True Voice – Mohd Rafi
The following article was brought to my notice when Sharad posted it on MAS. The article has been trimmed down a bit keeping afloat Rafi details. However, anyone interested can go visit the source at http://tfmpage.com/forum/4980.6302.04.57.19.html
I am Swaminatha Iyer and I am 78 years old. I hail from Tiruchi and I am a part of music associations in Tiruchi, M’as as well as in West Bengal and Maharashtra.
I think it is wrong to condemn music or artists on either side of Vindhyas. Our Indian music is one of the few which has not been cleaned off by the western music though there has always been a influence. It speaks a lot of the richness of our music. Sometime back director of MTV had said that MTV westernized the music wherever it went but in India , MTV had to be Indianized for it to be accepted. A lot of this credit goes to the Indian film music.
I have been fortunate to have close personal association with Rafi, Sirkali, TMS, Dr. BMK, Kishore, SPB & KJY, PS, Mannadey and the one and only Lata Mangeshkar.
Comparisons are bound to come, but almost every artist or I have met considers Lata to be beyond comparison. Her talents are beyond anyone’s reach. Even Sirkazi used to talk of her singing like a die-hard fan as do countless others.
Now coming to the Rafi-SPB discussion. It might be difficult to convince an South Indian to believe Rafi is the better and at the same time Rafi crowd will never believe any other male singer comes anywhere nearer. There is one more mobile crowd, which is well conversant with Hindi and some south Indian language. Majority of them tilt to either Rafi or Kishore.
During one of my stays in M’as I had stayed with SPB. While talking of true voices he said, I don’t feel like half a singer when listening to Rafi. True voice is not a tech term but many in circle use it. Perfect example would be lata, but to understand consider our own PS who within her range is superb. People who do not have such true voices can never do justice to original. They generally underplay many parts of the song or fake it with bass/superficial singing. True voices make people like Sirkazi, Nusrat Fateh Ali khan, Lata… Inimitable. However since Sirkazi and Nusrat did not have the filmy voices their “real” following is limited to their local arena.
In addition to the true voice if the singer has a very good voice then in “most” cases he/she can better songs of others. It is this combination which makes Rafi stand out among the other male singers. There are many here who seem to have mistaken notions on a good bass and also on high pitch.
Bryan Adams does not require a monster bass in “Summer of 69” to sound real manly. It is the punch which gives that feel and that is decided only by the comfort level in most ranges (that is by what your throat can support). This you CAN never disguise with bass. Since people have talked about lack of manly voice viz. a viz. Rafi it was necessary to bring this point out. I have had the fortune of listening to most singers in studio and some times without a mike, practicing with MD’s.When Lata or Rafi do, the level is so high that people hesitate to even hum. It felt silly to sing in their presence (and it feels silly when someone says his voice isn’t manly).
In RD’s tribute when SPB sang “Aaja Aaja mein hoon” or “Chaand mera dil” it sounded only sweet and lacked punch if you compare with Rafi’s original.
Yesu once told me God has been partial to Rafi. He said “god gift term anavasyamaa romba common aa ippo use aardu”.. but idu Rafi kee thaan 100% porundu”. This person could sing “as intricately as a lady without sounding thin”, “cover any mood”, “versatility odey perfect example Rafi”. Yesu said most important is the comfort level over ranges which makes you feel God has been partial to Rafi. (But Of course in Rafi’s early career (1950’s) the voice was relatively feeble).
To people exposed to Rafi’s talent, these or any amount of praise can only seem less. I just wish he was alive and you people could get a live chance to hear him. Probably you can get hold of the DD album for the Geet Gaata Chal series where the first four episodes were dedicated to Rafi. Rafi is on camera singing “O Duniya Ke Rakwaaley” and many other songs. If you see and hear the last part you will realize why SPB said “impossible”. I think particularly those people who have talked about scales w.r.t Rafi should see this album. Its a known fact in industry that Rafi ruled high pitch and there is no male singer better in switching notes so easily. There are artists who can go beyond but then they sound strained or they don’t have pleasant voices when they venture into those territories.
Many singers of today are his compulsive followers. But they end up inheriting only part of his quality. Md. Aziz ended up with a sad voice. Mahendra Kapoor with a thick nasal voice. Anwar with a nasal voice. Sonu Nigam with a feminine voice. Rafi neither had a soft voice nor a heavy (bass) voice he had a good voice. Importantly did not strain at high notes, and voice if at all only became better at higher notes. If you see him singing it will remind you of Janaki. However diff the song is or the note is he will be smiling and singing. It is unthinkable that he cannot sing something.
There seems to be lot of talk about “Shankara Bharanamo” song. SPB has sung many a great numbers and things being said about this song in this forum are rather amusing, particularly b’cos 3 out of 4 people who can be called as singers will be able sing it and at least one out of 10 will sing it with the same effect. There are lot of other songs of SPB where this great singer has played with songs in total control. You will find most south Indian singers who have had a good exposure say that it is beneficial to learn Hindustani as it gives better breath control and improves expression.
