By: H.A.K. Walijah

Mohd Rafi with Naushad during recording the song "Tu Ganga ki Mauj Mein" for the film Baiju Bawra

It is well known that Rafi Sahab has never seen not smiling and to the contrary he delivered such masterpieces of grief stricken songs that makes us to feel the same level of pain as we seen on the screen characters enacted in movies. Rafi Saab the legendary singer possessed some unique characteristics like creativity, style and freshness in singing that kind of things one can see in an incredible variety, range, style and modulation in his voice for all types of actors, musicians and trends. He could very much sound like actors demonstrating their emotions on the screen, an unparallel art in which only he excelled.

Rafi Saab had never seen not smiling, a truly divine soul. From where did he borrow tears for these amazing songs! Good humans may have more insight into the human plight, as they say! It is very difficult to select the heartrending songs from thousands of songs sung by Rafi Sahab. To emphasize my statement more on positive side, I simply try to select today the most famous song mainly based on tear-jerking mood are the best popular numbers and also favorite song of music lovers. In this  poignant solo song we can feel more pathos, grief, sorrow, pain, pangs of separation, regret, depression, and audible grief, expression of losing someone very dear and mourning on a perpetual loss of the beloved. (more…)

By J.K. Bhagchandani
E-mail: jagdishkb@rediffmail.com

Mohd Rafi

Music and especially a song has been a very potent and perhaps most natural medium of expression of love and romance. Hindi films have very effectively used the songs at innumerable occasions to narrate the romantic facet of the story-line of the movie in a very creative and inspired way. The extent of depth, the passion or any other aspect of the romantic feelings that a 3 to 4 minute song can convey outshines the series of romantic dialogues lasting many-fold minutes.

A well known jazz vocalist Joe Williams once said, “I think that musicians should never forget about the intimacy of bringing two people together, and the aesthetic transference where you’re almost vicariously involved in a romance between other people.” This one sentence aptly signifies the nuance of a romantic song, the benchmark of ‘passion for performance’ that the performer (singer) needs to integrate in his/ her renderings. And at that benchmark Mohammed Rafi’s name will remain the foremost for not only achieving that but surpassing the same by many a mile. (more…)

By H.Krishnan

In the worlds of business today innovation is a great differentiator. It can make or break a business.  But Rafi sahib is the personification of innovation in playback singing starting in the 1950’s. he had a great voice, but he honed it to perfection as any artist will do. But to make an impact you need to innovate and stand out from the others. Rafi sahib was the first person to create a style for each of his heroes, by imbibing essential features of the hero and bringing out in his song presentation.

By J.K. Bhagchandani

Dev Anand

‘India’s youngest star dies at 88’ read the heading in the ‘Times of India’ on Dec. 05, 2011, and that I think, aptly summed up the persona of Dev saab. His zest, zeal and enthusiasm emitted so much of positive energy that ordinary mortals like us can only applaud at the sidelines.

The anecdote that defines the Dev Saab’s concept of a film (or his life for that matter) goes back to early seventies. It was when he declined the offer of film ‘Zanjeer’ as the film did not have any song picturized on him. An eternal romantist that he was, a movie without such musical ingredient, was not the type Dev saab would feel at home. That was the kind of importance he gave to the film’s music. The super success of that film ‘Zanjeer’ (which commissioned Amitabh Bachan to the subsequent immortality) may spur some analysts to declare the incident as ‘a missed opportunity’ or ‘a great professional blunder’ but not Dev Saab himself. (more…)

By Souvik Chatterji

Mohd Rafi with Lata Mangeshkar and Jaikishan

Mohammad Rafi is considered to be one of the greatest playback singer that India had ever produced. Right from the early 40s till 1980 when he died, he was the ruler of playback singing in bollywood films. 1960 was a very notable year for Mohammad Rafi.

