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 Dr.Vasudha Theertharam

Mohd Rafi

I have nothing to give my friend Rafi saab except a few thoughts. A tribute to the maestro on his 31st death anniversary.

Dost
I miss you.
In your absence-
the blue sky is barren
the once rosy cheeks are ashen
Nature is somersaulting
Memories abound.
Where are you? Where are you?
I miss you.

In your memory dost, a humble submission of my ego—here I go. (more…)

By KS Ramachandran

Mohd Rafi with Sharada

Thirty one years after his demise, songs of the legend lives on and forever. Much has been talked about Rafi Saab, all these years and we all, without exception, miss him more and more every year and the pain seems to grow as we move on in life. Many shows and events showcasing his melodious and versatile renditions are seen all over India and abroad on his birth (24^th Dec 1924) and death (31^st July 1980) anniversaries. Many living and singing celebrities like Shri SP Balasubramaniam (SPB) and Shri KJ Yesudoss (KJY) claim that there can be no other playback singer like Rafi Saab. SPB reassures the music world that Rafi Saab is the “ultimate” in playback singing, while KJY emotionally conveys that Rafi Saab has been his “Manaseega Guru” (Guru of his heart). There are many such great artists that we all know, are true “Rafi Bakhts”. (more…)

by Sanjeev Kumar Dixit

Mohd Rafi

On this 31st July, 31st death anniversary of RAFI SAHAB I wants to share few miracles with the readers of website, which I have seen in my life and shared by others. I am also sending few pictures in which RAFI SAHAB is looking likes a SAINT. (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 Devdatta P. Bijoor

Mohd Rafi

As a kid born in the eighties, growing up in the nineties in Mumbai, I was exposed to a lot of hindi film music and thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it. The beauty of our industry’s film songs are they are created for a situation in a film that we know to be an illusion, however the emotions in the songs and lyrics are usually something we do relate to. (more…)

By Mr Anirudha Rao; provided by Devdatta Bijoor

Mohd Rafi

The cruel hands of destiny were indeed so very cruel to have snatched away amidst us the World’s most loved, respected, admired and sweet velvet voiced personality in the sheer form of Mohammed Rafi Sahab thirty one years ago on this fateful day. Thousands have come and vanished in thin air but alas the void created by this immortal genius is most difficult to fill in just seems probably impossible to re-create the greatness and class left behind by Rafi Sahab. (more…)

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. (more…)

By Madhusree Chatterjee – Indo Asian News Service

The badshah of Bollywood playback singing, Mohammed Rafi, who gave Indian cinema 40 golden years of haunting melodies, was one of the few survivors in the industry who lived through its hard glitter with his soul in place, says his son and biographer Shahid Rafi.

Shahid, who is penning a book about his father with writer Sujata Dev, says he wants to explore the human side of his father. (more…)

Written by Mr. Padmanabhan NR, President, Rafi Foundation, Hyderabad Chapter & member Baar Baar Rafi, Bangalore.

We often discuss on this forum as to how Rafi Saahab could emote so heartfully the different sentiments of human behavior in different sets of circumstances. We also come to the conclusion that he was a superhuman that was blessed with not only an expressive voice but also a keen understanding of the human nature itself.

Mohd Rafi

We know of singers who specialize in different genre of songs; A Mukesh for sad romantics, a Kishore Kumar for those playful experimentations and also contemporary choices, a Hemant for serious romantic beltings, a Talat for ghazals and a Manna De for those classical based songs. Each had a particular constituency to service and it became his domain also. (more…)