'India did not giv Mohammed Rafi his due' - Page 5

The following article appeared in The Statesman,Calcutta, on Aug.7 th 2005. It will give more food for thought to the ongoing debate about the Rafi personality and magic - Mohan Flora .

Mohd. Rafi was the greatest playback singer, asserts Ranjan Das Gupta as he pays tribute on the melody kings 25th death anniversary. Rafi was a classically trained singer while Kishore was naturally endowed with excellent resonance. The latter was a versatile genius, singer, music director, actor, writer and director all rolled into one. Both were proficient singers but had separate individual styles.

In the 1950s Rafi literally ruled the roost. He was the most favoured singer for veteran composers like Naushad, S.D. Burman, Shanker Jaikishan, Madan Mohan while Kishore was preferred by S.D. Burman and Salil Choudhury who was playback mainly for Dev Anand and his own films. Rafi on the other hand could balance his melodious voice for diverse stars like Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Guru Dutt, Rajendra Kumar and Shammi Kapoor.

It is an astonishing fact that O.P. Nayar used Rafi to sing for Kishore Kumar the unforgettable tune Man Mora Bawra in Ragini in 1957. Shanker Jaikishan also had Rafi to sing Ajab Hai Dastan in Shararat in 1958. Says record museum owner Vinod Santhalia, It is simply amazing. Imagine Mohd. Rafi sang for Kishore Kumar in films Kishore himself acted.

Shanker Jaikishan commented, No doubt Kishore Kumar is a good singer. He sang beautifully for me in Rangoli. But Ajab Hai Dastan was simply not Kishores cup of tea. The mukhdas and antaras required a singer of Rafis range and classical background.

Although Kishore Kumar felt bad about this, he could only marvel at Rafis brilliant rendering of the two songs. Rafi characteristically remarked, No one else except Kishore could sing Dukhi Man Mera in Funtoosh so well.

Salil Choudhury was not favourably inclined towards Rafi at one point of time, but even he was compelled to use Rafi for the unforgettable Tootey Huey Khuabo Nay in Madhumati and Koi Soney Ke Dil Wala in Maya and confess that Rafi was indeed peerless.

It is generally known that Rafi and Kishore went through a bad patch in their relationship. Yet it is also true that both liked and respected each other. S.D. Burman openly admitted to Kishore that the three solos in Guide by Rafi could not be matched by any singer. On Dev Anands special request, he composed the Kishore-Lata super hit duet Gata Rahe Mera Dil for Guide. Similarly, Rafis numbers in Teen Deviyan and the haunting duet with Lata Mangeshkar in Jewel Thief were far superior to the Kishore numbers in these films.

In the late 60s when R.D. Burman composed the melody for Tum Bin Jaaun Kahan in Pyar Ka Mausam, he experimented the same solo with both Rafi and Kishore. True, Kishore sang this number by melodiously incorporating his inimitable yodelling. But in the romantic number, Rafi scored over Kishore in melody.

The 60s was also considered Rafis decade though Kishore matured considerably as a singer during this period. The Jungle Mein Mangal number Woh Din Ke Baat Sharan Karo had both Rafi and Kishore together but is somehow not remembered that well. But Shanker Jaikishans Hanste Gate Jahan Se Guzar in Andaz by Rafi quite eclipsed Kishores entire Zindagi Ek Safar in 1971.

Madan Mohan also used both Rafi and Kishore in the song Yu Na Sharma for Parwana in 1972. Kishore sang the happy rendition for hero Navin Nischal. But there was Rafi again to do full justice to the Are Hansnewale, the melancholic aspect of the same song for Amitabh Bachchan.

In the 1970s the Kishore Kumar wave took the Hindi film music by storm and was backed by R.D. Burman. Some critics felt R.D was partial to Kishore and avoided using Rafi. The Rafi Kishore duet Yaadon Ki Barat from the film with the same title in 1973 turned out to be a superhit. But it cannot be categorised either as an exclusive Rafi or a Kishore gem for both sang in perfect harmony.

Subsequently, R.D. Burman opted for Rafi again after four years as no other singer could have rendered so skillfully Chand Mera Dil and Kya Hua in Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin; that too in a film with many Kishore Kumar superhits like Mil Gaya and Aa Meri Jaan.