Rafi was not only able to glide over a song, the important thing was that he could express each word/sound when singing. It is one thing to hold your breath, start and reach a crescendo (high note), as like in “Shankara”, “Anbey (Yennai kaan villaye)” it is different ballgame if you have to do it from low notes or suddenly switch notes. With practice the former can be done, latter requires a special gift. Rafi had a natural ability to do the latter. In “Tum joh mil gaye ho” there is such a transition in the “karwaan mil gaya” part. I have never seen anyone do justice to most of his songs in my life time. In “parda hai parda” quawaali the similar part is “kar doon to, Akbar mera naam”. In fact most of his songs will have these specialty as it was his natural ability to sing freely in a wide range at the same time giving that extra expression.
Whereas SPB takes us to heavens with “Idu oru pon maali”,”Ilaya nila” “bisiladarenu”(kannada), when he sings Rafi’s song it lacks the punch or expression, though it has the bass. But at least most agree that SPB does some justice to original, whereas most others murder the original.
One trivial point I would like to add is that singing in Hindi is harder. There are more “JHA”,”CHA”,”HA”,”THA”, “KHA”,”JA”,”FA”. These take away the breath faster. The more expressive you are the more air you are using up. Just singing from Nabhi will not help, your throat also needs to do a lot, for singing in Hindi, Bengali etc. SPB makes you fall in love with his south Indian songs but same cannot be said about his Hindi songs. If you just glide through words having these sounds, you will never be expressive. Doing this as well as reaching high notes is not easy. Rafi had this gift and that’s why it is difficult to imagine anyone else in his shoes. Song “Chalkaaye jaam” has so much expression that it is unthinkable how anyone can sing it. When Rafi switches to a high note with “Mitwaa” in the song “Chaahunga mein tughey” you cannot replicate it with bass. Most others will sound as if they are shouting in such cases. That man’s throat had the ability to freely sing at such levels.
Versatility is not just the ability to sing in various styles, more important is how good you are singing in those styles. You have lot of Ghazal singers today but when Rafi sings a Ghazal you will sit up and take notice. You don’t have to be part of the Ghazal listeners crowd. This is one important aspect. Whatever style you sing you should be able to pull the common man to listen and not just a particular crowd. Pick “parda hai parda” or any qawalli and it will stand tall among other qawalli’s.
Variety is amazing :
songs of Guru Dutt’s Khagaz key phool or songs like abhi naa jao chod key, Aaja teri yaad aayi, Aaj kal mein dhal gaya, Aaj kal terey merey pyaar, Aasmaan sey aaya farishta, Dil ney pyaar kiya hai, Deewana mujh saa nahi, Din dhal jaaye, Duniya paagal hai, Jaane walon jara, Dil joh na kaha saka, Dil key jharokon mein, Dil kaa bhavar, Chalkey teri aakkhon sey, Kar chaley hum fida, khilona jaan kar tum, Woh jab yaad aay, Woh hain jara khafa, Vaadian mera daaman, Pathar key sanam, Chaand mera dil, Main zindagi kaa saath, Mainey poocha chaand sey, sun sun jaalima, Koi jab raah na paay, hum to chaley pardes, badan pey sitaarey, laal chadi maidaan, Tum jo mil gaye, O meri shaahey, Sau baar janam lengey, Tum mujhey yoon bhula, Tumney mujhey dekha, Terey merey sapney, Tumny pukaara hum chaley aay
Name a situation/mood and Rafi’s song will be there on the top.
Swami
CAN SOMBODY ENLIGHTEN ME ABOUT, WHY THE UNRELEASED SONGS OR CANCEL SONGS OF RAFIJI, (MOST OF THEM ARE BEAUTIFUL, LIKE THE LAST SONG WITH NAUSHAD SAHIB) INCLUDED IN SOME MOVIE OF THE NEWER GENERATION. WHY THESE GEM OF SONGS OF THIS GREATEST SINGER WASTED?
Lata considers Rafi the greatest of all Bollywood singers. Read her tribute to Rafi in The Hindu newspaper from July 2010.
If you meticulously evaluate the top 500 songs of Rafi & Kishore with uncluttered thoughts, you will comprehend Rafi’s enormous supremacy. Kishore is a legend too, but regrettably his songs sound too elementary compared to Rafi’s. No surprise THAT the majority of Rafi’s contemporaries considered him to be the highest of the legends. Rafi’s IMMENSE range and ENORMOUS versatility is unrivaled. COMPARISON TO SOME LOCAL, STREET SINGERS SHALL BE NOTHING MORE THAN A JOKE.
Kishore Kumar is a legend but no where compared to Rafi, it is pointless even to compare Rafi with any singer, its an accepted fact in the industry that Rafi is the greatest singer of all times, all other legends accepted that with dignity so why are Tom, Dick and Harries here are making imbecile comments, i hope its not because Rafi was a Muslim.
Rafi had superior control on low & high notes. His transference from low to high and high to low notes was unequaled. Many conventional songs became pronounced for the reason that of Rafi voice. Lata also said this at one function.
