Talking Rafi: Know The Legend Mohammed Rafi
This article is by Mr. Anuj Kumar, Correspondent, (Delhi Bureau of The Hindu). Vinod Viplav documents the life and times of Mohammed Rafi. Here is a review of Meri Awaz Suno, published in all the editions of The Hindu on July 30, and other dates.
Some things just refuse to go out of fashion. One of them is Mohammed Rafi’s voice. However, few know that Rafi was equally peerless as a human being. “Had he opted for any other profession, he would have still managed to create space for himself in the hearts of people,†observes Vinod Viplav, a senior journalist, who has come up with a book on Rafi. Called “Meri Awaz Sunoâ€, the book is an attempt to analyse the life and times of Rafi. “There are compilations of his songs, but there is hardly any book which looks into his life and analyses his songs.â€
He cites examples of his magnanimity, “He promoted many music composers and helped those who were going through bad times. Laxmikant Pyarelal feared that Rafi would refuse to sing for them for their first film Parasmani, as he was at his peak at that time. But he not only sang but sang for free. He used to send anonymous cheques to music composers who had fallen on bad times. These people discovered only when Rafi passed away and the cheques stopped coming. †Similarly, he was always accessible to his fans. On the competition with Kishore Kumar, Viplav feels Rafi had more variety than Kishore. “Rafi had sung all kinds of songs, including bhajans and qawwalis. Also, if we look at their career graphs, Kishore had sung some 300-odd songs till Aradhana. Till Aradhana Rafi was enjoying unrivalled success. It’s only when Mere Sapno Ki Rani happened and Rajesh Khanna became a superstar tha t Kishore’s demand swelled. People started calling Kishore the new voice. In fact, a troika of Rajesh Khanna, R.D. Burman and Kishore Kumar emerged.â€
The dilemma
There is another angle to the story. “During this period Rafi went for Haj and it occurred to him that singing film songs is against Islam. It required a lot of cajoling from the family members when Rafi returned to recording studios.â€
When he returned he found support from his friends in the industry. Madan Mohan insisted that Rafi would sing for Laila Majnu, though Rishi Kapoor wanted Kishore. Similarly Laxmikant Pyarelal, despite all opposition, signed him for Sargam. Soon his qawwali in Hum Kisi Se Kam Nahin became a hit and he was at par with Kishore.â€
Links of the following story are
http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/08/11/stories/2007081…
http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/07/30/stories/2007073…
http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/08/11/stories/2007081…
http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/08/02/stories/2007080…
Ref: Post 10
That song is from “AAKHRI DAU”. Let me compliment you on your choice!
You also must listen to “Mer Kahani Bhoolne wale” from Deedar.
Regards
Shirish Kulkarni
98204 52562
Post 10 Katti sir,
The song mentioned I think from the film AAKHRI DAO
Absouletly, Dear Azam sb, I personaly feels that , i am in age of 41 years , i never seen rafi sahab in live , but his voice is the inspiration to me to live.
it can come only from the god.
HI FELLOWS, I DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT MUSIC BUT LET ME TELL YOU ONE THING. FORGET ABOUT COMEARING THE GREATEST RAFI SAAB WITH ANY ONE. THIS IS GOD WHO SUNG FROM RAFI’S THROAT TO ENTERTAIN THE MANKIND. BELEIEVE ME OR NOT THE GREATEST RAFI SAAB DID NOT BELONG TO THIS WORLD, HE WAS A PART OF KHUDA KA NOOR WHICH GOD EXPOSED TO THE MANKIND FOR A WHILE AS HIS BLESSINGS. CAN’T YOU SIMPLY TELL BY LISTENING HIS VOICE?
Will u pl inform the name of the film inwhich the great singger Mohd Rafi renderd Tujhe kya sunau main dil ruba ?