When Rafi sang Darde Dil for Laxmikant Pyarelal in Karz in1980 based on a single note, he proved melody was indeed God-gifted to him, remembers upcoming singer Sujan Bose. Kishores Ay Mere Umar Ke and Ek Hasina Thi could not touch that level. The same can be said for Rajesh Roshan's Yarana where Rafi's Aare Re Aisa Tarana completely surpassed Kishore's Sara Zamana and Tere Jaisa.

Mohd. Rafi left for his heavenly abode on 31 July, 25 years ago. Remembers author Nabaran Bhattacharya, The photo of a silent, sad and grief-struck Kishore in the newspapers portrayed very well that no one except him understood what an irreparable loss had taken place in Indian film music.

As Kishore himself said when Jagjit Singh criticised the Rafi gharana, How dare these so-called ghazal singers criticise an icon that Manna Dey, Mukesh and I dare not criticise. Rafi was unique.

This is written by Nair.

The accusation that Rafi cannot raise his pitch the to "tivra nishadam" is baseless. Tivra nishadam is normally a feminine position because it makes the voice to taper to the extreme. Rafi Sahab is a master in this, say for example, in a live concert (available online) in Oh Duniya Ke Rakh Wale; please listen to Mehal Udaas aur Galiyaan Sooni how the voice climbs to tivra Nishadam just through Sooni; a person even ignorant of acoustics can realize each and every step the voice climbs. Feminine voice, due to its softness, normally dissolves in tivra nishadam.

Listen to Mehel Udaas Aur Galiyan Sooni.

Rafi Sahab's comfort at tivra nishadam is so high that he can immediately descend (sudden drop in pitch) to shadjam (Yesudas has emphasized this power of Rafi many times). Tivra swaras cannot be simply used in recording rooms, unless the music director demans. LP demanded in Nafrat Ki Duniya from which Kishore had to run away.

Certainly, Lata Mangeshkar is also adept in the art of tivra swaras (also Manndey); but why mention it in a forum where Rafi Sahab is (unfortunately) compared with a singer who can't even sing in komala nishadam with comfort.

Here is an audio treat - the audio interview of the legend. This was in Brittania, during 1977 while Rafi Sahab was on world tour. My thanks to Shuklas@HF for providing us all this interview. The transcript of the interview is below. Just read through and listen to Rafi Sahab speak in his soft voice. How transparent he is in his thoughts.

Mohd Rafi, jo lagta hai abhi kal taq jo hamare darmiyan the, aur phir voh chale gaye. Abhi chand baras huve jo woh London aaye the; unse ghulmil kar baatein ho rahin thi. Yakeen nahin aata jitni oonche unki taane thi, use se bhi oonchi aasmaanon mein unhone basera kar liya hai, aur jitne neechi unki sur the, unhe us se bhi zyada neechi need aagayi hai. Mohd Rafi, marhoom. Yeh November sathathar (1977) ki baat hai, Mohd Rafi, Brittania ke kayi sheheron mein, bade bade mazhumon ke saamne gaa chuke the. Hamne unse puucha ke:

(9MB)

Interviewer: aapko apne saamne paakar, aur khud aapki zabaan mein, apne pasandida geet sunkar, logon ne kya mehsoos kiya?

Rafi: Bahut achha kiya ji, bahut achha kiya. Response achha mila. Public itni khush huyi bahut.

Interviewer: Achha Tho Yeh Baatayiye, ab aap is tamaam safar ke baad wapar bambai pahunchenge; wahan phir aage ke liye aapke kya mansoobe hain, kya plans hein?

Rafi: Kuch nahin, wahan jaake ham apna recording shuru kardenge ji. Sab log rasta dekh rahe hein udhar. Telephone aarahe hein, jaldi aayiye; jaldi aayiye.

Interviewer: Phir hamne Mohd Rafi se poocha ke hindustan ki filmon mein aapko gaate huve, chauthaayi sadise bhi zyada arsa ho chuka hai. Kabhi aapne hisaab lagaya hai ke, itne bahut se barason mein, aapne kul milakar kitne gaane gaaye hein?

Rafi: Aisa jahan tak mujeh yaad hai ki, mujeh isline mein painteez (35) saal hogaye, aur us arse ke andar maine pachheez hazaar (25000) gaane gaayen hein; pachheez - chabeez hazaar (25000-26000).