Rafi sang the Jaane Kya song despite high fever
by rockstars2005@rediffmail.com (View MyPage) on Dec 13, 2010 11:44 PM
In his account of the events, Raju conveniently ignores to mention the fact that Rafi sang the song in question –Jaane kya Dhoondti– despite being ill and running high fever. Rafi went through the song recording since he wanted to minimize the impact of his illness on the producers. Such was his greatness, and his dedication to the craft. No wonder, most of his contemporaries (with only a few exceptions) regard him as the greatest of all Bollywood singers.
In “The Unforgettable Rafi” article available on the internet, there is a direct quote from Khayyam (the MD for this song) that despite the fever, nobody could have sung the song better than Rafi.
why is ghantasala brethless in all his song, including siva sankari. did he have asthma attacks during his songs. why can’t he sing smoothly, why his voice wavers, why is he attributed by the names, local singer, regional singer, unknown singer??? why, why, why, jawab do koi!!
but in all conscience, rafi sahab is plainly grander to ghantasala – this might be aching to sala’s but reality will never be altered.
another joke, the proof video of ghantasala song where he has been breathless and was provided by another clown “sala abhishek” , has been suddenly removed as the greatest limitation of the local singer was thoroughly being exposed in that link.
they can not digest the truth that rafi is matchless. can the singer of the millinium be compared to some singer who had no breath, who could not control his voice, who sings as if he will suddenly start full-blown crying.
Mr. Abhishek
Why don’t you beat the greatness drum of GS in GS site, what are you doing here. you seems to be a very shameless person indeed.
GHANTASALA DOES NOT SING, BUT CRIES AND HIS FANS THINK, HE IS SINGING. THIS MIGHT HURT SALAS BUT TRUTH REMAINS THAT GHANTASALA WILL ALWAYS REMAIN A LOCAL SINGER, A REGIONAL SINGER, AT THE MOST AN OK SINGER, A ‘SO, SO-SINGER’, A BESSURA SINGER, A CRYING TYPE SINGER, HIS VOICE IS NOT CONSTANT AND IF YOU LISTEN TO IT, IT SEEMS THAT HIS VOICE IS ALWAYS GOING OUT OF THE CONTROL OF THE POOR SINGER. I CAN NOT UNDERSTAND THAT HOW PEOPLE CAN LIKE A SINGER WHO BECOMES BREATHLESS IN ALL OF HIS SONGS, SINGS IN SHORT STANZAS TO CONCEAL HIS FAULT’ IF HE USED TO DO RIAZ AND HARD WORK, MIGHT BE HIS VOICE WOULD HAVE IMPROVED SOMEWHAT.
WHY IS SALA BREATHLESS HERE AS WELL, DOES ANYBODY KNOW, CAN ANY BODY ELABORATE, WAS HE SUFFERING FROM ASTHMA FROM THE VERY BEGINING, WHY HIS SIGHS ARE HEARD AFTER EACH STANZA, WHY HE STRUGGLES WHILE SINGING RAAG DARBARI, WHY OTHER YOUNG SINGERS ARE SINGING SIVA SONG MUCH BETTER SIMPLY OUTCLASSING SALAJI,(YOU CAN HEAR PAVAN ON YOU TUBE, WHO HAS SUNG MUCH BETTER THAN SALAJI, HIS BREATH IS NOT SHORT, HE HAS CONTROL IN HIS VOICE, HAS A SMOOTH, MELODIOUS VOICE, AND HAS GIVEN SOME VERY BEAUTIFUL CHANGES, MORE DIFFICULT TO SING THAN GANDASA HAS EVER TRIED)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaxnm1eqnhy&feature=related
WHY IS HE BREATHLESS IN ‘SIVA SANKAR’ EVEN TELUGU PEOPLE ADMIT IT AND EVEN SAY THAT HIS PRONUNCIATION OF TELUGU IS NOT PROPER
Mohammad Rafi Sahab is the best singer –
Jiski Aawaaz Dilon Jaan Mein Utar Jaati Hai’
Jiska Andaaz Koi Aur Nahin Paa Sakta”
Yun To Fankar Bahut Aayenge Is Duniya Mein’
Ek Rafi Jaisa Koi Aur Nahin Aa Sakta”
the rest only after him.
RAFI SAHAB WAS BEING ANNOUNCED AS ‘THE SINGER OF THE MILLENIUM’, ANDD THERE IS ANOTHER THING,”JOKE OF THE MILLINIUM” THAT PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO PROVE(THEY WILL ALWAYS FAIL AS RAFI SAHAB IS THE GREATEST SINGER, MILES AHEAD OF GHANTASALA), THAT A REGIONAL SINGER, A LOCAL SINGER, RATHER A BATHROOM SINGER, IS GREATER THAN LEGENDRY RAFI SAHAB. AND THIS TRUTH CAN NOT BE CHANGED, BECAUSE SALAJI IS LIKE THE FROG OF THE WELL, HAVING NO EXPOSURE TO THE OUTSIDE WORD, AND WHEN HE IS PLACED OUT HE HUMMS’QUACKER, QUACKER, QUACKER’ AND JUMPS BACK INTO THE WELL. THE TRUTH WILL REMAIN THAT RAFI SAHAB IS THE GREATEST INDIAN SINGER OF THE CENTURY, AND SOME CLOWNS CAN NOT MAKE GAHANTASA ANY GREATER, PEOPLE WILL ONLY LAUGH AT THEIR STATEMENTS, BLUFFS AND SELF CREATED “AFSANAS”. WHETHER THEY LIKE IT OR NOT, RAFI WILL REMAIN THE UNMATCHABLE KING OF INDIAN SINGERS.
