This article is by Mr. Vishal Verma. Source: Mr. Sajjad Qadir

MOHAMMED RAFI was one of the most versatile and talented singers Indian film industry has ever produced. Though he passed away 19 years ago on July 31, 1980, he continues to live in the hearts of millions of his fans in India and abroad. Mohammed Rafi had an immortal, melodious voice. He was trained in classical music and had an unparalleled range. (more…)

By Ramesh Babu for Hindustan Times. Source : Mohammed, Sheik & Ashok Harkara

Hero worshipper: Kunjli Soppy

P.M. KUNJLI Soppy’s life revolves around the legendary Hindi playback singer Mohammed Rafi. Soppy’s home is named Rafi Manzil. His son is named Mohammed Rafi. Soppy’s instruction to the teenaged Mohammed Rafi is: “At my funeral, you must play Janewalle kabhi nahin ate … my all-time Rafi favourite.” (more…)

How right he was! They don’t make singers like Mohammed Rafi any more. And there was no one quite in the same class even before. It was on a gloomy, evil, rain-drenched July 31, 1980 that Rafi achieved immortality. Two decades later, I would like to recall the monarch of playbackdom through 20 of his […]

How right he was! They don’t make singers like Mohammed Rafi any more. And there was no one quite in the same class even before. It was on a gloomy, evil, rain-drenched July 31, 1980 that Rafi achieved immortality. Two decades later, I would like to recall the monarch of playbackdom through 20 of his less-celebrated solos that are in no way inferior to his hundreds of acclaimed triumphs. (more…)

A tribute to the musical genius on his 22nd death anniversary by Quamar Ashraf

Mohammad Rafi was one of the most versatile and talented singers that the world of music has ever produced . He is heard in different tones in a wide range of romantic, classical and devotional songs and ghazals, in genres as diverse as qawwalis and bhajans. (more…)

Source: Mr. Sajjad Qadir

Mohammed Rafi

Virtually the voice of India, Mohammed Rafi articulated the joys and sorrows of millions of Indians through his songs. One of the three most popular Hindi film playback singers, ever with Kishore Kumar and Mukesh, Rafi made his debut in 1944 in the film Pehle Aap. (more…)

By Afsana Ahmed

Every evening normally when all other kids reluctantly sat by the study table, a seven-year-old kid chose to be different. Enchanted by the soothing music of the Ektara which wafted in the air, and ignoring the regular reprimands of his parents, the young boy religiously followed a fakir to the latter’s abode – a huge tree. Observation by the fakir led to a friendship which gradually stimulated the dormant interest of the boy. (more…)

By Filminfonet.com

By the way, fans of Mohd. Rafi have not forgotten him yet, though he passed away two decades ago. His fan clubs still organise Rafi nites in the months of July and August every year. (more…)

Article by Khilath Rasheed written on Thursday, January 28, 1999 06:03:44 PM for Haveeru Daily Online

MALE, Jan 28 (HNS) – A huge black-and-white poster of singer Mohamed Rafi decorates the bedroom wall of young Yoosuf Rasheed. The 23-year-old restored the singer’s poster after it almost got destroyed while lying at the bottom of a cupboard in his flooded room during the heavy rains of April 1991. (more…)

An article by Anup Pandey from rec.music.indian.misc. Contributed to the site by Ms. Nalini Ramji.

Hi RMIMers,

I saw a program called Sangeet Sitare in which they remembered Mohd. Rafi and interviewed some singers, his son Shahid Rafi, Johnny Walker and Joy Mukherjee about Mohd. Rafi. I will write whatever I remember. Let’s all remember this great soul Mohd. Rafi, who left us on this day (Jul 31) in 1980.

Woh Jab Yaad Aaye Bahut Yaad Aaye

Manna Dey

Rafi sahab ek sampurna singer the. Jo gaana bhi wo gaate the usme Rafi Sahab ki apni stamp hoti thi. Unke jaisa singer na to hua hai na hoga.

English translation: Rafi Sahab was a complete singer. All his songs had his distinct stamp. There was no singer like Rafi and there won’t be a singer like Rafi.

