MORE TRIBUTES TO RAFI SAHAAB AT THE LAUNCH OF RAFI MUSIC ACADEMY

Even after 30 years of the sad demise of the Indian Singing Legend, Mohammed Rafi Sahaab, the world is still enchanted by his magical voice that poured thousands of songs of all genres. Apart from Hindi/Urdu, he sang in many regional languages including Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Konkani, Sindhi, Kannada, Telugu, Gujarati, Maghi, Mathili, as well as in English, Afghani and Creole languages.  Along with his songs, one could laugh with him, weep with him, indulge in intense romance and innocent flirations, lament the loss of beloved and bewail the pangs of separation as well as reflect on the transitory nature of life and world and then find solace in the heart-wrenching and heart-rending appeal to the Divine Power for peace and serenity. Life becomes meaningful and less ardous when we listen to this mellifluous voice. There is indeed a therapy for the soul in Rafi Sahaab’s songs. We may listen and learn from him, but there can never be another Rafi, whether as a singer or a human being, in the world of music, entertainment and films.


NASIR

FRESH TRIBUTES TO RAFI SAHAAB ON 30TH DEATH ANNIVERSARY AT THE LAUNCH OF RAFI MUSIC ACADEMY IN MUMBAI.

During the launch of  Mohammed Rafi Academy by Shahid Rafi and his wife, Firdaus Shahid Rafi, various film personalities came together to pay their tributes to the memory of the Great Singing Legend, Mohammed Rafi Sahaab. Music directors Pyarelal of the Laxmi-Pyare duo, Ravi, Kalyanji of the Kalyanji-Anandji duo, Bappi Lahiri and Ravinder Jain were present. Also present were singers Udit Narayan, Amit Kumar, Sudha Malhotra, Shabbir Kumar, Adnan Sami and Nitin Mukesh, as well as actors Sanjay Khan, Jackie Shroff, Dara Singh, Jagdeep, Javed Jafri, and Jeetendra. Producer/actor/director Rakesh Roshan too graced the occasion. Others included the “Binaca Geet Mala” legend, Amin Sayani, Diamond Merchant Bharat Shah, Lyricist Naqsh Lyallpuri, Hassan Kamaal, Rajit Sayani, Ashok Shekhar and others.


The objective of the Mohammed Rafi Academy is to foster music among young talents at a young age, especially those who come from the economically backward classes and cannot afford the fees of formal training. Hence, the Academy will be thick in charity works too. We are also told that the Academy will also honour the past and living legends by honouring the artists themselves and their families on birth and death anniversaries. The governing body of Rafi Academy is represented by Shahid Rafi, Raju Naushad (Naushad’s son), Andalib (son of Majrooh Sultanpuri), and Rohan Kapoor (son of Mahendra Kapoor).


The lamp-lighting ceremony was led by the heart-throb of yesteryear, Yahoo Shammi Kapoor. Rich tributes were paid to Rafi Sahaab by the veteran film-stars and composers:


Shahid Rafi: Aaj hamaare waalid sahaab kee teesvi.n barsee hai, aur hamne sochaa hai ke “Mohammed Rafi Academy” launch kare.n....Mujhe behad Khushee hai ke aap log yahaa.n aaye, mujhe aashirwaad diyaa ab is Academy ko aashirwaad dijiye ke yeh kaafee aage ba.Dhe. …. Jabhee Rafi Sahaab se koee boltaa thaah ke..matlab.. Waah Rafi Sahaab aapne kyaa gaayaa, toh bolte….aisaa ishaaraa karte theh (with the tongue between the teeth and nodding the head and pointing the finger to the sky, to show denial) …Matlab yeh thaah ke oopar waale kee dayn hai bas! …Mere me.n kuchh nahee.n hai, sirf oopar waale ne dayn diyaa hai mujhe, usee kaa istemaal kar rahaa hoo.n. (He sang his father's DIL KAA SOONA SAAZ TARAANAA DHOONDHEGAA). 