I AFTER 40 YEARS OF LISTENING TO MUSIC DID KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THIS BREATHLESS-SINGER. A LOCAL SINGER WILL ALWAYS REMAIN A LOCAL BATHROOM TYPE OF SINGER.
WILL SOMEBODY ANSWER THIS,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49_XWga_O1k
mR ABHSHEK OR KK FAN OR SALA FAN OR WHOEVER YOU REALLY ARE!
YOU ARE AGAIN BLUFFING AS USUAL AND TELLING LIES, YOU ARE NOT A KID, I SUPPOSE, YOU AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THIS IS ONLY ONE FORM OF DISCUSSION, MERELY A SMALL CHAPTER OF THIS RAFI SAHAB SITE.
THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER FORUMS IN THE SAME SITE, BY THE NAME ‘TRUE VOICE MOHD.RAFI.IF WE START COUNTING ALL THE POSTS FROM DIFFERENT FORUMS OF THIS SITE, IT GOES IN MILLIONS.
YOU ACCEPT IT OR NOT, RAFI SAHAB IS THE MOST CHERISHED SINGER AND THE SINGER ON WHOM IT HAS BEEN WRITTEN THE MOST AND THE PRACTICE STILL CONTINUE. THERE IS NO MUSIC FORUM WHERE HE IS NOT DISCUSSED. THIS IS AN UNDENIABLE FACT.
I THING MOST OF THE PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND OTHERS, IF NOT ALL, DOES NOT LIKE HIM DUE TO THE RELIGIOUS PURPOSE, AND ON ETHNIC BACKGROUND, OTHERWISE A TRUE MUSIC LOVER AND THOSE ALSO WHO HAVE EVEN SOME KNOWLEDGE ABOUT MUSIC WILL ALWAYS HAVE LOT OF REGARDS AND RESPECT FOR THIS MOST HUMBLE, MOST SWEET, MOST NOBLE MOST DOWN TO EARTH PERSON, OTHERWISE THE STATUS HE WAS ENJOYING CAN MAKE ANYBODY RUDE AND “FIROWN”
NOW WHAT ABOUT THE LAST INTERVIEW OF KK TO LATA, NOW HIS FANS WILL BE,’DEAF, DUMB & BLIND’ OVER THAT. THE PERSON IS HIMSELF ADMITTING THAT HE IS NOT A SINGER, AT ALL.
AND ABOUT SALA SAHAB! IT IS NOW QUITE EVIDENT TO THE LISTENERS THAT HE HAD NO BREATH IN ALL OF HIS SONGS.
RAFI IS FLAWLESS, PURE AND THAT’S WHY HE WAS ATTRIBUTED BY NAMES SUCH AS ‘THE VOICE, THE GOLDEN VOICE, AWAZ KA FARISHTA, GOD’S VOICE, HEAVENLY VOICE, DIVINE VOICE’. I THINK THIS IS ENOUGH TO KEEP YOU JEALOUS. IF HE HAD BEEN ‘MOHAN RAVI’ INSTEAD OF MOHD. RAFI, THAN PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND OTHERS MIGHT PRAISE HIM AS WELL, BUT INDIA BEING A SECULAR STATE BUT THE BIAS REMAINS IN THE HEART OF PEOPLE. I DO NOT BELONG TO HIS RELIGIOUS BELIEFS BUT I STILL LOVE HIM AND REGARD HIM AS THE GREATEST , UN-MATCHABLE SINGER INDIA HAS EVER PRODUCED. BUT IF YOU PEOPLE CAN’T UNDERSTAND AND ADMIT FACTS, I CAN ONLY PRAY FOR YOU FROM GOD THAT HE SHALL GIVE YOU WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING. STOP DEFAMING RAFI SAHAB ON THIS FORUM, GO TO THE GANDASA SITE AND WRITE THERE WHAT EVER YOU FEEL LIKE, WE WON’T DISTURB YOU, EVEN DO CRITICIZE HIM THERE, WE WON’T MIND. MOREOVER I HAVE ALL THE DOUBTS ABOUT THE FIGURE YOU HAVE PROVIDED AS YOU HAVE BEEN THOROUGHLY BEING PROVED A GREAT LIAR. BECAUSE YOU SAID PREVIOUSLY THAT YOU HAVE ALL THE REGARDS AND LAT OF RESPECT FOR RAFI SAHAB AND YOU ADMIRE HIS GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS. MAY BE YOU PEOPLE WANT THAT YOU THROW US OUT OF OUR SITE,’LIKE ARABIC CAMEL, WHO PUT HIS HEAD IN THE TENT AND SLOWLY THROWS AWAY HIS MASTER FROM HIS OWN TENT’, AND YOU PEOPLE GET INTO THIS SITE PRAISING YOUR NOT-KNOWN SINGERS, ONE LOCAL SINGER AND THE OTHER ‘COMEDIAN SINGER’.
