quality in his voice. He is the first ever singer who eliminated the distance between acting and playback singing in Hindi Film. He also eliminated special attachment between singer-actor combinations. For instance, Mukesh as a voice of Raj Kapoor, Talat Mehmood as a voice of Dilip Kumar and Kishor Kumar as a voice of Dev Anand. He had a universal voice and can sing for any actor modulating his voice according to range of voice of the actor, so that audiences can think that the actor singing on screen. Thus, he was the only singer who can sing for three brothers universally like Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor. (more…)

By : Suneil K Makwana

Tribute To Rafisaab

88th Birthday celebration of the Legend Padmashree Mohd. Rafisaab under a banner “ Rafi Ki Yaadein” on 24-12-2012 at Juhu Jagraan Hall, Mithibai College, Mumbai. All Rafi lovers and talented singers like Shree A. Narayan (Nari), Shree Kishore Makwana, Shree Manikrao Bhise (Voice Of R.D. Burman), Master Mohd Patel, Shree Santosh & Female Singer Smt. Rani Kaur pay their homage to the legend.. (more…)

By Souvik Chatterji

Mohd Rafi with S.D.Burman

Sachin Dev Burman as a composer had a liking for folk tunes and the softness of sounds of nature was captured in his compositions. Whenever his compositions were studied in the commercial films there was limitation relating to the immense musical talent because there were preferences of the producers, actors and other groups of people.

But when it came to realistic films, probably SD Burman’s best tunes were created. Mohammad Rafi as a singer had the greatest range and modulation in respect of singing. So SD Burman’s songs in realistic films with Mohammad Rafi created magic. (more…)

By Onika Setia

Visit to Kotla Sultan Singh

१६-१७ जुलाई को जब हम अमृतसर देखने गए . उसके सारे दर्शनीय स्थल देखने के बाद हमारी अंतिम इच्छा थी की हम
अपने चहेते गुलुकार स्वर -सम्राट रफ़ी साहब का गॉव भी देख लें. में अपने जीवन में अब तक जाने कितनी बार अमृतसर गयी हुंगी मगर यह हसरत मेरे मन में हमेशा दबी रह गयी की रफ़ी साहब का गॉव देखने की .इस बार भी रह जाती यदि मेरे पति ने कोशिश न की होती . (more…)

By Nadeem Sundoo

Mohd Rafi with his grand daughter taken during his last visit to London in 1979. Courtesy: Yasmeen Ji (Rafi Sahab’s daughter)

I have had a very peculiar experience that I would like to share with other Rafi fans. It’s about the song Is ishq muhabbat ki kuch hai ajeeb rasmein (Movie: Zulm ki pukar). Now, I have not seen the movie nor had I heard the song before. So it does not have any nostalgic value for me. I found it on my ongoing quest for “new” Rafi songs on Youtube. This song is remarkably different from other songs on two points: (more…)

By Shekhar Bopardikar

Rafi with fans

This Song “Yahan Main Ajanabi Hoon” from 1965 film “Jab Jab Phool Khile” depicts the portrayal of betrayal of trust in love. As the story goes, After returning from overseas, heiress Rita is stressed out and needs to go someplace to unwind. She chooses Kashmir and, upon arrival, rents a houseboat from the owner, Raja. After a few misunderstandings, they are attracted to each other and soon fall in love.This romance is not looked upon favorably by Raj Bahadur Chunilal, Rita’s dad, as he would prefer his daughter marry a suitor he has chosen for her: Kishore. Rita dislikes Kishore and will only marry Raja; the wily Raj Bahadur devises a plan that will let him keep the cake and eat it too. (more…)

By Achal Rangaswamy

Mohd Rafi with Prithvi Raj Kapoor Celebrating his birthday

I want to be a good human being. I want God to know that I have been a good human being. I want to go to heaven. So selfish am I that this is the reason why I want to be a good human being.

Do you know why?

So that I can go to heaven and meet Rafi Sahab. If there is any regret that I have in my life as of now, it is that I haven’t been able to meet Rafi Sahab in flesh and blood, that I haven’t been able to touch his feet, seek his blessings and see him smile his trademark smile, and sing for me even one little song from the veritable treasure that he accumulated but happily left behind for us. (more…)

By Pravin B Dave

Contributors to this website often wonder if Rafi Saab’s religion has been a stumbling block to Him being denied the highest honor of the Land.
That was on my mind too for a while. I do not subscribe to that any more.
We must refrain from involving Faith, for it would be totally opposite to what He stood for; what His Family stands for and what His multitude of fans internationally stand for. (more…)

By Onika Setia

Mohd Rafi Sahab

छेड़ा जो उन्होंने साज़ कहीं ,
धड़कन में होने लगी झंकार सी।
रूह को तश्नगी औ आरजू को जिस्त ,
ख्वाबो की दुनिया में आई बहार सी। (more…)