By: H.A.K. Walijah

Among so many female singers, Geeta Dutt name is unique and rings a different sensation. The evergreen songs like “babu ji dheere chalna“, “jaa jaa bewafaa“, “yeh lo main haari piya“, “aaeeye meherban“, “mera naam chin chin chu”,  “ae dil mujhe bata de”,  “na jao saiyan chuda ke bahiyan”, ‘tadbeer se bigdi hui taqdeer banaa le”, “jaane kya tune kahi”,  “waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam” and many more such gem like songs paved directly into the hearts of music lovers and made her name immortal in the Annals of Hindi Film Music.

By Nagesh Sidhanti.
A humble tribute to composer Madan Mohanji on his 87th birth anniversary by an ardent Rafi fan

Mohd Rafi with Madan Mohan

Of all pursuits, love is the most profound, be it sensuous or sublime.

This legendary love story of ill-fated couple, an epitome of pure love, ‘Heer-Ranjha’ was written by Sufi poet Waris Shah. Little did he know that about 200 years later, his seminal work’s intimate aspects would receive its rightful interpretation in the form of a surreptitious musical dialogue, arranged by three of the greatest legends, one, an exceptional composer and the other two, genius singers of their era.

Kaifi’s lines are lyrically simple but never frugal in this unique duet from Heer Ranjha, which is rendered in low notes, complimenting essentially a covert love story.   The lyricist who is known for his earthly imagery, has penned the lines with a dash of mystical aura the story deserves. Although not spoken in the same breath as some of his distinguished contemporaries, Kaifi Azmi yet again proves a point that beneath the layers of sophistication & hyperbole, lie a treasure trove of emotions, which could flourish in the realm of a deeper understanding of LOVE and LIFE. (more…)

An unpublished interview of Naushad Sahib by Mehtab-Ud-Din

I had an interview of Naushad Sahib, the Great Music Composer of the Bollywood. I wanted to publish it in my book about all time Great our Mohd. Rafi Sahib. But my dream couldn’t be a reality only due to some unavoidable circumstances in my family. But, now I want to share my feelings about our Rafi Sahib & Naushad Sahib after 10½ years, as I am still not able to publish such a book. I hope, the fans of Rafi Sahib and the readers of Mohd Rafi.com ’ll surely forgive me for the delay in presenting the precious information.

Naushad Sahib with Mehtab-Ud-Din

It was an occasion of the annual Mohd. Rafi Award Function of Yaadgar-e-Rafi Society, Chandigarh (Regd.).  The day was 12^th November, 2000.  Naushad Sahib, the foremost music composer of the Bollywood & the Chief Guest for the Award Function had come in Chandigarh on 11^th Nov.  Then, I was working as News-Editor in a Punjabi Daily ‘Desh Sewak’ (Chandigarh) & I managed to meet Naushad Sahib especially alongwith Mr. Sardul Singh Abravan, my colleague and the Cultural Representative of the vernacular daily.  We reached the Room No. 319, 3^rd Floor, U. T. Guest House, Sector-6; where Naushad Sahib was officially staying. (more…)

By Nitish Sinha

Mohd Rafi with Madan Mohan

“Mohd Rafi was not classically trained……”
“He had only working knowledge of music……..”
“Manna De, Ghantasala and Yesudas had better knowledge of Classical Music….”
“Classical stalwarts never had any word of praise for Mohd Rafi…….”
Lots of such type of ill baked  comments here and there compelled me to write this article.

First of all, let me say one thing :’Mohammed Rafi was the only singer among all his colleagues who had learned the music under guru-shishya parampara under one of the most respected Gharana of Hindustani classical music.’ It is another matter that Mohammed Rafi had chosen the playback singing career instead of going for a career in Hindustani Classical Music.It was his perfect training in classical music and constant Riyaz that make him a perfect singer within the field of playback singing what he chose. (more…)

By Ronny Noor, an English professor at the University of Texas, Brownsville

Mohd Rafi

I never saw you in person, nor did you ever lay eyes on me. But, to tell you the truth, I have known you all my life, since the day your mellifluous voice greeted my first breath on earth in the florid blush of a summer morning, drifting from radios, gramophones, and loudspeakers. Your melody traveled hundreds of miles through the air to the heart of Bengal to fill my days, months, and years, wrapping me to hum with you like a veritable confession, “I am so lost without you in this world.” The merit of those words became apparent in my darkest moment when you came to my rescue with:

In the gloomy hours of the night
Do not lose your heart
The daybreak will surely follow
Look forward to the crack of dawn (more…)

By Souvik Chatterji

Mohd Rafi with Shammi Kapoor, Hasrat, Jaikishan

Renowned poet and lyricist Hasrat Jaipuri was born on 15^th April, 1922 as Iqbal Hussain. In 1940, Hasrat Jaipuri came from Jaipur to Mumbai. Prithiviraj Kapoor heard him in a mushaira and recommended him to Raj Kapoor when he was making the film Barsaat.