BUT I AM SORRY, THIS SITE BELONGS TO US, AND RAFI FANS WILL NEVER ALLOW YOUR EVIL DREAMS TO BE FULFILLED.
GO TO THE BARREN SITES OF YOU IDOLS AND LEAVE US ALONE, EVEN MR.RK BHARTI HAS VERY POLITELY ASKED YOU TO LEAVE MOHD. RAFI SAHAB, BUT GOOD LANGUAGE YOU PEOPLE DO NOT UNDERSTAND. AS THEY SAY ‘LATON KEY BHOOT BAATON SEY NAHEEN MANTE’ EVEN THAT DIE HARD FAN IS FED UP OF YOU AND GREAT RAFI ADMIRERS LIKE HANS ARE LEAVING THIS GREAT SITE DUE TO YOUR CONSTANT EFFORTS TO DEFAME LEGENDARY RAFI SAHAB. WHY SHOULD WE LEAVE, YOU PEOPLE IF HAVE SOME PRIDE LEFT, YOU SHOULD YOURSELF STOP IRRITATING US. LEAVE US ALONE HERE, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH NOW. WHY OUR PRAISING RAFI SAHAB DOES NOT GO DOWN YOUR THROATS, WHY CAN NOT YOU DIGEST THE FACT THAT RAFI SAHAB IS THE MOST PROLIFIC SINGER AND KING OF MUSIC AND SONGS. IF IT CAN NOT, GO TO HELL FROM OUR SIDE, WE WILL KEEP PRAISING RAFI SAHAB, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, AND IT IS OUR RIGHT BEING RAFI FANS AND THIS SITE IS DEDICATED TO HIM. IF YOU WANT TO REMAIN JEALOUS, SO LET BE IT. BECAUSE WE CAN NOT HELP YOUR JEALOUSY NO MORE.
Tirwedi and others
Ghantasala site has 7500 plus messages – even put all together in articles in this site will not match that number. You need to register there to post a message – however even single message of other singer is not allowed as the message is clear there – the site is for ghantasala the greatest ever singer says that site. Kishore fan’s statement on kishore as singer without training is correct and makes him special. However, I will never undermine rafi, he was the most preferred in 50’s and 60’s and was a great singer bollywood would ever remember. But honestly, ghantasala is clearly superior to rafi – this might be hurting to rafians but truth cannot be changed.
kk site and gandasa sites are barren, & look at rafi sahab site, the posts in his favor are reaching a record of 3000. this is a great achievement of rafi sahab fans. its a pitty that even no kk fan has written anthing about him in kk site both on his death anniversary and birthday.
they actually does not have ANYTHING WORTH DISCUSSING ABOUT SHORR KUMAR.
WHAT SHALL THEY RIGHT ABOUT ONLY A DOZEN OF SOME FAMOUS SONGS AND IN THOSE ALSO THE CREDIT GOES TO THE GREAT COMPOSITIONS, NOT TO HIS PATHETIC VOICE.
HE WAS A CLOWN AND DIED AS SUCH.
RAFI SAHAB IS THE FIRST & LAST WORD IN SINGING.
“KK,GS-QUACKER, QUACKER, QUACKER”
GS WAS SHORT OF BREATH IN ALL OF HIS SONGS.
after hearing this interview does anybody still think that kk was a genius, may be calling him genius are them-self insane
Ghantas & Kkays
Ponder over my post 2972, there is a lot of food for your thought. Hope you will mend your ways and respect the legend – Rafi Sahab.
kishore kumar nicknamed as “shorr-kumar” meaning “noise” in hindi. after hearing him, you get headache and one thinks he should have been calles “shorr hi shorr” or perhaps “Lot of shorr-kumar”
Ghantasala, was called the greatest “sala” after he sung the breakthrough song,”sala mey to sahab bun gayya-atten-shun” ye boot mera dekho ye suit mera dekho jese gora koi lundhun kay, but he was a “sanwala” wheatish black color.
shorr-kumar, acccording to renound music directors and singers, was not even considered a singer in the musical circle, as well said by ‘mannaday’. he had been struglling and begging for 30 years and bending in feet of md’s to give him some song, but since started singing in 1948, he gave up singing and became a ‘clown’ in movies. even in that he was a pathetic joker who had no timings for comedy, hence he was flopped there also. once good music eas vanishing in 70’s he got to sing some boring songs for rajesh khanna and amitabh bachan, and it was amitabh heavy based voice which resembled the’donkey-like voice of kk” and amitabh and rajesh khanna stardom gave him some recogition in hmf. in his last intervew that was with lata, he himself admitted that he knows nothing about songs. what does kk fans say about that interview where he confessed that he had been a pathetic singer and got slight fame due to the star status of the two actors behind.
one is donkey voiced and the other is crow voiced and people like them. what a sense of music these days, its certainly declining.
whatever lies they utter, rafi will remain the greatest singer (singer of the millenium) of india and these “toms, dicks, harry’s” are just minnows in front of the legend of legends, rafi sahab.
burn your soul in jealousy you baboons.
people who want to enjoy this ‘confession’, here is the link to the whole interview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49_XWga_O1k
What wrong I have written Mr. Bhagchandani ji ? Is it any way nearer to What your friends have written Mr. Hans etc. speaking all lies and nonsense here. They are ridiculing ghantasala and kishore kumar – why do not you warn them to just shut up.
