Mohammed Rafi: Mujhko mere baad zamana dhoondega...By : Md Mudassir Alam
When we talk about the legends of Hindi cinema, we have to mention the name of king of melody, Mohammed Rafi. In fact, Mohammed Rafi is one of the few names in playback singing who will always be remembered for his magical voice.
Even today after so many years we like to listen to Mohammed Rafi’s evergreen songs and they echo in our ears for a long time. Today is the 27th death anniversary of Rafi Sahab, who left this world on 31st July 1980 for his heavenly abode. Being a music lover and big fan of Mohammed Rafi I pay my heartfelt tribute to the great singer and a nice human being.
With a God-gifted natural, macho and clear voice, Mohammed Rafi is considered the best amongst the singers of his era. In his career which spanned over 35 years, Mohammed Rafi has left behind a rich legacy of songs. Mohammed Rafi has sung above 7000 Hindi film songs and more than 26,000 songs in almost all national languages. It was only the greatness of Rafi Sahab that he sung varied genre of songs such as sad, romantic, fast, classical, bhajan, ghazal, qawalli, parody etc.
Some evergreen popular numbers from Rafi Sahab include Aaj Mousam Bada (Loafer), Aaj Purani Raahon Se (Aadmi), Aane Se Uske Aaye Bahar (Jeene Ki Raah), Baharon Phool Barsao (Suraj), Chahoonga Mein Tujhe (Dosti), Chaudvin Ka Chand (Chaudvin Ka Chand), Choo Lene De Nazuk Honto Ko (Kaajal), Dard – E – Dil (Karz), Din Dhal Jaye (Guide), Ehsaan Tera Hoga (Junglee), Gulabee Ankhen (The Train), Hum to Chale Pardes (Sargam), Hum Tum Se Juda Hoke (Ek Sapera Ek Lutera), Khoya Khoya Chand (Kaala Bazaar), Kya Hua Tera Wada (Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin), Likhe Jo Khat Tujhe (Kanyadaan), Maanena Yeh Mera Dil Deewana (Tere Ghar Ke Samne), Meri Awaz Suno (Naunihal), Na Aadmi Ka Koi Bharosa (Aadmi), Na Tu Zameen Ke Liye (Daastan), Pardesiyon Se Na Ankhiyan Milana (Jab Jab Phool Khile), Pathar ke Sanam (Pathar ke Sanam), Teri Bindiya Re (Abhimaan), Teri Galiyon Mein (Hawas), Woh Jab Yaad Aaye (Paarasmani), Yaad Na Jaaye (Dil Ek Mandir), Yeh Wadiyan Yeh Fizayen Bula Rahin Hai Tumhe (Aaj Aur Kal), Zindagi Bhar Nahin (Barsaar Ki Raat) and list goes on.
Mohammed Rafi was born on December 24, 1924 at Kotla Sultan Singh, a town near Amritsar in undivided Punjab. Hajji Ali Mohammed was Rafi’s father and his pet name was Pheeko. Rafi started singing by imitating chants of a fakir (beggar) and gave his first public performance at the age of 13. Later he learnt Hindustani classical music from Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Ustad Abdul Wahid Khan, Firoze Nizami and Pandit Jiwanlal Matto. In 1942 noted composer Shyam Sunder gave Rafi a chance to sing a song ‘Soniye nee, Heeriyee nee’ in the Punjabi film Gul Baloch.
In the year 1944, Mohammed Rafi moved to Bombay (Mumbai) in search of a break in Hindi films. In the same year Rafi got a break in A.R. Kardar’s Pehle Aap(1944) and recorded the first song with Naushad, Hindustan Ke Hum Hain and another song of the film Gaon Ki Gori. Rafi got the recognition for the song Tere Khilona Toota Balak from Mehboob Khan’s noted film Anmol Ghadi (1946). From Vijay Bhatt’s Baiju Bawra (1952), Mohammed Rafi established himself as the number one playback singer in Hindi cinema. Baiju Bawra’s songs like O Duniya Ke Rakhwale and Man Tarpat Hari Darshan Ko Aaj, are popular till now. From Baiju Bawra (1952) to Karz (1980) there was no looking back for Rafi and he ruled in the world of playback singing for several years.
