sign in sign up
<<
Home , Mohammed Aziz, Mohammed Rafi, Pyaasa

CMYK CMYK

......

Page 8 SUNDAY, JULY 29, 2018

CMYK NOSTALGIA: The Immortal Mohammad Rafi CMYK By Indrani Medhi Remembering the legendary musical icon on his 38th death anniversary this 31st July downtown of Bhendi Bazar area. After par- tition, Rafi saab decided to stay back in and continue his musical legacy. Composer Shyam Sunder yet again pro- vided him the opportunity to sing a duet with G. M. Durrani, 'Aji dil ho kaabu mein to dildar ki aisi taisi', for 'Gaon Ki Gori' in 1945, which became Rafi saab's first re- corded song in film. Rafi saab also appeared on screen in two movies - 'Laila Majnu' in 1945 and 'Jugnu' in 1947. Be- sides. K.L. Saigal, whom he considered to be his idol, Rafi saab was also highly in- fluenced by G.M. Durrani. In the early phase of his career, he often followed Durrani's style of singing, but later evolved his own, unique style. In 1948, after the assassination of Ma- hatma Gandhi, the team of Husanlal Bhagatram, Rajendra Krishan and Mohammad Rafi were known to have over- night created the song 'Suno Suno Aey ohammed Rafi remains etched Duniyawalon, Bapuji Ki Amar Kahani'. In in our popular collective 1949, Rafi saab was given solo songs by Similarly, in the movie 'Shararat Rafi saab added his delectable nuances Mmemory even today. His voice music directors such as for films (1959)', Rafi saab sang the hit classical to the melody and made it immortal. His encompasses a tremendous range, which like 'Chandni Raat', 'Dillagi', 'Dulari' by song 'Ajab hai dastaan teree' picturized on voice had this unique feature of screen is unparalleled forever. Popularly known Shyam Sunder in Bazaar and 'Husnalal and also the song 'Masiha adaptability and when it merged with his as Rafi saab by his fans, Bhagatram' in Meena Bazaar. banke bimaronke chale' for the film intelligence as a singer it helped him to was one of the most popular and suc- In his early career, Rafi saab got asso- 'Bhagam Bhag (1958)'. In the song 'Humko tailor his voice across an array of faces cessful playback singers of the Hindi film ciated with many contemporary music di- Tumse Ho Gaya Hai Pyaar Kya Karein' that remain entrenched in our memory. industry. In fact, Rafi saab is widely con- rectors, most notably Naushad Ali. In the (), Rafi saab shared It would not be in any way an overstate- sidered to be one of the greatest and most late 1950s and 1960s, he worked with other the same song with Kishore Kumar, Lata ment to say that heroes like Biswajit influential singers of the Indian subcon- composers of the era such as O.P. Nayyar, Mangeshkar and Mukesh, the most leg- (Pukarta Chala Hoon Main), Bharat tinent. He was notable for his voice, ver- Shankar Jaikishan, S.D. Burman and endary Bollywood contemporaries of that Bhushan (Zindagi Bhar Nahin Bhoolegi satility and range. His songs varied from . Rafi saab recorded for over a 1000 time. This was probably the only time that Woh ), Joy Mukherjee fast peppy numbers to patriotic songs, Hindi film songs and sang as many as over all of them together rendered their voices (Bade Miyan Deewane) are remembered lamenting melodies to highly romantic 5,000 songs in different languages. includ- for one song. more for the songs that were picturized songs, to and ing Hindi, Konkani, Assamese, Bhojpuri, In 1977, he won both the Filmfare on them with Rafi saab lending his to classical songs. He was known for his Odia, Punjabi, Bengali, Marathi, Sindhi, Award and the coveted National Award golden voice to their acting abilities. Rafi ability to mold his voice to the persona , Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, for the song 'Kya Hua Tera Wada' from the saab managed to sound exactly like and style of an actor. Nevertheless, he Magahi, Maithili. Apart from Indian lan- movie 'Hum Kisise Kum Nahin', composed - be it in 'Sar jo tera received a silver medal award from the guages, he also sang songs in many for- by R.D. Burman. He won the Filmfare chakraye' (C.I.D, 1956) or 'Aey dil hai then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal eign languages like English, Farsi, Ara- Awards for the Best Male mushkil hai jeena yahan' (, 1957). Nehru, on the first anniversary of the In- The world of music lost one of its dian Independence Day in 1948. In 1967, brightest luminaries on 31st July, 1980. he was also honoured with the fourth Rafi saab succumbed to a dreaded heart- highest civilian award by the attack, ironically - he was a teetotaler and . a non-smoker. The burial was one of the Mohammed Rafi was the second el- largest funeral processions in India as over dest of six brothers born to Haji Ali 10,000 people attended his burial. In July Mohammad. He began singing by imi- 2011, over 9,000 musical tributes were tating the chants of a fakir in the streets organized to celebrate his death anniver- of his native village Kotla Sultan Singh, sary. Singers emerge and fade but geniuses Amritsar, Punjab. His father later moved like Rafi saab live on for eternity. Singers to in 1935, where he ran a men's like , , salon at . Little Rafi better , and known as 'Pheeko' in his childhood, were later influenced by started learning classical music from Mohammed Rafi's style of singing. In Ustad Abdul Wahid , Pandit Jiwan 2007, a shrine to Rafi designed by artist Lal Mattoo and Firoze Nizami. At the Tasawar Bashir was unveiled on Fazeley tender age of 13 years, he made his first Street, Birmingham, UK. The Padma Shri public performance where he sang in a Mohammed Rafi Chowk in the concert in Lahore featuring K. L. Saigal. bic, Sinhalese, Creole and Dutch. in 1960 for 'Chaudvi ka chand ho' suburb of and Pune is named af- In 1941, he made his debut in playback Rafi saab's secret behind his success (Chaudvin Ka Chand), in 1961 for 'Teri ter none other than Rafi saab. singing for music composer Shyam was largely confined to God's distinctive pyari pyari surat ko' (Sasural), in 1964 for The peculiar trait that separates a play- CMYK Sundar, in Lahore in the duet song endowment of a bendable voice which 'Chahunga main tujhe' (), in 1966 for back singer from a classical vocalist is not 'Soniye Nee, Heeriye Nee' with Zeenat probably none possessed in the film in- 'Baharon phool barsao (Suraj) and in 1968 the range or ability as a singer but the Begum for the Punjabi film 'Gul Baloch' dustry. Rafi saab even sang for Kishore for 'Dil ke jharokhein mein' (Brahmachari). voice quality. For Mohammed Rafi, it was (1944). In the same year, Rafi saab was Kumar too. In the movie 'Ragini (1958)', His voice suited any genre of music - the ultimate combination of both that invited to sing by , where Kishore Kumar played the hero and be it a moving like 'Aap Ke Pehloo helped him reign supreme in the field of CMYK Lahore station. had to sing a classical-based song 'Mann Main Aakar Ro Diye', a plaintive playback singing. His voice quality com- Music beckoned him to Bombay in Mora Bawra', he opted out and asked like 'O Duniya Ke Rakhawale', or a wild bined with his unsurpassed range made 1944 and he started staying in a rented music director O.P. Nayar to have Rafi and whacky Shanker-Jaikishan composi- him stand apart from all his contemporar- 10-by-10-feet room in the crowded saab sing the song. tion like 'Chahe Koi Mujhe Junglee Kahe'. ies and remain immortal even today.

CMYK CMYK

By SB Saikia