Shahid Rafi (his son)

On him being the best singer

Main bachpan se lekar aaj taq, purane se naye bahut gaanewalon ko suna hai, par unke jaisa gaanewala nahin suna.

On his playful antics and family relations

Woh jab gaana gaakar aate the to apne bachhon aur family ke sang waqt gujarana pasand karte the. Woh bachhon ke sang bachhe ban jaate the. Ek choti si baat yaad aati hai, hamaare ghar men doodh (milk) wala pichhee se botelon (bottles) men doodh laata tha. Unhe (Rafi) kachhe doodh peene ka bahut shauk tha. To woh doodh waale ko rokkar kuchh bottlen pi jaate the. Aage chalkar mammi (Rafi’s wife) puchti thi ki aaj bottlen kam kyun laaye to woh bolta tha ke sahab bich men doodh pi gaye.

On his soft-spokenness

Bahut dheema bolte the woh. Hamen kabhi kaan lagakar sunna padta tha. Mujhe wo pyaar se Shah karke bulate. Kabhi mujhe bulane ke liye dheeme se bolte the Shah yahan aao. Mujhe sirf Shah sunayi deta tha to main samajh jaata tha ki wo mujhe bula rahen hain. Phir woh kehte the (very softly like a whisper) mainne yeh gaana gaaya hai aao sunaoon.

About Neel Kamal song Babul ki duaaen

Hamari behen (Rafi’s daughter) do din pehle vida hui thi. Daddy us din to roye nahin the par do din baad is gaane ki recording karte samay ro diye the. Is liye gaana bahut natural ho gaya. Ravi (MD) sahab mujhse (Rafi’s son) bole ki, Rafi sahab to vastav men ro diye.

About his God-fearfulness

He (Rafi) was a very god-fearing person. Unko yeh God gift hi to thi. Kabhi gaana gaane ke baad log bolte the ki Wah, Rafi Sahab kya gaana gaya hai to unki ungli (finger) upar uth jaati thi ki sab kuchh upparwaale ki baat hai.

About his (son Shahid’s) favorite(s) Rafi songs

Sabhi gaane bahut achhe hain. Agar main ek gaana ginaaoonga to aap bolengi (interviewer) ki woh gaana bhi to bahut achha hai. Phir main doosra bataoonga. To aap koi doosra bataengi. Mujhe to unke sabhi gaane bahut pasand hai. Ek gaana bata dijiye jo Rafi Sahab ka gaya hua ho jo kisi ko pasand nahin aata ho.

(Note: I will post the English translation later. I really liked his son’s interview as he touched upon some of the nice lesser known aspects of Rafi Sahab.)

Joy Mukherjee

Rafi Sahab ki ye kabhi thi ki woh gaana gaane se pehle poochte the ki yeh gaana parde par kaun gaayega. Yeh gaana Dilip Kumar Sahab gaayenge ya Shammi Kapoor Sahab gaayenge ya Joy Mukherjee Sahab gaayenge phir woh usi style men gaate the.

Johnny Walker

Rafi Sahab meri liye itna achha gaate the ki log samajhte the ki main hi gaa raha hoon. Mere liye unke gaaye gaane sabhi super hit hue.

Mahendra Kapoor

Bahut dheema bolte the. Bahut patience tha. (He then mimicked Rafi when he (Rafi) has heard something unusual.)

Notes about the program: The program had clips of some of his famous songs and his live performances of Aasman se aaya farishta pyaar (with Sharmila Tagore live) and Badan pe sitaare lapete hue. The hosts did a nice job in presenting the show too with good introduction, shots of Mohd. Rafi’s home, etc.

Regards,
Anup
From : rec.music.indian.misc
Author : Anup Pandey
Date: 08 Aug 1996

This article is from rec.music.indian.misc on the Immortal Rafi Sahab by Pavan Kumar Desikan.

Rafi saab’s speciality was his versatility and a very vast range. In his 38-year career,he rendered more than 28,000 songs, which include the whole range sung in Hindi films. Take the classicals like O Duniya Ke Rakhwale, Madhuban Mein Radhika Naache Re, or thumris like Aye Na Baalam Wada Karke and Gori Tere Nainva Kajra Ban. (more…)