NEW DELHI: Without him, Guru Dutt wouldn't have been the same serenading Waheeda Rehman in Chaudhvin Ka Chand. Without him, Dev Anand wouldn't have looked so heart-broken crooning Din dhal jaye hai in Guide. And without him, Shammi Kapoor's rebellious yell, Chahe koi mujhe junglee kahe, would have lost much of its manic energy.
Without Mohammed Rafi, who passed away on July 31, 1980, exactly 30 years ago, some of the most unforgettable moments in Hindi films wouldn't have been the same.
The Amritsar-born Rafi began his career as a playback singer in the early 1940s. A versatile singer, who could render classical, rock and roll, indeed any kind of song with ease, he was Hindi film's favourite male voice through the 1950s and 1960s.
"Whether he was singing in the lowest, middle or highest octave, there was no difference in his voice. His throw of words remains matchless. People try to copy him but nobody can recreate the same magic," says singer Jaspal Singh, who became well-known after delivering hits in films such as Geet Gaata Chal (1975) and Saawan Ko Aane Do (1979).
Singh has a lasting regret. He had recorded a duet with Rafi for music director duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Phoolon ke basanti gehne, dharti ke dulhan ne pehne in 1979 for Sarhad. "Unfortunately the film, being produced by the Nadiadwalas, was never completed," he says.
It wasn't just Rafi's singing. Everybody vouched for the man's simplicity and sincerity. Music director Rajesh Roshan, who composed Rafi chartbusters such as Logon ka dil agar jeetna tumko hai to (Manpasand, 1980) and Mujhe chhoo rahi hain (Swayamvar, 1980), remembers the singer as "a warm-hearted simple person with no ego".
Renowned radio personality Ameen Sayani recalls the singer "as a magnanimous person who hated to get into quarrels." The presenter of the cult radio show Binaca Geet Mala too has a lingering regret. "Rafi was shy of giving interviews. I used to prod him to give me one but he kept putting it off. Finally, one day he said, you construct the questions in such a way that I give you the answers in songs. But before that interview could take place, he passed away," reminisces Sayani.
Senior Bollywood lyricist Yogesh remembers Rafi crooning Mana mere haseen sanam tu rashq-e-mahtab hai, one of the first songs he wrote for an obscure C-grade 1965 flick, Adventures of Robinhood and Bandits.
"I remember going with music director G S Kohli to his home for the song's rehearsal. During practice, he seemed to be having problems getting the tune right. But the next day, he was perfect during the recording," says the writer of songs such as Kahin door jab din dhal jaaye (Anand, 1971).
In 1969, Kishore Kumar stormed Bollywood central with Aradhana. The singer formed a hit pair with actor Rajesh Khanna and became the hottest singer in Hindi films. For a few years, Rafi was pushed to the background before he made a resounding comeback with Laila Majnu (1976) and Hum Kissi Se Kam Nahin (1977).
Roshan recalls an interesting incident during the recording of Saj rahi gali mori amma (Kunwara Baap, 1974), his first song as composer. "The song had a chorus of hijras. When Rafi saab saw them at the studio, he got nervous. Mehmood bhai had to cajole him to do the recording," says Roshan.
Rafi's death, following a heart attack, was sudden. "The void he left behind may never be filled," says Singh. Millions of Rafi fans would agree.
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Saif Ali Khan chills with Bebo's familyby ZoomDekho204,937 views
@scorpiomerss
yup.. i second your exclamation..
2849250 1 month ago
OMG...is he adnan sami? 2:22
scorpiomerss 1 month ago
Rafi saab is the only complete singer.
2012sangram 1 month ago
she said 'we will get more singers like rafi sahab from this academy???????????? they should know what they say about legends!AAAAAAAAH
iltamian 5 months ago
@TheDon2Srk,
Dude,m Aurangzeb's descendents who hate music still live...
Don't worry abut them....
Rafi Saheb jaise Singer Kudrat ka karishma the... He was simply the best that India has produced since Taan Sen.
IndiaCobraTuRandi1 6 months ago
really there cant be anyother rafi saab ALLAH give rafi saab jannat ameen :)
MegaChulbul 6 months ago
there is NO ONE NO ONE a bit like Rafi
really amazing God givin
he was the BEST
mullaa1 6 months ago
the one who dislike this video is a hater , who has no clue about music.
ms0507 6 months ago
It is without any doubt that Md. Rafi was the supreme emperor of Hindi songs and the greatest male singer ever born in India. There had been other greats like Kishore Mukesh Hemant Manna who were all doyens of Indian Films with supernatural blessings from GOD. But considering the total spectrum and the versatility Md. Rafi stands miles ahead of anyone. A singer of his caliber comes only after few centuries.
Bonprimitif 6 months ago
how could any one dislike this video
TheDon2Srk 7 months ago