Mohammed Rafi worked with almost all the noted music composers of that time namely Naushad, O. P. Nayyar, Shankar-Jaikishen, S. D. Burman, C Ramchandra, Madan Mohan, Roshan, R. D. Burman, Kalyanji – Anandji and Laxmikant – Pyarelal. During fifties, sixties and seventies Mohammed Rafi sang for famous heroes like Dilip Kumar, Gurudutt, Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor, Rajendra Kumar, Dharmendra and Shashi Kapoor. In fact, Rafi was so genius in his singing that while watching the movie; it appeared that the hero himself is singing and not any playback singer in the background.
During his playback singing days Rafi won a number of awards for Male Playback Singer. Mohammed Rafi was awarded the Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award six times for songs Chaudhvin Ka Chand Ho (Chaudvin Ka Chand - 1960), Teri Pyaari Pyaari Surat Ko (Sasural - 1961), Chahunga Mein Tujhe (Dosti – 1964), Baharon Phool Barsao (Suraj – 1966), Dil Ke Jharokhe Mein (Brahamchari – 1968) and Kya Hua Tera Vaada (Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin – 1977). Rafi also won the prestigious National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer in 1968 (Babul Ki Duayein Leti Ja, Film – Neel Kamal) and 1977 (Kya Hua Tera Wada, Film – Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin). In addition to these, in the year 1948 Mohammed Rafi received a silver medal from Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Indian Prime Minister, on the first anniversary of the Indian Independence Day.
Rafi Sahab has rightly said, "Dil Ka Suna Saaz Tarana Dhoondega, Tere Nighae Aaj Nishana Dhoondega, Mujh Ko Mere Baad Zamana Dhoondega." Now 27 years have passed after Mohammed Rafi’s death, but we always remember this great singer. Both the old as well as the young generation love and appreciate the evergreen songs of Rafi Sahab and this will remain forever. I salute the legend of Indian playback singing.
With a God-gifted natural, macho and clear voice, Mohammed Rafi is considered the best amongst the singers of his era. In his career which spanned over 35 years, Mohammed Rafi has left behind a rich legacy of songs. Mohammed Rafi has sung above 7000 Hindi film songs and more than 26,000 songs in almost all national languages. It was only the greatness of Rafi Sahab that he sung varied genre of songs such as sad, romantic, fast, classical, bhajan, ghazal, qawalli, parody etc.
Some evergreen popular numbers from Rafi Sahab include Aaj Mousam Bada (Loafer), Aaj Purani Raahon Se (Aadmi), Aane Se Uske Aaye Bahar (Jeene Ki Raah), Baharon Phool Barsao (Suraj), Chahoonga Mein Tujhe (Dosti), Chaudvin Ka Chand (Chaudvin Ka Chand), Choo Lene De Nazuk Honto Ko (Kaajal), Dard – E – Dil (Karz), Din Dhal Jaye (Guide), Ehsaan Tera Hoga (Junglee), Gulabee Ankhen (The Train), Hum to Chale Pardes (Sargam), Hum Tum Se Juda Hoke (Ek Sapera Ek Lutera), Khoya Khoya Chand (Kaala Bazaar), Kya Hua Tera Wada (Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin), Likhe Jo Khat Tujhe (Kanyadaan), Maanena Yeh Mera Dil Deewana (Tere Ghar Ke Samne), Meri Awaz Suno (Naunihal), Na Aadmi Ka Koi Bharosa (Aadmi), Na Tu Zameen Ke Liye (Daastan), Pardesiyon Se Na Ankhiyan Milana (Jab Jab Phool Khile), Pathar ke Sanam (Pathar ke Sanam), Teri Bindiya Re (Abhimaan), Teri Galiyon Mein (Hawas), Woh Jab Yaad Aaye (Paarasmani), Yaad Na Jaaye (Dil Ek Mandir), Yeh Wadiyan Yeh Fizayen Bula Rahin Hai Tumhe (Aaj Aur Kal), Zindagi Bhar Nahin (Barsaar Ki Raat) and list goes on.
