Rafi Sahab – So What?
By Ramesh Narain Kurpad
Mohd Rafi and Kishore Kumar
During my life times, I have had the great pleasure of interacting with innumerable music fans – lovers of retro music – but today, I wish to bring forth and highlight a peculiar kind – un-matchable in its unique negativity. Bhakton, I wish to appear to have started off on a controversial note by saying Rafi Sahab – So What? – I wish to put down a few lines in support of the innumerable music fans of the legendary singer Kishore Kumar.
It may really sound as though I am here to sing pains on KK but all that I wish to do is to highlight the innermost feelings of a Kishore Kumar Fan who has it in abundance all against Rafi sahab. And he exults often – Rafi Sahab – So What???
At this juncture, I wish to take help of the old adage “ jealousy thy name is woman “ or is it the other way around. It is important to mention that one could never get away by praising another woman in presence of one woman. ( excuse me behnon – I wish to make full use of the female feelings to capture the mindset of the Kishore Kumar fan. )
Though I am a born die-hard Rafi Sahab Fan, I also immensely like, hear and truly appreciate Kishore Kumar songs. The same can never be said about the KK fan though. It need not be, but however, he comes on to you as a shock. His entire personality, utterances, writings and general behaviour gives you a case of Rafi sahab bashing, rather than actually portraying the great singing talent of a legend called Kishore Kumar.
No matter what you say about Rafi sahab, he just wants to deride you and Rafi sahab to the extent of being not respectfull.
Mohd Rafi with Kishore Kumar
Legendary Kishore Kumar has such fantastic qualities as a great singer, human being, lead a dignified life among legends. Instead of picturing their singing star in a good light they simply go down in history as Rafi bashers.
This kind of human behavior really baffles me and leaves me with a lot questions as to why these numerous scores of kishore fans ( almost all males ) are behaving like the “JEALOUS WOMAN“.
Any point you make of Rafi sahab, it is nicely countered by saying Kishore was greater. Rafi was ordinary. Infact according to them Kishore was so great that Rafi with innumerable limitations was minuscule in his presence. They say Rafi fans are ruffians, do not know how to behave, talk nasty, write nasty and are jealous of Kishore’s popularity as the only legend.
At this point, I just give up and retreat my steps and tell the person in front of me – that he is right – Indeed Kishore Kumar was a great singer and his renditions have become legendary and folklore.
Bhakton, this write up – was never an exercise to pull down the Kishore fan but to just express and put forth the pitiable state of mind of the helpless Kishore fan – who instead of using his vocab and energies in praise of their singing star end up only trying their utmost in bringing Rafi sahab down.
Our great nation, India, has given us some legendary hindi film play back singers, who have given us some memorable songs to last generations of humanity. Let us bask in its glory. Let us enjoy these gems. Let us get lost in their melody.
Let us all attain “ MOKSH “ through some soulful songs of these great singing legends who once lived and sang in this great motherland of ours.
Rafi Sahab, I have said, What ever I wished to say – to express the angst of some distressed humans, lovers of music, lost in music, unmindful of not making sense too.
Rafi Sahab, forgive them – as they do not know – What they Are saying.
Both are equally great singers. One must note that Naushad & few others did not wan’t Kishore & it is their loss not Kishoreda’s . Kishore is a versatile genius. The greatness of Kishore Kumar is that without classical training he rose to the top most position till he died. He remains the highest paid singer & also max awards. No pair (actor-singer)in the history of the film industry can match Rajesh Khanna – Kishore Kumar combination. Music directors like Naushad could not digest the success of the genius of Kishoreda he was truly blessed by goddess Saraswati
Mohd. Rafi is an incomparable singer. He is all in one. if any one compare him to kishore he is in fact ridiculing him. Rafi was an extra ordinary singer. Lata herself says that she considers it as hon our to have sung maximum no of songs with him and adds such singers are not born again. Manna dey considers Rafi as the best among the male singers of our film industry just as lata is the best female singer.