J K Bhagchandani ji,
You people were mentioning Mr. Abhishek as one who posted as kishore kumar fans, Are you not able to recognise the language of Abhishek in comparison to others ? Why you people have not condemned Mr. hans for this wrong allegation? That confirms that hans is often prone to commit mistakes and make a wrong analysis, not only on legends, but on individuals as well.
In many ways last few posts of anti-Rafi elements (who have entered here) decisively prove their evil designs. Look at the words, language of posts of Kishorefan. This is deliberately written to instigate Rafi fans. I realize that there is no point in ‘bhains kea aage been bajana’. If a dog bites you, you can not bite back.. So my dear all Rafians ignore these ignorants whose actions has put a huge question mark on their mental well being.
-J.K. Bhagchandani
Don’t bark if you can’t bite.
Don’t bite off more than you can chew.
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.
Don’t bring a knife to a gun fight.
Don’t burn your bridges.
Don’t burn the candle at both ends.
Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.
Don’t cross a bridge before you come to it.
Don’t cry over spilt milk.
Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face.
Don’t dig your grave with your own knife and fork.
Don’t enter your nose in the affairs of others.
Don’t fall before you’re pushed.
Don’t have too many irons in the fire.
Don’t judge a book by its cover.
Don’t judge a man by the size of his hat, but by the angle of his tilt.
Kishore kumar was a genius without expert training. That makes him unparalleled. If rafi would not have been trained, he would not have been even a street singer. Even with training he was an OK singer for some MD’s and not a singer at all for some.
How these ghantas and kkays are living in fool’s paradise and dreaming like a madmen. If one tries to spit on the Sun, the dirt falls on its own face.
Rafi is the sun in the musical firmament. Unchallenged and undisputed so far.
ghantasala was a local, regional and unknown singer who got into some lime-lights by the combo of shor-kumar and sala: “mey to sahab bun gayya-attenshun” fans by comparinig him to the undisputed king of melody, the greatest singer of india, rafi sahab.
ghantasala had no breath, and “anil bakwas” was a 3rd raker in md’s. so all ‘salans’ & ‘shoras’, burn in your own backfire.
Dear tirwedi, hans, zaheendanish and others
This is about rafi ok singer – by reputed music directors of hindi
http://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-musical-scandals-of-bollywood-part-two/20101202.htm
Mr. Tirwedi
The OK singer title was given by reputed hindi music directors to rafi – ghantasala was exemplary genius as per musicians.
the local singer is an not a singer at all, i would rather say, not breaking the hearts of “salans” by saying he was an “ok singer”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaxnm1eqnhy&feature=related
breathless song
Abhishek! Post 2942
Kishore Kumar was the younger brother of one of the most prolific & famous actor Ashok kumar. And still you meditate he had no say in the hfm business, no political prominence; I JUST cannot assent this as factual. Additionally, at the instant you have accepted acquiescently that you are a kk & ghantasa fan, and do not admire rafi that amply.
Additional thing, i have nothing personal against you, but each time you hit rafi sahib, the harm is being done to the soul of a diehard enthusiast like me. I regard & respect him as a soloist, as a human being a lot. I am then carried away with my emotions.
Nonetheless, you are my comrade & country-mate. I assure you do not indulge yourself in the business of slandering rafi sahab, you’ll find me a virtuous acquaintance and we will have lot of productive conversation about our dearly loved chorales. Nevertheless on no juncture say any other singer is superior to my protagonist, for the reason that i resolutely be certain of the ultimate supremacy of rafi in singing. It’s a fact that the voice of ghantasala has not enthralled me. Might it be for the reason that I am not conversant with the telugu linguistic. It is as natives of this region would not like to hear Chinese songs, for chinese they might be the most melodious songs.
As concerns kishore kumar, while several of his songs are dazzling, but imo, he still is no better than rafi, even in the identical songs chanted by each, rafi with his mystic voice, Paramount & expressive singing stand out. Your judgment may diverge. I have my own tastes and others have all the rights to have their own, but problem flinches when others try to inflict their liking.
You can applause both of your favorites in the forums devoted for them.
I anticipate that we are clear; there won’t be any hard-feelings as regards me, in case you do not aim to deprecate the ultimate singer rafi sahib,
Regards,
Ram Krishna Bharti
Rafi saab’s greatness was not that he was the best in every genre. But his adaptation to every genre was amazing, backed by his golden emotive voice which added a different dimension to everything he sang (emotive quality does not matter much outside film music). He almost had the ‘perfect voice’-a voice that could ‘represent the mood’ without having to compromise on the fundamental rules of singing..He was almost 10 singers rolled into one (though those 10 singers individually could be better than him on some counts).