Few of the films where he had sung landmark songs were probably masterpieces. The lyrics and the compositions were the best in the history of bollywood music. For example his song in the film Chaudavi Ka Chand had the landmark song “chaudavi ka chand ho ya aaftab ho job hi ho tum khuda ki kasam lajawab ho” composed by Ravi can be considered as one of the ten greatest songs, Rafi had ever sung. The song was picturized on Guru Dutt. (more…)

Written By : Suneil Makwana

Rafi Sahab's Final Resting Place

I am Suneil Makwana from Mumbai and I am a big fan of The Legend Immortal & Eternal Singer Mohd. Rafisaab. I like to listen Rafisaab’s melodious songs and his voice give me peace to my mind. Unfortunately, I have not met the Legend because I have born in 1985 and I think it’s my bad luck Rafisaab left us in the year of 1980 but when I listen songs rendered by the legend I feel that he is somewhere around. (more…)

Written by: H.A.K. Walijah

Mohd Rafi

It is generally believed that pathos-laden songs is the realm of Mukesh and Talat Mehmood where they bring forth the human pain and suffering of the characters alive on the silver screen through their voices, whereas Rafi Sahab universally acknowledged as all-rounder due to his mind-boggling versatility, while millions revere him as the epitome of romance and solace; but a closer look will reveal that there are so many songs of Rafi Sahab that are really heart-rending and pathos-laden even excelled to Mukesh and Talat Mehmood melancholic songs. I have been a very strong follower of his songs, especially the “dard” that comes out naturally from his voice.  From the very beginning, K.L.Saigal was subjected to the fawning adoration of the public as  a singer he excelled in the pathos-laden songs like Jab dil hi toot gaya, Balam aan baso mere man mein, Karoon kiya aas niras bhayee, Gham diye mustakil Kitna nazuk hai dil. Later on Mukesh had a voice which could convey pathos very well and many of his songs like Dil jalta Hain, Saaranga Teri Yaad Mein etc. are the finest examples. Mukesh had the pathos. Talat Mehmood had the delicate tremor. Kishore Kumar had zany songs as well as gravitas. Rafi had all of the above plus an extra something. (more…)

By Ronny Noor

Mohd Rafi

And what is art? The prayer, the music, and the song of the human soul. – Ivan Bunin

The singer of the millennium Mohammed Rafi has been entertaining his audience for over sixty years now, since the 1940s. His popularity has not diminished a bit even decades after his demise in 1980. Even those who were born long after his passing seem to be enthralled by his voice. This does not happen by chance or by luck. This does not happen magically, either. There are genuine reasons why Rafi still shines like a Polaris on our musical horizon. His versatility, of course, is one reason, which has been well documented. The tragedy king Dilip Kumar states that Rafi sang with so much emotion that it lightened the burden on the actor during song sequences. His fellow actor Shammi Kapoor echoes that sentiment, revealing that Rafi could always capture Shammi’s style, his grace, his energy, imagining how he would “jump or roll or lift his hand or shake a leg.” (more…)

By Vilas Parulekar and Binu Nair : From the Rafi Foundation : Mumbai

Mohd Rafi with Afgan Singer Jhela

Mai Bhari Mehfil se  Chala Jaaonga – said Mohd Rafi to mentor – Naushad Ali Saheb one day.

“Aap yun hi Jasbaati ho rahe hai” Rafi Miansaid Naushad Saheb and changed the conversationto the need of creating great musical works.

The point which speedily come to the mind is : Whetherthe divine singer Rafi saaheb had any premonition ofleaving our musical world so early at age fifty six.

Thirty One years have passed by but the aura of Mohd Rafi is only increasing says ace key boardist& arranger Pappan from Calicut, Kerala who has been in the midst of presenting musicals in South India for thelast forty years. (more…)

By Shrirang Nawathe

Mohd Rafi with Dilip Kumar

A song is an outcome of Team work, but, a memorable melodious song is an outcome of Dedicated Teamwork. A small difference makes the dividing line. It was a Golden Era of Hindi Film Music in sixties when Music Directors, Singers, Lyricists made an everlasting impact due to their sincere devotion to the profession. Another dimension to make these songs worth listening was their mutual understanding and adjustments for a common objective. Practically they were tuned to equal wavelengths. We thus had  distinguished groups like RK Studios who had a team of  SJ/Shailendra/HasratJaipuri, Navketan Films had  Majrooh Sultanpuri/SDB,Nasir Husaain used to have RD Burman from Teesri Mamzil onwards. There was a trio following the same tradition and their team was like a TRIVENI SANGAM of Shakeel/Naushad/Rafi who could deliver the best products. Film Industry is indebted by their contribution. (more…)