Those new boys who gave just started to hear Hindi songs and have heard Just KK and RD songs are not to be blamed. Thee FM Channels whom these youngsters listen keep churning out KK and RD songs what can they do. For these Channels there is no Manna dey Mukesh, naushad , shankar jaikishan ,madam mohan , op nayyar don’t exist , There are only two people KK and RD . I don’t understand why they dont name their channels as RD or Kishore channels. They need to be told about rafi and his work and since media is not doing it we need to take the initiative,
Rafi fans are mostly those who love the hindustani music. They know that Rafi sahab was the best, but they also respect great singers like Manna de and Kishore Kumar. That is not true with KK fans. They have a habit of bashing Rafi sahab. These KK fans somehow try to prove that Kishore was the best and Rafi an ordinary singer. These people are more inclined towards western music. They are very imressed with eudlings of Kishore and western tunes of RD. These KK fans have heard some Kishore numbers of 70s and 80s and on the basis of that they decide that Kishore was the best singer. People who are between 35 and 55 have seen Kishore Kumar era. They have very less exposer of great Rafi numbers from 50s and 60s, such as khoya khoya chand, chal ud ja re panchhi, o dur ke musafir, husnwale tera jawab nahin, fir miloge kabhi, saathi na koi manzil, madhuban me radhika, kitna hai tumse pyar, tere bin suni nain humare and din dhal jaaye.
Youngsters like me who love hindustani music, know the importance of Rafi. Rafisahab had got the most melodious voice. No singer, not even great Lata ji was as versatile as Rafi sahab. No one could express the feeling of a song the way Rafi sahab have done that.
Rafi fans are mostly those, who understand hindustani music. They know that Rafi sahab was the best, but they also respect great singers like Manna De and Kishore Kumar. That is not true with KK fans. Most of the KK fans have a habit of bashing Rafi Sahab. Somehow they want to prove that Kishore was the best and Rafi an ordinary singer. These people have hardly any understanding of hindustani music and they are more inclined towards western music. They are very impressed with eudlings of KK and western tunes of RD.Thease people have heard some KK songs of 70s and 80s and on the basis of that they decide that Kishore was the best.
Most people between 35 and 55 have seen Kishore Kumar era. They have very less exposer of great Rafi numbers of 50s and 60s, such as Khoya Khoya chand, chal ud ja re panchhi, O dur ke musafir, saathi na koi manzil, husnwale tera jawab nahin, fir miloge kabhi, hum bekhudi me tumko, abhi na jaao chhod kar, madhuban me radhika, kitna hai tumse pyar ae mere razdar and din dhal jaye.
Youngsters like me who love hindustani music, know the importance of Rafi. He had got the most melodious voice. No singer, not even great Lata ji was as versatile as Rafi sahab. No one could express the feeling of a song the way Rafi sahab has done it.
The question that u asked,,,was asked by a press reporter to Kishore Kumar,,You Know what Kishore Kumar answered then,,,He enquired if the reporter had any idea of music,,,”there is none in this world that can be compared with Rafi Sahab,he is ,was and will remain Best” and warned not to comapre singer like Rafi with anyone ,male or female not even Lata. Well,its Kishore kumar modesty and his understanding of music that he always consider Rafi sahab best ;this is like as now a days every music director consider AR Rehman best for eg in the language of Himesh Reshamiya who admited saying ” 1 to 10 is Rehman Saab and then come we all”…..Even Rehman defines Mohammad Rafi as the synonyms with the word extraordinary and admit excillence of Rafi over everyone.Take any genre Bhajan(even today in every Indian Fastival of any relligion Hindu,Muslim Sikh we listen Rafi song),qawalli,desh bhakti,classical,semi classical,playback for actor or semi actor or villain or comedian,or playback as symblic to child,woman or old man (na kisi ki aankh ka noor hoon etc),playback as personificationas nature or becoming Motherland(mere ladlo utho etc. ),Funny song(yahoo,etc),sentimental song,drunk song in Sharabi voice,humurous song,critic song(kya miliye aise logo se jinki asli surat chhipi rahe),Romantic song,duet,etc,,,every where he is brilliantly greatest of all time.No one can be ever compared with brilliance of Mohmmad Rafi,who had always dedication rather divotion as a priority to a song and not money like. However,kishore kumar is fairly good in his own way but its needless to compare legend rafi.