By P. Haldar

That was his voice, ranging from here to there, just like the skies. Fifty years ago, when the actor came sliding down a snow-covered slope like an avalanche, he and his voice morphed into one. A junglee was born. And 31 years after the voice left him, he joins his “asman se aya farishta” voice. Thirty one:  3 and 1.  Shammi Kapoor was born in 1931. Rafi left us on July 31. Both of them left us on the 13th day of Ramadan.

31 is a prime number.

31 = 10 X 3 + 1. Ten hat-tricks plus one.

Written By : Suneil Makwana

Rafi Sahab's Final Resting Place

I am Suneil Makwana from Mumbai and I am a big fan of The Legend Immortal & Eternal Singer Mohd. Rafisaab. I like to listen Rafisaab’s melodious songs and his voice give me peace to my mind. Unfortunately, I have not met the Legend because I have born in 1985 and I think it’s my bad luck Rafisaab left us in the year of 1980 but when I listen songs rendered by the legend I feel that he is somewhere around. (more…)

By Nasreen Hafesjee

Yaad Na Jaaye

Salaam-Namaste !

Ek haseen shaam ko, dil mera kho gaya !… Jee haan doston, uss haseen shaam ko hum sab ke dil kho gaye the, Rafi Sahab ki yaadon mein.

Friends, Radio Manpasand, want to say a very heartfelt Thank You for joining us last Sunday, 12th June at Cook Neighbourhood Hall for “Yaad Na Jaaye”. You came and just as we had predicted, we all took a trip together Down Memory Lane. And what a nostalgic, beautiful trip it was! One we could take again and again and never be bored. That is the magic of Rafi Sahab. (more…)

By Ravi Kumar

Mohd Rafi

Hindi film music history can distinctly be divided into two eras, BR – Before Rafi and AR- After Rafi. Between these two eras the singing sage Rafi Saheb lent his voice to numerous artists and played an extremely significant role in the success of their films and acting career as well. It is evident that many of these artists despite of their limited acting skills could survive and taste the nectar of success only because they had borrowed Rafi Saheb’s voice for their playback singing.  On the other hand many a good actors relied on Rafi Saheb because only he had the ability to translate their acting nuances into his singing to justify with their screen image. (more…)

By Souvik Chatterji

Mohd Rafi and Biswajeet

Bengali actor Biswajeet Chatterjee after acting in hit films in Bengali namely Mayamrigo in 1960 and Dui Bhai in 1961 went to Mumbai to pursue his acting career there. He made his debut in the film Bees Saal Baad where Hemant Kumar was the producer of the film and also the music composer.

In a short period of time Biswajeet got roles to play in films of different producers and directors namely Nasir Hussain, Satyen Bose, Hrishikesh Mukherjee and others. Mohammad Rafi played a very important role in the success story of Biswajeet’s films because most of the films ended up being musical blockbusters. (more…)

Compiled by: Mr. Biman Baruah,ONGC Ltd., Mumbai High Asset, Mumbai

Mohd Rafi

Amir Se Hoti Hai, Garib Se Hoti Hai……….
Door Se Hoti Hai, Kareeb Se Hoti Hai………
Magar Jahan Bhi Hoti Hai Ai Mere Dost,
Shaddiyan Tu Naseeb Se Hoti Hai…..
Aaj Mere Yaar Ki Shaddi Hai.. 2
Yaar Ki Shaddi Hai, Mere Dildaar Ki Shaddi Hai
Lagta Hai Jaise Saare Sansar Ki Shaddi Hai…………

It was one of the most popular and enjoyable marriage party songs of HINDI FILM MUSIC from the Devendra Goel’s film AADMI SADAK KA sung by Mohammed Rafi with composer Ravi, actor Deban Verma & Chorus. In the song, Rafi Sahab lent his voice for Shatrughan Singha, Ravi Sahab for Sujeet Kumar and Devan Verma for himself. The song was well composed by RAVI in the lyrics of Verma Malik. The beautiful lyrics of the song depicts the great proverb, “marriages are fixed on heaven” and there is no task of human hands in case of marriage. Another shaddi related Rafi-Lata duet, “Tera Beetuwa Jawan Hoigawa, Ke Maa Mera Shaddi Karaide” from Subhash Ghai’s GAUTAM GOVINDA also picturised on Shatrughan Singha. (more…)

Written by: H.A.K. Walijah

Mohd Rafi

It is generally believed that pathos-laden songs is the realm of Mukesh and Talat Mehmood where they bring forth the human pain and suffering of the characters alive on the silver screen through their voices, whereas Rafi Sahab universally acknowledged as all-rounder due to his mind-boggling versatility, while millions revere him as the epitome of romance and solace; but a closer look will reveal that there are so many songs of Rafi Sahab that are really heart-rending and pathos-laden even excelled to Mukesh and Talat Mehmood melancholic songs. I have been a very strong follower of his songs, especially the “dard” that comes out naturally from his voice.  From the very beginning, K.L.Saigal was subjected to the fawning adoration of the public as  a singer he excelled in the pathos-laden songs like Jab dil hi toot gaya, Balam aan baso mere man mein, Karoon kiya aas niras bhayee, Gham diye mustakil Kitna nazuk hai dil. Later on Mukesh had a voice which could convey pathos very well and many of his songs like Dil jalta Hain, Saaranga Teri Yaad Mein etc. are the finest examples. Mukesh had the pathos. Talat Mehmood had the delicate tremor. Kishore Kumar had zany songs as well as gravitas. Rafi had all of the above plus an extra something. (more…)

By Deepak Kriplani

Rafi Sahab with Shankar and Shammi Kapoor

I was renewing a fixed deposit at the bank when the Message Alert sounded on the cell. Do you know Shammi Kapoor died this morning? There goes my chance to meet him, I rued. It had been two years and more since my friend Girish and I had first talked about going over to meet him. Girish had gotten as far as speaking to him on the phone. We had discussed it again, as recently as a few days ago.

Strangely, Shammi Kapoor had cast his spell on me not through his performances, but through his music. I wanted to ask him how he worked with his (and mine too) favourite music team to create those memorable numbers. Over time, though, I realised that his unique screen persona added another dimension to the music that came to be identified with him. (more…)

By Achal Rangaswamy

Shammi Kapoor

Nagesh Sidhanti, my friend from Bangalore, jolted me from my morning reverie with this terse message that had only two lines.

I got up to post my first thoughts on Facebook. And i couldn’t go beyond “Tum mujhe yun bhula na paaogey“.

Thirty one years back, when Rafi Saab passed away, he had mournfully said, “I have lost my voice”. Today it is his turn to go. The voice went away then. Today the man has gone. (more…)

By Achal Rangaswamy

Mohd Rafi

This was perhaps one of those dreams…..

I sat , thinking to myself – “Lagta nahin hai dil mera ujade dayar mein”.  I was missing my idol, my God, the great soul whose voice had taken total possession of me from the evening that I slipped on the rain drenched patch of road outside a theatre in Chennai, as I came out after watching a tall and handsome young man call out “Khoya Khoya chaand”. (more…)