By J.K. Bhagchandani
E-mail: jagdishkb@rediffmail.com

Mohd Rafi

Music and especially a song has been a very potent and perhaps most natural medium of expression of love and romance. Hindi films have very effectively used the songs at innumerable occasions to narrate the romantic facet of the story-line of the movie in a very creative and inspired way. The extent of depth, the passion or any other aspect of the romantic feelings that a 3 to 4 minute song can convey outshines the series of romantic dialogues lasting many-fold minutes.

A well known jazz vocalist Joe Williams once said, “I think that musicians should never forget about the intimacy of bringing two people together, and the aesthetic transference where you’re almost vicariously involved in a romance between other people.” This one sentence aptly signifies the nuance of a romantic song, the benchmark of ‘passion for performance’ that the performer (singer) needs to integrate in his/ her renderings. And at that benchmark Mohammed Rafi’s name will remain the foremost for not only achieving that but surpassing the same by many a mile. (more…)

By H.Krishnan

Mohd Rafi Sahab

In the worlds of business today innovation is a great differentiator. It can make or break a business.  But Rafi sahib is the personification of innovation in playback singing starting in the 1950’s. he had a great voice, but he honed it to perfection as any artist will do. But to make an impact you need to innovate and stand out from the others. Rafi sahib was the first person to create a style for each of his heroes, by imbibing essential features of the hero and bringing out in his song presentation. (more…)

Compiled by: Sri Biman Baruah, a resident of Gokuldham ONGC Colony, Film City Road, Goregaon(East), Mumbai-400063.

Mohd Rafi Sahab and Dr. Bhupen Hazarika

RAMZANORE  ROOZA  GOL
ULLAL  EIDAR  JOON
CHENEHARE  MEHFILATE  
BAHE  AAJI  KAUN…… 2

(Ramzan’s Rooza has Ended, Moon of EID is Spotted, Who will be seated in the Assemble of Worship)

It was the sole famous qawwali song from Assamese film, Lati-Ghati (1966), where two legendry singers, Mohammed Rafi and Dr. Bhupen Hazarika shared their golden voice with chorus. The song begins with voice of Rafi Sahab with chorus and in middle of song Dr. Hazarika joins them. The thesis of the song is the celebration of EID at the end of holy month of Ramzan by Hindu and Muslim together with communal harmony in a small village called Hajoo nearGuwahati,Assam. The lyrics and music of the song was penned by Dr. Bhupen Hazarika with direction of the film. Dr. Hazarika was the first person fromAssam who led the way of pioneering the Assamese cinema and culture in national and international cinema graph. (more…)

By Salim K

Rafi Sahab

If there are 101 ways of saying ‘I love you‘ in a song, Mohammed Rafi Sahab knew them all and much more. The friskiness of teen romance, the philosophy of unrequited love and the anguish of heartbreak – he could explore every crevice of ardor in the most effortless and unmatched manner.

It wasn’t just love, his voice could capture all the emotions and moods of life – a failed poet’s melancholy, a fiery unionist’s vim, a debt-ridden farmer’s despair, a young man’s dream, heart of a lover and anybody who was somebody, Rafisahab had the amazing and rare quality of expressing it through his matchless and perfect voice. Rafisahab ,whose stupendous career spanned nearly four decades, was indeed a singer for every season and every reason. (more…)

Written by: H.A.K. Walijah

Mohd Rafi

Rafi Saab songs can be categorized into various genres carrying different shades and moods of human life, if one could listen to them carefully with attentive ears and devoted heart, one definitely shall find hope or confidence, optimism erupts from his songs which grant us the hope of re-living and not giving up the hope. Most of the songs of Rafi Saab remain till today inspiration to millions of his listeners who receives inspiration in hard times; his optimistic songs stand like a shield of condolence or blanket of tender patting laced with encouragement, bravery and steadfastness. As we say in Hindi “Ummeed” which instill (tendency of new hope) in the heart of  the listener as a consoling power with a strong encouraging message to struggle hard and thrive; but do not give-up until finds the way of success & happiness. Hindi equivalent meaning of the English word optimistic is “Aashawadi”.  (more…)

By Gan Sharma

Mohd Rafi

Hindi film music is firmly embedded in gentleness and romance. It is difficult to listen to the songs of earlier times without the beauty of love creeping into your heart. You go softer than you really are; you imagine what you can’t really have, and for a few beautiful moments, there is a suspension of the usual anxieties and fears that accompany us like shadows throughout our lives.

Dance is something we of the Indian subcontinent perform on stage; it is not something we do at home (except when we practice.) In the Western cultures, a couple would break into a ballroom dance whenever the opportunity presents itself. Today, I wish to write about one form of ballroom dancing – the waltz, and its intimate relationship with two of Mohd. Rafi saab’s very famous songs. (more…)

Badshah-E-Mausiqui Mohd Rafi.

From The Rafi Foundation, Mumbai. Cell: 9833 250 701. Mail : binus2000@hotmail.com

Mohd Rafi Portrait being handed over by Artist C.S. Pant to Binu Nair of Rafi Foundation

It’s rare that a singer’s giant sized pictures are splashed on giant bill boards and hoardings three decades after his moving away from us.

Yes friends. It’s Dec 24th. The smiling picture of Badshah-E-Mausiqui Mohd Rafi Sahib looms across Mumbai Suburbs on the occasion of his 87th birth anniversary celebration which will honor ‘Chaudvin Ka Chand Ho’ composer Ravi Sahib along with another Co-singer going by the name Shailendra Singh. (more…)

By Achal Rangaswamy

Mohd Rafi's 87th Birthday

As December approaches ( and I have written this in an earlier birthday post of Rafi Saab), I look forward to my birthday and also that of my Idol. But there is another great character who we all remember very fondly as the month of December starts. And we look forward to his appearing before us.

One wonders why we haven’t noticed this uncanny resemblance between the two of them !!
One man who smiled all the time, another a slightly older man who smiled and made everyone smile. (more…)

Source: Qamaal Mustafa Sikander

Mohd Rafi

Farrukh Viqar, famous RJ of UAE and Neeil have shared a wonderful gift with Rafifans on Rafi Sahab’s 87th  birthday. Its not very often that a Legend is born. Here is our small attempt to go back to the place where it all began.

Farrukh Viqar & Neeil on their expedition, Sangam Express an initiative by 89.1 Radio 4, (U.A.E.) traveled all the way from Dubai to Kotla Sultan Singh (a small village about 30kms from Amritsar, Punjab) to explore the place where it all began for the Singing Legend Md. Rafi. (more…)

By Souvik Chatterji

Mohd Rafi

The listeners of music all over the world wish happy birthday to Mohammad Rafi on 24th December, 2011. The noble soul had left his admirers 31 years ago. Yet he is alive in numerous everlasting hit songs which are heard and cherished for generations.

A Mohammad Rafi Musical Academy should be opened in Mumbai. The aim and objective of the Academy should be to train singers in the art of playback singing. The way Pune Film and Development Institute had created acting talents like Om Puri, Shabana Azmi and others, in the same way Mohammad Rafi Academy and appoint singers of repute from different parts of the world to train young singers in the art of playback singing. (more…)