Singers in film music can be classified into 5 types:
1. Rafi
2. Legends
3. Great Singers
4. Good / OK Singers
5. Bad Singers
typo error – “perhaps you are not aware of that” – correction in previous post
Zaheendanish,
Pulla reddy sweets includes kaju kathli as well, perhaps you are now aware of that. That is why I mentioned without knowing pulla reddy sweets, one cannot comment on it.
Dr. Chandrasekhar,
Why do you think Pulla Reddy is greater than Kaju Kathli? What is so special in pulla reddy ” DALDA ” or the outside slogan pure ghee sweets.
Ghantasalans
you people are like defeated candidates in elections who have nothing just to find fault with others, Poor “bechare hareey huye log” haath hi mal sakta hain, us ke siwa kar bhi kya sakata hain…..
“Rassi jal gayee par bal nahin gaya” so pathetic you GS fans
Mr. Narayan
Kaju kathli and pulla reddy sweets example is great. But the problem here is some are mentioning kaju kathli is greater, without even knowing about pulla reddy sweet. There is the problem.
Rd burman said that mohd rafi is just ok singer!?rd when he got his first film he went to mohd rafi to sing for him and in his last film with mohd rafi he used mohd rafi more than kishore da,Anil biswas ji was at the top in 1940’s as music director but he lost his place in 1950’s to naushad ji because not using mohd rafi, anil biswas ji used mohd rafi more than kishore da even in 1958 when it said that any song going to be sing by mohd rafi going to be hit so in same year mohd rafi sung for Anil ji,Anil like Talat ji voice so that mean Talat ji is the best but Talat ji himself said mohd rafi is god gift,kishore,mukesk,talat,manna da and many more great singer they are mohd rafi fan,super star like Shammi ji as said about mohd rafi do u have any actor who said about any singer as said about mohd rafi……
The comparison between kaju kathli and pulla reddy sweets is a wonderful example by Mr. Narayan – appreciations.
Do not worry anil cherian, even some of my posts are appearing late, subsequent are appearing.
zaheendanish, – please do not try to bully people, should talk on facts. Your post is like bullying unable to defend on facts – Such tactics are resorted only when the Battle is lost.
Just see, one post of MR. Narayan – how wonderfully he has written the truth – such posts anybody will appreciate and no fan of other singer will have issue with such post – you can see. Hope you understand.
wah narayan sahab wah . kya comparison hai aapkaa. masha allah man gaye ustad. kaju kathli aur pulla reddy sweets. aap ganey chodke khane pe utargaye.
kutton ko bhonk ne dijiye. hathi ko kuch farak nahin padtaa.
Administrator Sir,
My comment posted at 11:10 AM today still is shown as ‘under moderation’ whereas the comments posted later have appeared. Please see what is the matter. In that post the referred number of Mr. Sanddep Srivatav’s post to be read as 2946 (not 3946). The typo error is regretted.
Anil Cherian ji,
Please do not get disturbed. What has happened with your post has happened with my couple of posts also. I guess that due to this deluge of posts ignited by anti-Rafi and anti-music elements who have intruded this site has resulted in bit of chaos. Kindly bear with it and do not leave this site. Your comments are very valuable, dignified and wonderful. It is my submission to you.
J.K. Bhagchandani
This kishore lobby and ghantasala lobby now joined forces together to attack on rafians, to undermine Rafi sahab, now this two anti-rafians making “saanth-gaanth” what a pity, how far they can degrade their idols by telling lies after lies. They do not have enough guts to face the truth and accept it whole-heartedly. How cunningly they support each other and hide the truth with false information and egoistic pretentions. Even they do not have the proper stuff to defend and give straightforward simple information. Their insidious activity and sometimes their sudden dramatic effect will no longer be useful for them. In more or less they almost lost this debate and do not want to accept their defeat and will never ever accept. They are really ” Thali ke Baingan” having no stability and steadfastness in their views or even in thinking process.
Dear friends,
This could well be my last post in this site. The administrator of the site doesn’t seem too keen to have me in the discussions.
Please feel free to mail me @ anilcherianca@yahoo.com. Thanks everyone who read my posts and appreciated and thanks administrator who was kind enough to publish them here.
God bless everyone.
Good fight! keep it up, both sides.
I personally feel that other singer’s fans have no business to criticise the only male playback singer who is the great ocean of music, the humble farista Rafi Sahab who has sungs all moods of songs in the film industry … even Lataji follows the faristha in this aspect..
All Rafi devotees please dont bother about the bias of all others…
Husanalal Bhagatram, Naushad, Madan Mohan,O.P.Nayyar, Shankar Jaikishen, LP, Ravi, Chitragupt, Sachinda, Roshan, Jaidev, R.D.Burman,ect are not fools and many others who are female songs oriented MDs like Anil biswas, Salil, C.ramachandra who have fondness for Talat/ mukesh couln’d avoid Rafi sahab…
Ghantasala is a wondeful singer but limited to the state of AP..
..and nearby areas.. wish he was in hfm..
But without these it is wrong, futile and foolish to compare Kaju katli and pulla reddy sweets.. both are popular one nationally another regionally..