Shammi Kapoor: Rafi Sahaab ke baare me.n bahot kuchh hai kehne ko. Mai.n nahee.n samajhtaa ke mere paas, aap ke paas itnaa waqt hai…. I can definitely say one thing that without Rafi Sahaab I was incomplete.


Rishi Kapoor: Aap ne sahee farmaayaa ke Kapoor parivaar kaa Rafi Sahaab ke saath ek lambaa sahyog rahaa hai. Jab ke Raj Kapoor Sahaab kee aawaaz Mukesh ji theeh, lekin Shammi uncle, Shashi uncle, kuchh gaane Daboo aur maine…, mere ‘career’ me.n Rafi Sahaab ka bahot ba.Daa haath rahaa hai. Manmohan Desai Sahaab kehte theh ke agar Khuda kee koee aawaaz hai toh voh Mohammed Rafi hai. .....I was lucky that Rafi sahaab has even sung for my films. One of my favorites from my film Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahi is called Kya Hua Tera Wada. It was one of the best romantic and sad songs of that time. Rafi sahib had a voice that suited all stars of all ages.  (Indeed, who can forget the Laila Majnu numbers as well as PARDA HAI PARDA HAI and SHIRDI WAALE SAI.N BAABA from AAA? And that rapturous romance in: DARD-E-DIL from Karz.)


Jeetendra: You see, very few people can do what he did! In same movie he’s singing for Guru Dutt and you feel that Guru Dutt is singing. It doesn’t sound as if somebody is giving lip-synching, and he’s singing for Johny Walker also. See the contrast. Can you imagine the talent! But…. according to me, he must have… sang hundreds of songs where the producers must not have been able to pay money and he sang them free. (He reminded the audience that Rafi Sahaab had waived his singing fee after learning that Jeetendra’s costliest extravaganza, Deedar-e-Yaar, had flopped at the box-office.)


Pyaarelal (of L-P duo): Rafi Sahaab ka kyaa, un kaa alag… un kee izzat alag hai. Un kee aawaaz me.n ek bahot hee Khaaseeyat theeh, jo bahot kam logo.n me.n hotee hai. Ke bhai, un kee Khaaseeyat yeh hai ke koee bhee.. koee bhee ‘artist’ ho, koee bhee ‘hero’ ho, un kee aawaaz kahee.n bhee ‘suit’ ho jaatee theeh. Toh yeh jo Khaaseeyat hai bahot kam logo.n me.n hotee hai. Har ek ‘voice’ me.n nahee.n hotee. …. ayaak kee baat toh chho.Diye. Aise insaan naa huwe naa abhee hai.n, naa ho.nge. (Sings: CHAAHOONGA MAIN TUJHE SAANJH SAVERE/AAWAAZ MAIN NAA DOONGAA)


Jagdeep: Rafi Saab dil kaa maalik thaah. Dil se gaataa thaah, aatmaa se gaataa thaah. Dil se jo baat nikaltee hai, asar rakhtee hai, par nahee.n taaqaat-e-parwaaz magar rakhtee hai. Aaj tak hamm us aawaaz ko sun rahe hai.n, saraahanaa kar rahe hai.n, magar ro rahe hai.n. (We still remember the Rafi Sahaab's philosophical number: AADMI CHIRAAGH HAI that was filmed on the young Jagdeep in Barkha; CHALI CHALI RE PATANG MERI CHALI RE which was a Rafi-Lata duet in AVM'S Bhabhi;  as well as PAAS BAITHO TABIYAT BEHEL JAAYEGI in Punar Milan which  was a Jagdeep-Ameeta starrer). 


Rakesh Roshan: Mujhe lagtaa hai yeh bahot ‘late’ khulaa hai, bahot pehle khulnaa chahiye thaah. ‘And it’s very good for the upcoming singers…’ (He also informed the audience that though Rafi Sahaab sang a few songs for him, the Legend had enormous work with his late father, Composers Roshan and brother Rajesh Roshan.)


