An unpublished interview of Naushad Sahib by Mehtab-Ud-Din

I had an interview of Naushad Sahib, the Great Music Composer of the Bollywood. I wanted to publish it in my book about all time Great our Mohd. Rafi Sahib. But my dream couldn’t be a reality only due to some unavoidable circumstances in my family. But, now I want to share my feelings about our Rafi Sahib & Naushad Sahib after 10½ years, as I am still not able to publish such a book. I hope, the fans of Rafi Sahib and the readers of Mohd Rafi.com ’ll surely forgive me for the delay in presenting the precious information.

Naushad Sahib with Mehtab-Ud-Din

It was an occasion of the annual Mohd. Rafi Award Function of Yaadgar-e-Rafi Society, Chandigarh (Regd.).  The day was 12^th November, 2000.  Naushad Sahib, the foremost music composer of the Bollywood & the Chief Guest for the Award Function had come in Chandigarh on 11^th Nov.  Then, I was working as News-Editor in a Punjabi Daily ‘Desh Sewak’ (Chandigarh) & I managed to meet Naushad Sahib especially alongwith Mr. Sardul Singh Abravan, my colleague and the Cultural Representative of the vernacular daily.  We reached the Room No. 319, 3^rd Floor, U. T. Guest House, Sector-6; where Naushad Sahib was officially staying. (more…)

By: H.A.K. Walijah

Mohd Rafi

“Mere Mehboob Tujhe Meri Mohabbat Ki Kasam” is a famous and romantic poem of Shakeel Badayuni sung by Rafi Sahab while legendary music director Naushad Saab composed this song based upon Raag Jhinjhoti for the movie “Mere Mehboob” (1963) – a muslim social in the backdrop of nawabi culture. The effect of such slow and romantic song is amazing; magic is in the lyrics plus melody.  It was amazing to watch it yet again and enjoy the velvety voice of Mohd. Rafi Sahab. It is one of the most romantic, melodious and all-time-favorite title songs of Mere Mehboob. Rafi Sahab has poured his soul in this amazing extra long six stanza song which has no break at all in the middle and considered till today the best soft romantic songs for the range of voice and its melody of lyrics with music.  Almost all music directors used Rafi’s voice to give life and a magical quality to their tunes. Rafi Saab used to build concept about the actors for whom the songs were recorded and went to great lengths to change his style to suit the actor and the scene. (more…)

By A S MURTY – rafimurty {at} gmail {dot} com

Mohd Rafi

PROLOGUE :

A Concert is a live performance (typically of music) before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, some then call a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band. Concerts are held in a wide variety and size of settings, from private houses and small clubs, dedicated concert halls, entertainment centers and parks to large multipurpose buildings and auditoria. Regardless of the venue, musicians usually perform on a stage……….

For sometime now, I was thinking of classifying some special songs of Rafi Sahab as these were a step beyond mere playback singing.  Playback singing can be of any song of any genre in any fashion and hfm has had a host of the very best to very poor songs composed and recorded by the playback singers. (more…)

The article is penned down by Mr. Mohan S Murdeshwar and Mr. Nitin D Dhareshwar

Mohd Rafi

Koyee Sagar Dil Ko Behelata Nahee, Bekhudi Mein Bhee Karaar Ata Nahee

Any music buff especially close to old Hindi film songs would have heard many times over and enjoyed the evergreen number “Saawan ke mahine mein ek aag see seene mein lagti hai tho pee leta hoon dho char ghadi jee leta hoon” (from the film “Sharabi” under the music composition of Madan Mohan) so poignantly rendered by the legendary Mohammed Rafi in his mellifluous voice over half a century ago and continues to haunt every troubled soul seeking a desperate liberation from worldly miseries. (more…)

By Jagat Kant Choudhary

Filmfare

The Filmfare Awards, since its inception in 1953 has been one of the most coveted awards in the Hindi Film Industry. It was at the Regal Theatre in South Mumbai (then Bombay) on March 21, 1954, that the first awards were handed over to the winners. Hollywood star Gregory Peck, who was the guest of honour at the inaugural Awards ceremony, was delayed on a flight from Colombo and could only attend the banquet at Willingdon Sports Club later on.

Incidentally the Awards were called Clare Awards in the beginning, named after Clare Mendionca, the well known film critic of the Times of India in the 1940s and 50s. A couple of years down the line, however, the Awards began to be known as Filmfare Awards instead. (more…)

Compiled by: Mr. Biman Baruah

Rafi Sahab and Naushad Ali

Naushad Ali and Mohammed Rafi both were the legends of Hindi Film Music, former one is one of the greatest Music Directors of Indian Cinema and later one is one of the greatest playback singers of Indian Cinema who made for each other and born on 25^th and 24^th December respectively. Both the legends are almost forgotten man today. But the immortal songs created by them still continue to live on in the minds of all music lovers and the songs are the undying treasure of Hindi Film Music. On their birth anniversary in December, they were more or less ignored in Film Industry, to which both the maestro devoted their life.