Common on fans do not lose sleep on wasted time and argument..
Discover Rafi Sahab who is the soul of music…
Narayan
Dear friends
God has sent musical incarnations in 50-60 that was mohd rafi in north and ghantasala in south and era was incomparable and irrepleaceable- And subsequent noted singer – There were in 70-80’s it was kishore kumar in north and SPB, KJ Yesudas etc. in south. Stop fighting over irrelevant issues and enjoy music of legends.
Mr. Tirwedi ji & R K Bharti ji – I do not agree with your posts on ghantasala’s breath – he was a outstanding genius without a competitor and highly respected by each and every musician of the country.
Sandeepshrivastav, Kishorefan,
It’s you guys who are uttering lies. Can you show evidence of the above-mentioned MDs calling Rafi sahab non-singer/okay singer. For your information, Anil Biswas’ daughter herself clarified in one of the threads in this site that Anil Biswas recognised Rafi sahab’s singing prowess. Salilda, although not a Rafian, had immense respect for Rafi sahab as evidenced by his words which went something like ” If Kishore were classically trained, he would have enjoyed the status enjoyed by Rafi for ‘qualitative singing”. He also worked extensively with Rafi sahab (almost as much as he did with Kishoreda). What more do you want? RDB never considered Rafi sahab just an okay singer. Kishoreda may have been his favourite but he acknowledged Rafi sahab’s ability. Some stray articles by Raju Bharatan can’t change the facts. If you are in doubt, please contact Kishoreda’s greatest fan Mr.Arghya; he himself wrote somewhere in the Kishore-site about RDB’s respect of Rafi sahab’s singing ability. For your information CR worked with Rafi sahab as late as 1979 in Telugu industry and I have read that he was crying like a little child when he heard about Rafi sahab’s demise. Actually these MDs (CR excluded) are proof to the fact that Rafi sahab is indeed the greatest; they prove that one doesn’t have to be a Rafi-fan to acknowledge Rafi sahab’s abilities; just as O P Nayyar’s acknowledging Lataji’s prowess shows how great Lataji is.
Mr. Sandeep Srivastav (Post 3946),
It is you and your ilk (who call themselves KK fans) who are spreading cooked up stories here. Please tell us where, when and to whom these music directors (Anil Biswas, Salil Chawdhary, C. Ramchandra and Panchm) have said you are attributing them to have said about Rafi saab. Please do not spread canard here. It is my request to you. Please read post no. 2887 in this regard. So do not make sweeping statements to suit your rotten mind-set of anti-Rafi-ism. These music directors may have said something for preference of their singer in general or with regard to some song situation. But to attribute the words like ‘no singer at all’ or ‘OK singer’ to them is the brain-child of your sick mind. Next time if you are writing any post here, please come with proper references/ links etc (whatever evidence you want to produce) to support your utterances. And also reply to my query that I raised in post 2841. Your Mr. Raj has not replied till now. Let me repeat that here: What do you say about many fold number of music directiors (apart from the one you have listed) like Naushad, Madan Mohan, Roshan, S.D. Burman, Laxmi Kant Pyarelal, O.P. Nayyar, Shankar Jaikishan…etc. who thought of rafi saab as ultimate in playback singing? If your biased mind chooses to ignore this then the problem is entirely at your end.
Mr. Abhishekh (Post 2942),
Shankar Jaikishan were very respectable music directors, to use the term ‘so-called’ for them shows the poor state of your mind. Even if theoretically we assume that SJ preferred Kishore for the song in question, it has more to do with Rajesh Khanna factor, rather than singing merits. What about those hundreds of Shankar-Jaikishan’s non-Rajesh Khanna songs when he had Rafi and Rafi all the way. You want to ignore that? You don’t want to see the complete picture? You are another case of ‘suffering from selective amnesia’.
-J.K. Bhagchandani
What anil biswas, salil and others have said it in fact true – Let Mr. Tirwedi, Bharti and hans now have peaceful sleep as they have decided themselves to be greater than the hindi music directors. Abhishek ji, we know you have not written our posts – these rafi fans lke hans are liars and we know that much better.
sandeep shrivastav ji – post on comments by hindi music directors
One will never find such comments by any MD or musician from south (as well as hindi) on ghantasala – This Mr. Tirwedi and Mr. Bharti just needs to know about this before writing anything.
Dear all,
Ghantasalaji is a great singer. No amount of dissing can change the stature; rather people who resort to such acts will look foolish.
Rafi sahab has his strengths, Ghantasalaji has his. One is a superb light/play back singer who can sing a film classical/semi-classical song beautifully in his own charming style while the other is a superb classical singer who could also sing light songs pretty well. If you ask who is better, my vote will go to Rafi sahab since I am more inclined towards light music and the sweet-n-smooth voice and expressive singing style associated with it. If someone is more inclined to classical music (especially Carnatic classical), he/she might find Ghantasalaji to be better although it is a fact that many well-trained (and well-known) Carnatic classical exponents swear by Rafi sahab.
Having said this, I won’t for a moment support the efforts of the Ghantasala fans to place their idol in a higher pedestral than ours, either.