Jackie Shroff: Kaisaa bhulaayegaa bhai sahaab. Jo mere se kaam karaayegaa karoo.ngaa. Rafi Sahaab ke liye jootaa paalish karaane kaa hai, karoo.ngaa. (With Shabbir Kumar he sings: ROKA KAI BAAR MAINE DIL KI UMANG KO/KYAA KAROON MAIN APNI NIGAAHON KI PASAND KO/O JAANE JAA.N.....and HAMNE TOH DIL KO AAP KE QADMON PE RAKH DIYAA/IS DIL KA KYAA KAREN KE YEH AB AAP SOCHIYE...) 


Dara Singh: Bahot Khushee kee baat hai ke Rafi Sahaab ke naam Mohammed Rafi Academy bann rahee hai. Mai.n chaahoonga key yeh bahot bahot kaamyaab ho. Bachche jo kosheesh kar rahe hai.n bahot hee saraahiniye baat hai.  (Don't we remember ZINDAGI ME.N AAYAA TOOFAAN?)


Bappi Lahiri: Bahot bahot mubaarak Shahid ko, aur mai.n sab kaam chho.D ke aaj kaa din ‘free’ rakkhaa. Toh, Rafi Sahaab ko mai.n itnaa ‘respect’ kartaa thaah. Aur Rafi Sahaab..ek ‘singer’ ke roop me.n nahee.n… ‘He was a gem of a person, gem of a human being, Toh meraa hisaab se Rafi Sahaab ka Academy pehle hee banana chahiye thaah. Lekin, ‘anyway’ jo Shahid ne kiyaa, bahot achchaa kiyaa. Mohammed Rafi Academy… Hamm log ‘foreign’ me.n jaate hai.n, Hollywood me.n kaafee ‘Stars’ kaa ‘Academy’ hotaa hai. Lekin Mohammed Rafi kaa ‘Academy” honaa hee chaahiye. One and only Rafi Sahaab Zindaabaad. ….Mai.n…..Rafi Sahaab ko mai.n bas ‘singer’ nahee.n bolnaa chaahtaa hoo.n. Voh aise insaan theh. Mai.n aaj kal har naujawaan ko boloonga aisaa insaan bano – Rafi Sahaab jaisaa… One and Only. (He sings PHOOL KA SHABAAB KYAA/HUSN KA MAHTAAB KYAA/AAP TOH BAS AAP HAIN/AAP KAA JAWAAB KYAA....)


Amin Sayani: ….Lekin…haa.nh. Lata ne mujhe bataayaa ke ek baar Rafi Sahaab aur un kee kuchh..tho.Dee an-ban ho gayee theeh. Baat chhoTee si theeh, ‘Royalty’ kaa maamlaa thaah. Ab Royalty’ ke baare me.n Rafi Sahaab keh rahe theh ke hamm toh paisaa lete hee hai.n hamm ‘Royalty’ kyoo.n le.n? Lata ne kahaa bahot saare aise ‘singers’ hai.n jo kehte hai.n ‘Royalty’ milnee chaahiye. Toh is par tho.Daa saa … jhag.Daa nahee.n huwaa, khee.nchaa-taanee ho gayee. Lekin Lata ne yeh bhee kahaa ke saab, Rafi jaise aadmee bahot kam theh duniya me.n, koee un me.n buraaee nahee.n. Hameshaa pyaar se kaam karte theh, hameshaa ba.De, ba.De….Bahot saleeke se, ba.De adab se kaam karte theh, aur, aur sabke saath miThaas ke saath bartaav karte theh.


Adnan Sami: …Baat yeh hai ke, Rafi Sahaab ne contribution jo music me.n, duniya me.n, kee hai, voh bemisaal hai. (Sings Yeh duniya yeh mehfil)


Javed Jaafri: Laakho.n log inspire huwe Rafi Sahaab se. Aur agar voh inspiration institutionalize kiyaa jaaye I think it is a very good concept. Aur sahi haath me.n hai….