Interviewer: Achha pacheez-chabeez hazaar gaano mein, aisa nahin hota ke aap, kuch gaanon ke dhoone bhool gayen hon?

Rafi: Aisa tho kuch nahin, jo gaane hit horahe zyada inko, voh gaane yaad rehte hein. Kayi aise gaane bhi hein jo bhool bhi gaye hein.

Interviewer: Achha yeh batayiye ke, yeh jo microphone hein istarah jo aadmi peheli baar iske saamne aata hai tho, usko khauf aata hai. Microphone se kehete hein ke aadmi darta hai; aur, shuru mein kaafi arse taq usse khauf aata hai. Aur aap yeh samajhiye ke painteez saal microphone ke saamne guzare hein; yeh bataayi, ke jab aap, farz kijiye jab aap gaane khade huye the, yahan badla wafa ka bewafaayi ke siva kya hai, us waqt aap ko kaisa mehsoos ho raha tha?

Rafi: Aisa, zara si kuch jijhak aati, thodi si, phir baad mein tik ho jatha hai. Bajne se tho gaane, gaane ke baad phir se dhun aajaayegi.

Interviewer: Ab jab aap, mashallah itne arse se gaa rahein hein tho, ab aapko, microphone ke aage kaisa mehsoon hota hai?

Rafi: Bas, mehesoos kuch nahin hota ji. Ek dam free gaata hun mein bas.

O duniya ke rakhwale song plays.

Interviewer: Kahan hai yeh paakdaar awaaz aur kahan apni neeji zindagi mein, bhole bhale, seedhe saadhe, balke sach poochiye tho kuch, sehme sehme the Mohd Rafi. Yakeen nahin aata. Hamne unse Poocha ke recording studio mein tho aap aksar jaate hein. Lekin ab aap yahan Brittania mein, hazaaron mazhumon ke saamne gaa rahe hein. Kya us gaane mein, aur, is gaane mein kuch faraq hai?

Rafi: Ji haan. Bahut, ek dam change peheli dafa hota hai. Har public ki farmaish poori karni padti hai, aur jaise jaise log farmaish karte hein, waise hi gaana gaana padta hai. Usi Mood mein koyi Rock N Roll, Bhajan, Classical, ji waise gaana padta hai.

Interviewer: Mohd Rafi ki ek badi khoobi yeh thi ke voh thirakte huve geeton se lekar, tehre tehre classici raagon taq, sabi kuch, badi masharath se gaate the. Aise mehero mein unse poocha gaya ke, tarah tarah se filmon ke badalte huve manzaron ke muthabik, aap apne gaane ka andaaz, aur apni kaifiyath ko kaise badalte hein?

Rafi: Aise voh, director ham logon ko batate hein, shuru mein batate hein, yeh gaana voh gaarahein sab, Kayi saal pehele picture aayi thi Neel Kamal, Usmein Ek Gaana tha, Babul Ki Duvayen lethi Jaa. Us mein se, meri ek ladki ki bhi shaadi thi, us ke doosre din mein yeh gaana record kiya. Tho wahan voh ladki gaati hai, tho meri aankhon mein aaraha tha aisa, ke jaise meri ladki abhi jaa rahi hai, doli mein, aisa aisa, tho lagta tha ke, gaane ekdam jazbaat se dil se nikal gaya.

Babul Ki Duvayen Lethi Ja song plays.

Interviewer: Aur Aakhir mein hamne Mohd Rafi se poccha, Ke Aap, painteez barson mein, pacheez se chhabeez hazar gaane gaaye hein, tho kya aap samjhthe hein mausiki ki duniya mein, apni zindagi ka, sab se achha nagma aap gaa chuke hein?

Rafi: Yeh tho dariya hai music ka. Yeh tho kabhi khatam hota nahin bas. Jitne bhi is mein, har tarah khushi ka sana hoti rehegi bas ismein.

Interviewer: Ek dafa Rafi Sahab koyi tees saal huve, maine Illahbaad ke ek tehele mein aapka Interview pada tha. Us mein unhone aap se poocha tha ke Rafi Sahab, aapko apna gaya huva kaunsa gaana sab se zyada pasand hai? Us waqt aapne kaha tha, Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki. Kya apne is bayaan par aap abhi Kayam hai?

Rafi: Ji haan, yeh gaana achha hai, bahut sweet lagta hai bas.