The epic combination of Hasrat Jaipuri and Shankar Jaikishan started from Barsaat. The first 2 songs written by him became super hit namely “jiya beqarar hai” and “chor gaye balam”. The pen of Hasrat Jaipuri glorified RK Films and other bollywood films for the next 30 years. (more…)

By: H.A.K. Walijah

Mohd Rafi

“Mere Mehboob Tujhe Meri Mohabbat Ki Kasam” is a famous and romantic poem of Shakeel Badayuni sung by Rafi Sahab while legendary music director Naushad Saab composed this song based upon Raag Jhinjhoti for the movie “Mere Mehboob” (1963) – a muslim social in the backdrop of nawabi culture. The effect of such slow and romantic song is amazing; magic is in the lyrics plus melody.  It was amazing to watch it yet again and enjoy the velvety voice of Mohd. Rafi Sahab. It is one of the most romantic, melodious and all-time-favorite title songs of Mere Mehboob. Rafi Sahab has poured his soul in this amazing extra long six stanza song which has no break at all in the middle and considered till today the best soft romantic songs for the range of voice and its melody of lyrics with music.  Almost all music directors used Rafi’s voice to give life and a magical quality to their tunes. Rafi Saab used to build concept about the actors for whom the songs were recorded and went to great lengths to change his style to suit the actor and the scene. (more…)

By A S MURTY – rafimurty {at} gmail {dot} com

Mohd Rafi

PROLOGUE :

A Concert is a live performance (typically of music) before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, some then call a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band. Concerts are held in a wide variety and size of settings, from private houses and small clubs, dedicated concert halls, entertainment centers and parks to large multipurpose buildings and auditoria. Regardless of the venue, musicians usually perform on a stage……….

For sometime now, I was thinking of classifying some special songs of Rafi Sahab as these were a step beyond mere playback singing.  Playback singing can be of any song of any genre in any fashion and hfm has had a host of the very best to very poor songs composed and recorded by the playback singers. (more…)

By: Jagat Kant Choudhary

Kishore Kumar and Mohd Rafi

It was inevitable. The Comparison. With two phenomenal singers like Mohd Rafi and Kishore Kumar dividing the lion’s share of the male playback music industry between themselves, it was only a matter of time before the big question would crop up- who is the better singer?

The huge fan following, bordering on reverence for the two singers coupled with the alleged preferences of certain music directors for one over the other, often triggered this question. However and fortunately so, while the fans swore by their respective idols, and still do, there has never been a clear polarization either in the fan following or the music industry as a whole. (more…)

Written by: H.A.K. Walijah

Mohd Rafi and Dharamendra

Who could be from the Forties till the late Eighties charmed the film world with his scintillating lyrics in about 200 films and Rafi Saab had sung at least 225 songs out of 1800 recorded songs penned – guess whom I am referring, yes it is Hasrat Jaipuri, “The King of Romance”. Hasrat Jaipuri is one of the best lyricists in Bollywood who have been in the Indian film industry for a long time. The lyricist is now being considered as an iconic figure in the Bollywood music world. The verses which came out of his pen were realistic, rhythmic and touched the soul. He spread the fragrance of his poetry during 50’s & 60’s with his brilliant poetic genius comprising some of the sweetest melodies sung by “The King of Melody”, Mohammad Rafi Sahab – “Teri pyari pyari soorat ko” (Sasural), “Tu kahan yeh bataa” (Tere Ghar Ke Saamne), “Tu mere saamne hai, teri zulfein hai khuli” (Suhagan), “Ehsan tera hoga mujh par” (Junglee), “Teri zulfon se” (Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai) and “Tum mujhe yoon bhula na paaoge” (Pagla Kahin Ka). (more…)