Ravindra Jain: Rafi Sahaab ne apna naam Mohammed se sajaayaa hai, Mohammed naam aisaa hai jo doh jahaa.n(?) pe chhaayaa hai, Rafi Sahaab ke pardaa kar lene ke baad, aaj kal yaaro.n, naa waisaa gaayak aayaa hai, naa waisaa insaan aayaa hai.  (He sings: Gham bhee hain naa mukammal, Khushiyaan bhee hain adhooree, aansso bhee aa rahe hain, Hansnaa bhee hai zarooree....)


Udit Narayan: Mai.n actually ba.Daa emotional ho gayaa hoo.n. Rafi sahaab jaisa kalakaar, Rafi Sahaab jaisa insaan ho hee nahee.n sakta hai. (He's one of those blessed newcomers who shared the same mic with Rafi Sahaab at the start of their careers).   

Nitin Mukesh: (Reminiscing over what his father, the celebrated and late Playback Singer Mukesh, said:) Sun, main hoon main apne gaane gaaoongaa.  Magar tuu Rafi ke gaane gaa.  Aur bhagwaan jaantaa hai,main... mujhe...mann me.n kabhee irshaa bhee hotee theeh ke papa kyoon kehte theh, Gaanaa seekhnaa hai...gaane waalaa bannaa hai...achchaa gulukaar bannaa hai,  Mohammed Rafi ke gaane gaao.  Papa Theek kehte theh!

NASIR

Mohammed Rafi Sahaab remembered by Udit Narayan

Among the lot of the current singers many have been inspired by Rafi Sahaab’s sheer dedication, professionalism, and his magical voice. Manna Dey, Yesudas, and SP Balasubramaniam, have admitted about the magical enchantment of Rafi Sahaab’s voice. Mahendra Kapoor was his protégé and follower of Rafi Sahaab’s style. After the sad demise of this great legendary singer, Bollywood came to be dominated by the singers who were the fans and clones of Rafi Sahaab, such as Anwar, Shabbir Kumar and Mohammed Aziz. Recently, it was Sonu Nigam who drew attention and made a name for himself by singing and recording in his own voice, hundreds of Rafi Sahaab’s songs whereafter he came into his own. But still sings in programmes dedicated to the memory of his icon, Rafi Sahaab. Mohammed Aslam is another notable singer of immense talent, who is an ardent admirer of Rafi Sahaab. Having sung in several Bollywood films and some movies from the South, Mohammed Aslam never fails to perform in shows related to the memory of his ideal, Rafi Sahaab. Even Abhijeet, whose style is different, has admitted on the TV channel, in the SA RE GA MA Programme that was dedicated to Rafi Sahaab on his 29th Death Anniversay, that he had in fact followed the Janazaa (funeral) of Rafi Sahaab in 1980right up to the cemetary, and picking up the mud from near the grave where Rafi Sahaab was buried, he rubbed it on his neck (indicating a deep mark of respect and that he received a blessing of Rafi Sahaab). Then there is Udit Narayan who confesses to belonging to Rafi Sahaab’s school of singing despite the fact that there is actually no such school or a ‘Gharana’. When he was only 19 years old, Udit was blessed by Rafi Sahaab when the former had the golden opportunity of singing with Rafi Sahaab for a movie called Unness Bees. Udiit’s name became a household name when he sang PAPA KEHTE HAIN BADA NAAM KAREGAA for Amir Khan in Qayamat se Qayamat Tak (1988). Presented below are the sentiments expressed by Udit Narayan regarding his icon, the one and only Mohammed Rafi Sahaab:

MOHAMMED RAFI SAHAAB IN THE WORDS OF UDIT NARAYAN:


(Udit sings) Mil Gayaa Mil Gayaa Dhoondhte theh Jise Mil Gayaa....


‘I started my career with Rafi Sahaab’. Film UNEES BEES theeh. 18th December ’79 ko yeh gaana record huwaa thaah aur ‘80 me.n picture release huwee theeh. Rajesh Roshan Ji ka music thaah. Ameet Khanna Sahaab ne gaane likhe, aur Rafi Sahaab, Usha Mangeshkar Ji ke saath, mujhe bhee gaane ka mauqaa milaa. Pehlee baar maine Hindi film ke liye pehlaa gaanaa record kiya thaah yeh.