Mohammed Rafi was born on December 24, 1924 at Kotla Sultan Singh, a town near Amritsar in undivided Punjab. Hajji Ali Mohammed was Rafi’s father and his pet name was Pheeko. Rafi started singing by imitating chants of a fakir (beggar) and gave his first public performance at the age of 13. Later he learnt Hindustani classical music from Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Ustad Abdul Wahid Khan, Firoze Nizami and Pandit Jiwanlal Matto. In 1942 noted composer Shyam Sunder gave Rafi a chance to sing a song ‘Soniye nee, Heeriyee nee’ in the Punjabi film Gul Baloch.
In the year 1944, Mohammed Rafi moved to Bombay (Mumbai) in search of a break in Hindi films. In the same year Rafi got a break in A.R. Kardar’s Pehle Aap(1944) and recorded the first song with Naushad, Hindustan Ke Hum Hain and another song of the film Gaon Ki Gori. Rafi got the recognition for the song Tere Khilona Toota Balak from Mehboob Khan’s noted film Anmol Ghadi (1946). From Vijay Bhatt’s Baiju Bawra (1952), Mohammed Rafi established himself as the number one playback singer in Hindi cinema. Baiju Bawra’s songs like O Duniya Ke Rakhwale and Man Tarpat Hari Darshan Ko Aaj, are popular till now. From Baiju Bawra (1952) to Karz (1980) there was no looking back for Rafi and he ruled in the world of playback singing for several years.
Mohammed Rafi worked with almost all the noted music composers of that time namely Naushad, O. P. Nayyar, Shankar-Jaikishen, S. D. Burman, C Ramchandra, Madan Mohan, Roshan, R. D. Burman, Kalyanji – Anandji and Laxmikant – Pyarelal. During fifties, sixties and seventies Mohammed Rafi sang for famous heroes like Dilip Kumar, Gurudutt, Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor, Rajendra Kumar, Dharmendra and Shashi Kapoor. In fact, Rafi was so genius in his singing that while watching the movie; it appeared that the hero himself is singing and not any playback singer in the background.
During his playback singing days Rafi won a number of awards for Male Playback Singer. Mohammed Rafi was awarded the Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award six times for songs Chaudhvin Ka Chand Ho (Chaudvin Ka Chand - 1960), Teri Pyaari Pyaari Surat Ko (Sasural - 1961), Chahunga Mein Tujhe (Dosti – 1964), Baharon Phool Barsao (Suraj – 1966), Dil Ke Jharokhe Mein (Brahamchari – 1968) and Kya Hua Tera Vaada (Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin – 1977). Rafi also won the prestigious National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer in 1968 (Babul Ki Duayein Leti Ja, Film – Neel Kamal) and 1977 (Kya Hua Tera Wada, Film – Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin). In addition to these, in the year 1948 Mohammed Rafi received a silver medal from Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Indian Prime Minister, on the first anniversary of the Indian Independence Day.
Rafi Sahab has rightly said, "Dil Ka Suna Saaz Tarana Dhoondega, Tere Nighae Aaj Nishana Dhoondega, Mujh Ko Mere Baad Zamana Dhoondega." Now 27 years have passed after Mohammed Rafi’s death, but we always remember this great singer. Both the old as well as the young generation love and appreciate the evergreen songs of Rafi Sahab and this will remain forever. I salute the legend of Indian playback singing.
1 comment:
Rightly said that after 27 years of Mohammed Rafi’s death, he's always remembered as grt singer. The evergreen songs of Rafiji still echo in my ears....he was only of his kind...
Sherry
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