The legend lives on
S.M. AAMIR
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That the magic of Mohammed Rafi lingers on was evident at a recent Rafi Nite.
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EVERGREENEven after many years of his death, Mohammad Rafi’s popularity is intact.
To coincide with Mohammed Rafi’s death anniversary – July 31 – a Rafi Nite was organised in the Capital this week. Rafi may be no more but his popularity is undiminished as people thronged to listen to even his clones and those attempting to sing like him. They stood in the aisles and covered every inch of space available at Kamani Auditorium, where the Rafi Nite was held, organised by the Escorts Group.
The evening was marked not just by romantic songs but also opened a window to some of the lesser known aspects of the singer’s personality. Binu Nair, chairman Rafi Foundation, Mumbai, recounted, “One day Rafi Sahab was going to office, children in the locality requested him to sing a song. He was in a hurry and tried to persuade the kids but to no avail. Then Rafi gave them a Rs.10 note and promised to sing some other time.”
He further recalled, “A friend of Rafi was once sitting quite worried. On being asked, the friend told him that his children’s school authorities want Rafi to sing at the school function. Hearing this Rafi said, “Don’t worry. Tell me the time and date — I will be there.”
Incidentally, as somebody recalled at the concert, Rafi once even sang a song for just one rupee and asked the music director to give him an empty envelope so that nobody would know how much he paid. As singers, young, talented, and seasoned too, sang hosannas to him, one recalled how Rafi started and in what unusual circumstances. When he was a little boy in village Kotla, Sultan Singh in Punjab, which is now in Pakistan, a fakir used to visit his locality singing songs, seeking alms. Little Rafi, mesmerised by the song, used to trail the fakir from a distance. That sowed in him the seeds of melody.
Rafi’s career started with the film “Pehle Aap” but it was Mehboob Khan’s “Anmol Ghadi” that launched his success story as a playback singer. Incidentally, he also lent his voice to Kishore Kumar in “Rangoli” and “Shararat” as a singer pointed out. Rafi had a very good relationship with music director Naushad, who even refused to work with any other playback singer. Many of Rafi’s romantic songs were duets, the legendary singer sang with Asha Bhosle with whom he shared a good chemistry. And whose songs were quite popular at the concert too.
Speaking on the occasion, actor Randhir Kapoor said, “Rafi Sahab belonged to the golden era of music, in his days music was pure but today it is only noise. According to me, Rafi was the king. Whenever I feel sad and lonely I listen to his songs.”
Romantic best
The evening brought back memories of Rafi at his romantic best with most of the singers preferring to sing Rafi’s romantic songs of the 60’s and early 70’s. The songs included, “Aap Yun hi Agar Humse Milte Rahe”, Rafi’s song with Asha Bhosle which was so beautifully picturised on Sadhna and Joy Mukherjee in the 1962 film “Ek Musafir Ek Hasina”. “Waadiyan Mera Daaman” from the film “Abhilasha”, lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri, “Ab Kya Misaal Doon” from the 1962 film “Aarti”, “Nain lad Gaye Hain” from “Ganga Jamuna” were some of the other nostalgic numbers. One however missed the timeless Bhajan, “O Duniya ke Rakhwale”, which is a shining example of India’s deep rooted secularism. Unfortunately, nobody deemed it fit to sing it at the concert marked by some 40 odd songs.
G.B. Mathur, senior Vice President with the Escorts Group, a die-hard Rafi worshipper who started serious singing five years back, did most of the singing with his wife Rachna Mathur and Vandna Bhardwaj ably supporting him. There was Manish Mehta too, who sang “Dil Jo Na Keh Saka” from “Bheegi Raat”. Mathur summed up, “Celebrities have fans but Rafi Sahab had worshippers. He was a complete institution in himself.”
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