Dev Anand remembers Mohammed Rafi
By Indo Asian News Service
Veteran actor Dev Anand remembered Mohammed Rafi on his 31st death anniversary Sunday, saying the legendary singer was one of the greatest souls.
“Rafi’s death anniversary is today but he is indeed immortal and (I) always feel he is around and in our hearts n soul I admire his voice and range. Rafi a great soul very quiet and fine person,” the actor posted on micro-blogging site Twitter.
The singer lent his voice to almost all leading actors of his time such as Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Rajendra Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Rajesh Khanna and Shammi Kapoor and his mesmerising voice continues to rule the hearts of music lovers.
“All the songs he sang for me like this faster one ‘JIYA O JIYA KUCH BOL DO’ and many more were the best and I can’t write them all,” Dev Anand further posted.
“Many people tell me that when they hear ‘KABHI KHUD PE KABHI HAALAT PE RONA AAYA’. In blue moods they start crying and I can visualise them,” he added.
The singer, who was awarded the Padma Shri in 1967, died of a heart attack in Mumbai July 31, 1981, at the age of 56.
I totally agree with Sarwatji from the Seventies onwards Dev Anand for me became an actor I felt very uncomfortable to watch as in a lot of his movies he came acoss as an eccentric old man trying desperately hard to hold onto his youth. Unfortunately, starring alongside actresses half his age and still playing the leading role as hero did him no favours and in my opinion nor did Kishore Kumar’s play back singing. I suppose when you’ve got the money to produce your own films it’s a luxury you can enjoy to make and star as the hero in your own production. I agree totally with Sarwatji that had he taken on other character roles such as father, uncle , etc people may have been able to relate better to his films. However, for me I think had he been honest and admitted that most of his success was in the earlier days when the majority of his films had the amazing voice of Mohd Rafi I would have maybe had a little more respect for him.
Please correct me if I am wrong but didn’t the quality of Dev Sahib’s movies decline in the seventies? Grossing millions at the box office is not always the criterion. He did not mature as an actor with age. From his neckerchiefs, to his hair and hats, everything seemed an attempt at superficiality. Gone was the Dev Sahib of Kala Bazar, Kala Pani, Nirala and Sharabi. I think it started with Guide when he became the rainmaker. Somehow I always felt that Dev Sahib became a larger than life character in the movies. Was he being bohemian or depicting a hobo? Or both? I know he loved his art but was he the Rajnikanth (no offence please – just trying to make a point) of the seventies? Younger heroines and Dev Sahib with his Robin Hood antics. Did he ever play dad or grand dad? I don’t know whether the make-over was his idea or even necessary but I will have to agree with Shammi Sahiba as far as respecting the great thespian goes. What hurts is not that Dev Sahib and Mr. Rajesh Khanna decided to go with Kishore Sahib but that they went to the extent of “coercing” md’s and producers to sideline Mohd Rafi Sahib. Love you even more, Rafi Sahib.
Researches should be carried out to study the secret of nature as to how Mohd. Rafi used to match his voice to artists like Dev Anand,Dharmendra,Rajendra kumar,Dilip Kumar,Guru Dutt,Shammi-Shashi-Rishi kapurs,Viswajit,Sunil Dutt, Mehmud,Johney Walker,Sanjiv kumar,B.Sahani, Joy Mukerjee,Firoz khan,etc.Modern technology can play a very important role just like researches made in case of legendary scientist Dr Albert EIENSTEIN’s brain.
I hate to say it but I lost a lot of respect for Dev anand when he didn’t give Mohd Rafi the credit he was worthy of and went on to show his preference to kishore kumar, now I know every one has a right to say what they want but it does seem very unfair of him when Mohd Rafi sang a lot more beautiful and most importantly memorable songs for him than Kishore kumar. Friendship should not come in the way which it obviously did in Dev’s case. I think because Mohd Rafi was a simple family man and didn’t socialise like a lot of other artists he was sidelined.
It is a fact that Dev saab’s top most hit songs have been given by great Rafisaab and not by Kishore kumar.Even veteran S.D Burmanda also preferred Rafisaab for Dev saab when melody is required e.g. Dil pukare are are in Jewel Thief,din dhal jaye and tere mere sapane ab ek rang hai in Guide !
rafi sahab is very great person my age is only 17 ys old but i love rafi sahab songs very much my faviourite song is likhe jo khat tujhe
rafi sahab is a very great human being rafi sahab sing a lots of song for dev sahab all songs is great dev sahab is said about rafi sahab is true and correct
Dear Admirer of Rafi Sahab: Please be true & respect to every cine artist of yester-years, whether Singers, Actors, Actress, Musicians, Music Dir., etc. Cos these are the complete GEMS of a true Cinema. I admire Dev Sahab more and he did not lie to every actors or Singers. During 70’s the period comes to Kishore and other Great Singers who gives also a Great Numbers.
Rafi Sahab’s Songs for all the legend Actors and no body can sings to such actors in present days.
It is indeed unfortunate that for such a great artist for whom Rafi
Saab sang some of the greatest golden numbers to tell in an interview
that Kishore was his real voice & Rafi saab was more suited for poetic
numbers . It is not correct to criticise people who are no more but
to have totally ignored Rafi Saab in the early seventies playing the
Band wagon with others was not expected from a great artist like Dev Saab
on Song Tv program If I am not wrong when he asked that kishore was your voice and his answer was I used Mohd Rafi more. Dev ji was the first Actor for who Kishore da gave playback,
With Hum Donao and Guide, Dev sahab’s movies touched the pinnacle of Hindi Film music. It goes without saying that Rafi sahab’s contribution to the success of these movies was probably more than that of Dev sahsb’s. And how can we forget the geniuses of Jaidev ji and Burman da for their heavenly compositions in the above mentioned movies. Kishore da has also sung some absolute gems for Dev sahab, but the quality of Rafi sahab’s songs picturised on him is just divine. For me, kabhi Khud pe, Din Dhal Jaye and Tere Mere Sapne are the best songs ever rendered by any singer.
Devanand is a big lier.. Today he talks about Rafisaab. Why did he never think of Rafisaab during 1970s. There is no song lipsynced by him after Mera Man tera pyasa and the next song was for Manpasad in 1981. I dont like liers
Devsaab has rightly said that Rafisaab is immortal. I am a true admirer of both Devsaab and Rafisaab.Rafisaab has given many hit songs to Dev saab.
After 31 years of demise of this great & pious soul, we should retrospect ourselves with the question that what we have done for him. We could not succeeded in bestowed on the Bharat Ratna for the true Bharat Ratna of India. This is really a matter of disgust for all of us. Govt. is sleeping & we are dosing. The true tributes will be there, when we could do at least this for him.
rafisaab has given the most hits to devsaab for he is a great artiste,he can not/should not forget the contribution made by rafisaab in enhancing his image on screen in different characters.he, alongwith many other actors whom rafisaab made them great,should use his influence to impress upon the sleeping indian govt to honour this greatest millennium singer with the country’s highest civilian award..bharat rattan,though he is already anmol rattan for billions of his fans through out the globe.he will remain till this world survives…..
I think,most of the pictures of Dev Anand became more beautiful because of the songs of Rafi Saab.I go to see pictures of Mr.Dev Anand several times special for the songs of Badsha Rafi.Pictures like :Hum Dono,Guide etc.