Rafi Sahaab ke saath jab mai.n – jab unho.ne mujhe dekhaa wahaa.n, toh soche koee bachche ka part hogaa, gaane ke liye aayaa hogaa yeh la.dkaa. Lekin jab ek hee Mike pe hamm kha.de theh, toh Rafi Sahaab – jab mai.n start kiyaa toh Rafi Sahaab meraa chehraa aisae dekh rahe theh ke itnaa chhoTaa la.dkaa hai aur aawaaz iskee toh ‘matured’ lagtee hai. Matlab unke ‘expression’ se aisaa lagg rahaa thaah mujhe. Toh maine unn ke payr chhooye aur bolaa ke mai.n toh aap ke saamne gaa nahee.n paaoo.ngaa, kyoo.n ke mai.n jinko bachpan se suntaa aa rahaa hoo.n mai.n radio me.n, jo meraa ek sapnaa thaah ke mai.n Rafi Sahaab ko dekh paaoo.n, aur aaj aise fankaar ke saamne kha.daa hoke mai.n – mujhe gaanaa gaane ko mauqa milaa hai, mere toh haath-payr kaamp rahe theh. Lekin unhone.n mere hauslaa ko buland kiyaa. Bole: “Nahee.n, Nahee.n, mai.n bhee aap ke tareh film industry me.n aayaa thaah. Aur maine bhee ‘chorus’ se shurooaat kee theeh. Magar aap mehnat karte rahenge aur saaf soch rakhenge, toh time aayegaa aapkaa, aur aap aage jaa sakte, ba.dh sakte hai.n.” Yeh aashirwaad unn se mujhe milaa hai. Kyaa kehnaa hai Rafi Sahaab, jinko mai.n bachpan se suntaa aa rahaa hoo.n, jinke liye, matlab - abhee bhee mujhe yeh lagtaa hai, ek Farishta – matlab bhagwaan ke nazdeek jo aadmi hota hai, aisaa paayaa unhe.n. ‘Thorough Gentleman’ bahot kamm baate.n karte theh, ‘Everytime’ hanste rehte theh, aur harr insaan ke liye achchaa sochte theh. Aisaa Fankaar, aisaa kalaakar, aisee aawaaz, aisaa insaan, toh shaayad hee iss dunyaa me.n (laughs) iss waqt kamm log honge aise.


NASIR.


ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF UDIT NARAYAN’S SENTIMENTS ABOUT RAFI SAHAAB:

I started my career with Rafi Sahaab. The movie was UNNEES BEES. This song was recorded on 18th December 1979 and the picture was released in 1980. Rajesh Roshan had given the music. Ameet Khanna had penned the songs, and along with Rafi Sahaab and Usha Mangeshkar I too got an opportunity to sing. For the first time in Hindi movie I had this first song recorded.

When Rafi Sahaab saw me there, he thought perhaps this boy had come to sing for some boy’s part (in the movie). But when we standing at the same microphone, when I began then Rafi Sahaab was watching my face (as if to say) how young this boy is and how matured his voice sounds! That is, I felt this from his expression.

So I touched his feet (as respects) and said that I won’t be able to sing before you because he, whom I’ve been listening to on the radio since my childhood, and it was my dream to see Rafi Sahaab in person, and today I had an opportunity to sing before such a great artiste, my hands and legs were trembling. But he encouraged me saying:

“No, No, just like you I, too, had come to the film industry and I, too, had begun (my career) by singing in a chorus. But if you dedicate yourself, and keep your thinking clean, then your time too will come and you will be able to surge forward.” This was the blessing that I received from him.

What to say of Rafi Sahaab! He, whom I’ve listening to since my childhood, and I still think of him as an Angel, that is, someone very close to God and this is how I see him. He was a thorough gentleman, who used to speak very sparingly. He used to laugh always, and had nothing but good in his mind for every human being. What a Great Artiste, what a Skilled Artiste, what a Voice! What a great human being! The like of whom will be very few and far between in this world (laughs) at this time!

NASIR.