From Binu Nair

SJ Musical Evening

THE RAFI FOUNDATION WILL CELEBRATE THE MUSIC OF SHANKAR-JAIKISHAN and the birth anniversary  of flamboyant JAIKISHAN with a live musical function at Mumbai’s Dinanath Hall, VILE PARLE on Nov 13.

Recently there was a comment in the Face-book that SHANKAR-JAIKISHAN were lucky as they had the golden voice of  MOHD RAFI to back up their creative creations. I would venture to add the names of  Lata Mangeshkar, Mukesh and Manna Dey to the list.

The foursome were the pillars of the SHANKAR-JAIKISHAN music station. Hence, wehave four singers lined up for the musical evening who will present the above legends evergreen and great songs. (more…)

By Souvik Chatterji

Rafi Sahab with Shankar and Shammi

Rafi had sung 341 songs composed by Shankar Jaikishan during his illustrious career with 216 solos. Very significantly 3 of the filmfare awards that Rafi received during 60s had been composed by Shankar Jaikishan. They included “teri pyari pyari surat ko kiski nazar na lage” from the film Sasural, “baharon phool barsao” from the film Suraj and “dilke jharoke me mujhko bithaker” from the film Brahmchari.

But in the list of songs sung by Rafi and composed by Shankar Jaikishan, at least half of the total sungs were composed for Shammi Kapoor. Shammi Kapoor and Shankar Jaikishan worked together for around 22 films, most of which did great business in the 60s. (more…)

By Souvik Chatterji.

Mohd Rafi with Suman and Hasrat

Shankar Jaikishan in the 60s made immense number of experiments in bollywood film music. Right from westernized compositions to Indian classical songs to folk tunes, the compositions had a wide variety. Rafi was the automatic choice of the legendary musical duo, with his tremendous range and romantic appeal. Suman Kalyanpur sang landmark duet song with Rafi under the composition of giant composers during the 60s, including Naushad “dil-e-betaab ko sinese lagana hoga”, in Palki, Madanmohan “baad muddat ke yeh ghari aye”, Jahanara, Roshan “rahe na rahe hum”, in Mamta, Khayyam “parbaton ke pero par sham ka basera hai”, in Shagun, to name a few. Suman Kalyanpur sang many immortal duet songs with Rafi in the 60s and 70s under the composition of Shankar Jaikishan. (more…)

By Souvik Chatterji

Mohd Rafi with Dharamender

Dharmender  had a grand combination with musical maestro Mohammad Rafi which contributed the most in the major part of his acting career which glorified bollywood films for more than 40 years. Dharmender and Rafi’s combination was unique for a number of reasons. Firstly Dharmender was not attached to any big banner in the early part of his career like Dilip Kumar with Bimal Roy or Shammi Kapoor with Shakti Shamanta. Secondly Dharmender played prominent roles opposite senior actors in many films in the early part of his career like Balraj Sahani in Haqeekat, Rajender Kumar in Ayee Milan Ki Bela, Raj Kumar in Kajal, to name a few. For those reasons, different composers composed music in the films of Dharmender and most of them were sung by great Rafi Sahab. (more…)

Written By Venkatadri Brahmandam (Venkat from HF)

(Mohammed Rafi With Mubarak Begum)

Mohd Rafi

Mubarak Begum was a singer known only for her peculiar, nasal voice. Her vocal range and singing prowess had many limitations, of course. In my humble view, as a singer, she could attain only limited success that was just proportionate to her abilities!! However, in one interview of hers, she seemed to blame Suraiya for blocking her progress! Well, that is a different story for a different time!!

With Rafi Saab, she had the opportunity of singing about 10 duets, of which the only one that became very popular is from Film: Hamraahi (1963), composed by Shankar Jaikishan. The song is: “Mujhko Apne Gale Lagaa Lo, Ae Mere Hamraahi”. (more…)

Written by Sivanandam Palamadai

Mohd Rafi

A lullaby (Lori in Hindi) is a soothing song sung to put a child to sleep. Each country in the world has its own rich tradition of lullabies. Our own country, with its great civilization and culture  has a very rich collection of such songs from each region.

It is a universally known fact that lullabies are generally sung by a mother to make her child sleep. Lucky indeed is that child that has a father who can sing a Lori. And if that father has a voice like Rafi? Eternal bliss!!!

There are many Lori songs in Hindi film music (HFM) which are evergreen, generally sung by female singers. Lata’s  ‘Dheere se aajari ankhiyan mein ’ is considered one of the best Lori ever composed and sung in HFM. There are of course many more from Lata whose sweet, soothing Loris can put even an insomniac to sleep!! (more…)

Written by Mr. Souvik Chatterji

Rafi with Shankar of SJ fame

Mohammad Rafi was the virtual ruler of world of playback singing in the 60s. As far as his combination with Shankar Jaikishan is concerned, generally the loud numbers gather popularity due to the pomp and grandeur of those songs.

For example Rafi’s song “chahe koi mujhe jungle kahen” in Junglee, picturised on Shammi Kapoor, “kaun hai jo sapno me aya” in Jhuk Gaya Aasman picturised on Rajender Kumar, “jiya ho jiya ho jiya kuch bol do” in Jab Par Kisi Se Hota Hai, picturised on Dev Anand, “Japan, Love in Tokyo”, in Love in Tokyo, picturised on Joy Mukherjee, “april fool banaya, in April Fool picturised on Biswajeet , etc., were the most popular songs of those films. Shankar Jaikishan’s innovative orchestrations were involved with all these songs. (more…)

This article is written by Mr.M.V.Devraj

Mohd Rafi

In film music there has always been an endless and inconclusive discussion as to who contributes the most, the Music Director, the Lyricist or the Singer. A non-controversial surmise would be that it is the collective and combined efforts of all these participants that make or mar a song. Be that as it may, it is my submission that Rafisaab, by his voice modulations and immaculate diction has always elevated the songs sung by him to another level.

Not only that, in some of the songs, with his fantastic rendition of the pre-mukhda lines Rafisaab creates the mood of the song, he enhances the specific mood and elevates the mood to an altar which no other singer can ever match. It is again my humble submission that these creative contributions by Rafisaab were much beyond the effects envisaged by the Music Composers and have converted these compositions into everlasting diamonds. (more…)

This article is written by Bina Krishna – Rafi Saab Ke Charnon Mein

Mohd Rafi with Lata Mangeshkar and Jaikishan

I could never decide with certainty whether Rafi Saab sang better with Lata or with Asha. Everytime I hear a dulcet duet of Lata-Rafi I instinctively opine that it is Lata who is best suited for Rafi Saab and this twosome is matchless, Then when I hear a marvellous duad of Asha-Rafi and that perfect taal-mel between them I unabashedly change my opinion and my leanings and apologize to Lata Didi in my mind. (more…)

This song is reviewed by Mr. Shrirang Nawathe

Mohd Rafi

I have a very special song for you in the store. The song which describes the purest form of Love. The ultimate relationship between

Devotee and the Divine. It is as pure as Ganga’s waters, as deep as Ocean, and sky is the limit to measure its height…

Pure Love is selfless and has no demands. On the contrary, it asks for total surrender. Nature teaches us Giving or surrendering ..The  more you give the more you get…is the law of the nature…The God looks for total surrender in  his Devotee or Bhakt. (more…)