DHARMENDRA TRIBUTES TO MOHAMMED RAFI:
A Short Article by Nasir Ali:
Dharmendra remains one of the most prolific of actors what with some 5 or 6 of his movies always being screened simultaneously one time or the other during his hay days in Mumbai. Probably the first time Rafi Sahaab sang for Dharmendra was in Shola Aur Shabnam, a 1962 film. It was also the earliest of Dharmendra’s movies in which he romanced the forgotten heroine, Tarla. Of course, the Shola Aur Shabnam songs were filmed on a very young Dharam, this being his second movie. These songs are also accepted to be among the best ones from Music Director Khayyam. Rafi Sahaab did have a typical style while singing for Dharmendra too so that one always identified the performer and the singing voice as one.
Rafi Sahaab’s songs have kept the memories of Dharam’s movies alive. These songs are popular even today. To mention a few among the many songs that Rafi Sahaab sang for Dharmendra:
kahaaniyaa sunaatee hain – Rajput.
O meree mehboobaa – Dharm Veer.
main jaT yamlaa paglaa deewaana – Pratigya.
Huwee shaam un kaa KHyaal Aa gayaa…
tumhaare pyaar meN hamm beqaraar hoke chale…
main kaheeN kavee naa bann jaaooN….
Bandaa parwar main kahaaN – Pocket Maar.
Aap ke haseen ruKh pe aaj nayaa noor hai…
aaj mausam baRaa be-imaan hai...
mujhe dard-e-dil kaa pataa naa thaah…
mere dushman tuu meree dostee ko tarse…
aaKhiree geet muhabbat kaa sunaa luuN toh chaluuN…
apnee nigaah-e-shauq ke ... arre maine tujh ko chaahaa…
chhalakaayeN jaam Aaiye aap kee aaNkhoN ke naam…
dekhaa hai teree aaNkhooN meN pyaar hee pyaar…
gar tum bhulaa naa doge…
ek haseen shaam ko dil meraa kho gayaa…
yahee tamannaa tere dar ke saamne…
yaqeen kar lo mujhe muhabbat hai tumse tumse…
naa jaa kaheeN ab naa jaa dil ke sivaa…
o maaNjhee chal tuu chale to chham-chham baaje…
kaheeN se maut ko laao ke Gham kee raat kaTe…
shamaa bujhne ko chalee…
kaajal vaale nayn milaa ke kar Daalaa bechayn ...
kaliyoN ne ghuuNghaT khole…
lo cheharaa surKh sharaab huwaa…
zindagee guzaarne ko saathee ek chaahiye – Ek Mahal ho Sapno ka.
kaise jeete haiN bhalaa…
naa jaane kyooN hamaare dil ko tumne dil naheeN samjhaa…
chehraa teraa Allaah Allaah…
maaN tujhe DhoonDhooN kahaaN – Maa.
bahaaroN kee baaraat Aa gayee…
Sone ke gehne kyooN tune pehne – Resham ki Dori.
Tumhaaree mulaaqaat se mujh ko pataa yeh chalaa…
til til daa lekhaa..
Apne dil meN josh hai – Mera Dharam Mera Karam (1987)
Tuu kaheeN Aas paas hai – Aas Paas 1980 (Career’s last song)
ik rastaa aa haa aa haa do raahee,
Jhilmil sitaaron kaa aaNgan hogaa…
in bahaaroN meN akele naa phiro…
yeh dil tum bin kaheeN lagtaa naheeN…
ik mahal ho sapanoN kaa…
saathiyaa naheeN jaanaa ke jee naa lage…
ke aajaa teree yaad aayee…
rehne doh gile shikve…
dil ne dil se jaane kyaa kahaa…
jeet hee lenge baazee hamm tum…
tere paas aa ke meraa vaqt guzar jaataa hai…
tere siwaa naa kisee kaa banuuNgaa ye vaadaa rahaa…
aap ko pehle bhee kaheeN dekhaa hai…
dil toh pehle se hee madhosh hai matwaalaa hai…
duniya meN paise binaa kaise hamm jeeyenge…
baRe baRe logoN ke yaar baRe baRe haiN raaz…
ab doh diloN kee mushkil Aasaan ho gayee…
laRkee pasand kee mushkil se milti hai..
kyaa jalwaa kyaa nazaaraa…
shaher meN charchaa hai ahaa…
tuu meraa main teree duniya jale toh jale…
pyaar se dil bhar de…
Is it any wonder, therefore, that even after 35 years, Dharmendra has not forgotten Rafi Sahaab. During his interview given to the Aaj Tak Channel, Dharmendra was asked "Hemant Kumar, Mukesh, Mohammad Rafi, Kishore Kumar... all of them provided playback for you. “Behtareen kaun Lagaa?” He forthrightly and very categorically stated: “I love Mohammed Rafi!” He continued: “Unhone pehlaa hee gaanaa gaayaa thaah: ‘jaane kyaa DhoonDhtee rehtee haiN yeh aaNkheN mujh meN/raakh ke Dher meN sholaa hai naa chingaaree hai…’ jeet hee lenge baazee hamm tum khel adhooraa chhooTe naa...’ phir kitnee pictureN ginwaaooN?” He explained how Rafi Sahaab actually modulated his voice to bring in softness to the songs. He further mentioned that the way Rafi Sahaab sang for others including Dilip Saab, Shammi Kapoor, it looked as if the heroes were themselves singing the song. He cautiously added: “baaqee bhee achche haiN main kisee kee burayee naheeN kar rahaa hooN. Main toh bas Mohammed Rafi Sahaab kaa…. Unfortunately, the anchor just cut in before Dharmendra could complete his answer.
According to Dharmendra, it was Rafi Sahaab’s voice that jacked his filmy career. He remembers Rafi Sahaab as an endearing and affectionate but very unassuming figure despite his awesome position in the film industry. He very humbly admits that “Rafisaab ke gaayeh yeh khubsoorat geet parde par gane ka mauka Dharmendra ko mila”. (These beautiful Rafi songs Dharmendra got to essay on the screen).
Rafi Sahaab was known for his humility and here is Dharmendra emulating him in being as humble as ever in considering Rafi Sahaab his personal favourite and about whom he can go on talking endlessly. And Dharam has been Rafi’s favourite too! Together they were a formidable combination!
NASIR