Naushad Ali was born on 25^th December 1919 in Luchnow, a traditional city famous for refined North Indian Culture. From early childhood in Luchnow he was a keen listener to the live orchestras accompanying silent films. Before coming to Bombay, he used to repair harmoniums and composed for amateur theatricals such as the Windsor Music Entertainers. (more…)

By Mr D.P.BIJOOR & Mr MILIND BIJOOR

Mohd Rafi and Naushad Ali

In the year 1967 when the Colossal & Classic film Ram Aur Shyam was released, I was at my tender age of 10 and considered myself fortunate enough to witness the sheer magic of Dilip saab. The scene which really captured my mind and of course the minds of millions of fans was the song “Aaaj kee raat mere dil kee salami lele kal tere badmase diwana chala jayega shamma rahe jayegi parwana chala jaega” enacted by Dilip saab with great ease and confidence. A film I cherish all my life.

No doubt it was the sheer magic of Dilip Saab. But no less was the contribution of the other three great maestros Rafi Saab, Naushad Saab & Shakeel Baduyuni Saab. Their contribution, though not visible to the eyes, can be noticed whenever this great evergreen hit is played or heard. It sounds like pure magic pouring out and which has mesmerized millions of music lovers till date across the world. And will continue to do so for the next generation too. Truly a terrific combination of the greatest artists & performers which the film industry has ever seen (more…)

Written By: H.A.K. Walijah

Rafi Sahab with Naushad and Shakeel

The Hindi Film Industry has produced many stalwart lyricists / poets and those lyricists gave their best output, (meaningful and soulful) lyrics to the compositions of the well known music directors. The list of lyricists is very long, but to cut short, a few got name, fame and popularity at the same time.  In the gamut of filmy poets/lyricists I could remember three famous poets / lyricists of Hindi Film Music made their work to speak for ages – Shakeel Badayuni, Sahir Ludhianvi and Majrooh Sultanpuri.  I would like to focus on the association of Shakeel Badayuni with Rafi Saab where the eternal singer had rendered the most famous, lovable and easy to hum of those songs written by Shakeel Badayuni which had achieved enormous popularity in yesteryears. Shakeel Badayuni was elder to both Naushad Saab and Rafi Saab, three and eight years respectively. (more…)

Compiled by: Mr. Biman Baruah, Sivasagar, Assam

Rajkumar and Mohd Rafi

Rafi Saheb had sang some milestone songs for prominent & stylish actor Raaj Kumar in some highly memorable films: Ghamand, Nausherwan-E-Adil, Mother India, Phool Bane Angarey, Kaajal, Neel Kamal, Mere Huzoor, Heer Raanjha, Maryada, Lal Patthar, Pakeezah and Chambal Ki Kasam.

In the early 1950s, Kulbushan Pandit, a sub-inspector of the Mumbai police gave up his job, changed his name to RAAJ KUMAR and made his acting debut in the film RANGILI (1952) which was unnoticed. In the next five years, he acted in few incomprehensible films which failed to launch his career. In 1957, Mehboob Khan’s Oscar nominated classic blockbuster film MOTHER INDIA where he played a role of poor farmer, established him a lead actor in Hindi Film. After that there is no looking back for him, he acted in more than 70 films in a career of four decades and played leading, central supporting or villain roles. His most notable performances were in hit films like PAIGHAM(1959), DIL APNA AUR PREET PARAYI (1960), GHARANA (1961), DIL EK MANDIR (1963), WAQT (1965), HAMRAAZ (1967), NEEL KAMAL (1968), HEER RAANJHA(1970), LAL PATTHAR (1971), PAKEEZAH (1972) and HINDUSTAN KI KASAM (1973), out of which he got Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for DIL EK MANDIR & WAQT.  He was best paired with Meena Kumari and Mala Sinha. (more…)

Contributed by Mr.Mohan S.Murdeshwar, Borivili (W), Mumbai 400 092

Mohd Rafi

MOHD RAFI, a voice that thrilled and entertained millions of music lovers around the world was a humble and kind hearted soul who rose to unmatched popularity as a playback singer in his relatively short span of life but ruled over the hearts of countless music lovers across three successive generations.

He was gifted with a enchanting voice which enthralled his fans for over three and half decades in his short life of 55 years. There is hardly anybody in the Hindi film industry who has disliked RAFI SAHAB. His detractors if at one may call them so, could not but agree that He was the undisputed King of Melody had a larger following than any other playback singer in the golden era of  Hindi film music. (more…)