Mohd. Rafi?..
The name that inspires every singer to reach the pinnacle of quality singing. The singer, who has equally appealed to critics as well as masses.
The following is my tribute to this great singer whose 80th birth anniversary was on 24th of December 2004.
Mohd. Rafi: Pehle Aap to Baiju Bawra
Mohd Rafi started his career at the age of 20, with a punjabi song, Soniye Hiriye, teri yaad ne bahut sataya for the movie Gul Baloch, which was released on 28th February, 1944.
This great but humble man had a very mediocre debut in Hind Films in 1944. as per Naushad, he came to see Naushad with a small recommendation. Naushad liked the voice of this man, who had a touch of purity in his tone and decided to give him a chance. Thus he sang for Naushad in the film ?Pehle Aap? and the song was apatriotic number: Hindustaan ke hum hai, hindustaan humara. Though there were several singers, it was Rafi?s voice that stood out.
After that Rafi was working for a few handpicked music directors. After the death of Mahatma Gandhi, he sang ?Suno suno duniyawalon, Bapuji ki amar kahani? which was widely acclaimed. However, it was the success of his Dulari number: Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki that made him a big star. There was no looking back after that and he backed his success with a solitary song from Amar: ?Insaaf ka mandir hai yeh bhagwaan ka ghar hai?.
Mohd. Rafi: Baiju Bawra to Aaradhana
Early 1950s brought with them the biggest revolution in Indian music scenario and it was nothing less than a shock treatment. Baiju Bawra was an instant hit and Naushad composed music like never before. The art of singing and the art of taking the voice to the highest pitch was exhibited by Mohd. Rafi in O Duniya Ke Rakhwale, which till date remains as one of the most difficult songs to sing. For Rafi, there was no looking back. Naya daur was also released at the the same time and it showed the lighter aspect of Rafi.
Almost overnight, Rafi became the most saught after voice in Bollywood. Almost all leading heroes of that time, Dillip Kumar, Dev Anand, Bharat Bhushan etc, had Mohd. Rafi singing for them. Probably other than Raj Kapoor, Rafi was singing for almost all the other heroes.
The highly classic 50s gave way to more populist and swinging sixties and Rafi went on conquering height after height. The faces slowly changed to Shammi Kapoor, Rajendra Kumar, Raj Kumar, Biswajit, Joy Mukherjee, Dharmendra etc, but the voice remained the same.
In 1960s, the famous Lata-Rafi feud took place after which Lata did not want to sing with Rafi. So when the MDs had to chose between Rafi and Lata, they went for Rafi and for the duets Suman Kalyanpur replaced Lata. Probably this is the proof of the popularity of Mohd. Rafi in 1960s.
Mohd. Rafi: Aaradhana and Beyond
1967 saw one more musical revolution happening in India with RD Burman sending the whole country into waves with new era music in the voice of Kishore Kumar. From here onwards, started the way down for the greatest singer of Hindi Film Music.
Rafi Loyalists like Naushad, Shyam Sunder, C Ramachandra, OP Nayar, Shankar Jaikishen, SD Burmen etc were past their hay day and the new generation MDs like LP, KA and RDB preferred KK over Rafi. Still there were MDs like Madan Mohan who kept on coming with gems from Rafi like Heer Ranjha and Laila Majnu.
It was an era of downfall and mid 1970s hardly saw any notable number from Rafi.
In late 1970s, he came up with some successful numbers in movies like Amar Akbar Anthony, laila Majnu etc.
He recorded his last song for the movie Aas Paas, singing for Lakshmikant Pyarelal. It was a befitting farewell to a legend as it read?
?Tere aane ki khushi hai dost
Shaam Phir kyun udhaas hai dost
Mehki Mehki fizayein yeh kehti hai
Tu kahin aas paas hai dost? tu kahin aas paas hai?.?
Mohd. Rafi and his Co-singers
In the pre independence era, Rafi has given a couple of gems with Noor Jehaan. He has also given some spectacular numbers with Suraiya, Samshad Begum and Geeta Dutt. However, his best duets were with the Mangeshkar Sisters.
MDs picked up Asha Bhonsle or Lata Mangeshkar depending on the kind of song. But Mohd. Rafi was always a first choice irrespective of the nature of songs. Hence for more serious listners, Rafi-Lata duets are popular whereas for the fast track lovers, its Rafi-Asha. Also, in the mid sixties, there have been some great duets with suman Kalyanpur, like Dil Ek Mandir Hai and Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyar Ke Charche.
He sang with a range of male singers also, from talat Mehmood to RD Burman. A few people know that he sang a song even with Udit Narayan in the film Unees Bees!!
Mohd. Rafi and his Music Directors
Naushad introduced Mohd Rafi and had a near monopoly over him in late fourties and early fifties. Their association went a long way which established both of them at the top most position in their professions.
OP Nayar brought in foor tapping and everlasting songs with rafi like Pukarta Chala Hoon Mein, yeh Chaand Sa Roshan Chehra, Lakhon hain nigah mein etc. In fact, its very difficult to imagine a male voice other than Rafi in OP Nayar music.
Shankar Jaikishen is another popular MD who had patronized Rafi. The combination of SJ, Rafi and Shammi Kapoor is till date the most popular combination in hindi film music. Similarly, gazal king Madan Mohan recorded most of his gazals in rafis voice.
There were many others like SD Burman, RD Burman, Lakshmikant Pyarelal, Chitragupt, Jaidev etc, who gave some of their career best songs in th voice of Rafi.
Mohd. Rafi and his Actors:
In fifties and sixties, other than Raj Kapoor. Probably all actors had Rafi as their lead singer. Shammi Kapoor?s funny antiques were reflected in Rafis voice and so did Dillip Kumar?s tragedy king image. If we heard Dev Anand?s mannerism in Rafi?s voice, we also heard Guru Dutt?s passion. If we witnessed Joy Mukherjee?s new generation tone, we also heard Bharat Bhushan?s hay days. In short, I can not think of Hindi Film music without the voice of Rafi.
Mohd. Rafi in Statistics
Rajat Kamal Award: 1977 (Song: Kya Hua Tera Vada, Film: Hum Kissi se Kam Nahin)
Padmashri: 1965
Film Fare Awards:
1960: Chaudavin Ka Chand - Chaudavin Ka Chand
1961: Teri Pyaari Pyaari Surat - Sasural
1964: Chahunga Mein Tujeh - Dosti
1966: Baharon Phool Barasavo - Suraj
1968: Dil Ke Jharonke Mein - Brahmachari
1977: Kya Huva Tera Waada - Hum Kisise Kam Nahin
Finally, I will like to end this note saying that, many singers have come before and after Rafi saab. But no one has shown the combination of popularity, crittics? acclaim, range, style, adaptability and sustainability as he did.
He was simply the greatest.