One of the factors RDB became super md is rafi saab.when he become popular and had works he forget rafi saab.Thereafter rdb tried to vanish
rafi saab.But later he got what he deserve.Once md anu malik told he had
seen rdb somewhere asking for work in a desparate manner.
Ahamed kutty
dont compare any singers. all singers are original. Rafi, kishore, Mukesh all are originals. we hear all the songs which sang by them. so i feel all singers are very talented in their own.
shashank_72@rediffmail.com
we should not compare with any singer with rafi saab.We should compare remaining singers with each other since Rafi Saab is above on all singers in all the way of singing.
When Araadhana and song of KK “mere sapnom ki raani’ became super hit somebody told Kk that aap ne rafi saab ko chutti kar diya.Kk told him you don’t know abc of music and I am a fan of Rafi Saab
Ahamed Kutty
After the hit of Aradhana song – Mere Sapanon Ki Rani – sung by Kishore Kumar, Filmfare, the famous film magazine, brought out a special issue on Kishore Kumar, in which it was claimed that not Mohammad Rafi, but Kishore Kumar was the greates singer till date.
After two or theree issue of the magazine, a one paged reaction/comment was published in the Filmfare in which a number of facts was given to estabilish that not Kishor Kumar, but Mohammad Rafi was the the greatest singer.
Do you Know, who written that comment ? It was none other than Kishore Kumar.
Vinod Viplav
screenindia@gmail.com
rafifoundation@gmail.com
I will request Mr.Vinodji, that can u publish new mohdrafi’s photos in the book, coz i received first part from u, i will buy another one after this.
shashank_72@rediffmail.com
Rishi Kapoor wanted Kishore Kumar for his voice in Laila Majnu? Hey, if he prefers one great singer over another – no crime in that, he is entitled to his opinion. I’m just curious – can someone verify this? Rishi Kapoor was one of the best lip syncers I know (along with, I’m not kidding – Biswajeet). He could equally go with Rafi or Kishore’s voice. I wonder what Madan Mohan said to Rishi Kapoor about choosing the singer for Laila Majnu and how Rishi Kapoor handled it. Rishi Kapoor should be very grateful for the countless hits Mohammed Rafi provided for him – it greatly enhanced Rishi’s popularity whereas Mohammed Rafi had been LONG ESTABLISHED since then. It is inaccurate to say that HKKN was his comeback – Rafi was coming back from all sides with Vinod Khanna, Dharmendra, LP, etc. It wasn’t one single MD e.g. RDB or movie that did it. Rishi Kapoor was never respected for what a person he was – always arrogant. He would give Neetu Singh a hard time about his looks – he’s been in awful shape since 1990 when he was still within reasonable age. Funny thing is, he was (and is I suppose thanks to the songs of Rafi in the latter case) one of my favorites – I loved his movies with Sridevi in Chandni and Nagina, too bad Rafi Sahab was no longer back then.
i have listened sono nigum singing the songs of m rafi, he has tried, but cannot reach the range of rafi and also he misses the twist (palta) of the sur which is only and only the quality rafi. everyone lack the musical expression and sweatness which m rafi keeps. kasore kumar has his style,but he simply flate in his musical expression ,lacking background base.
What is this talk about competition with Kishore Kumar?
Rafi was the guru of kishore kumar and many songs of kishore
were given to rafi saab by kishore himself…
Its not very difficult to guess the answer. and rafi sang 11 songs
for Kishore on screen.. Is it a fluke… No….
The songs were difficult and only rafi could have sang them – even
for kishore kumar.
i admire kishore kumar ji for his admiration for rafi saab, saighal
saab. I admire him for his sportsman s p i r i t s… and his love for rafi.
the same cannot be said of the “chote Nawab” r.d.b. who tried to
banish rafi from the scene but got himself banished and ‘drowned in
tragedies and realities of life.”
binu nair…. the rafi foundation…; Mumbai.,…
very good piece on Mohammad Rafi and on his book-meri awaj suno.
kripashankar, Delhi